Is it appropriate to ask for LinkedIn in recommendation?

LinkedIn has become an invaluable tool for networking and job searching. With over 740 million members worldwide, LinkedIn provides a way for professionals to connect, build their personal brand, and discover career opportunities. One of the key features of LinkedIn is the ability to request and share recommendations from your connections.

Recommendations provide social proof for your skills, accomplishments, and work ethic. They allow you to showcase positive feedback from managers, colleagues, clients, and other professionals you’ve worked with. Recommendations are visible on your LinkedIn profile and can boost your credibility during job searches and networking.

However, there is some debate around whether it is appropriate to ask someone to write you a recommendation. Some argue that recommendations should be offered voluntarily and asking comes across as pushy or self-serving. Others believe there is nothing wrong with politely asking for honest feedback that can help advance your career.

The Case For Asking for LinkedIn Recommendations

Here are some reasons why it can be acceptable and beneficial to request LinkedIn recommendations:

• People are busy and may not think to provide a recommendation unprompted. Asking can jog their memory and prompt them to take a few minutes to endorse you.
• Certain people may be open to providing a recommendation but unsure if you want one. Asking allows them to know you are interested.
• Asking provides the opportunity to guide what you would like highlighted in the recommendation. You can share accomplishments you are proud of or skills you want to emphasize.
• Your connections want to see you succeed. Most people are happy to support your career growth by providing a recommendation.
• It’s common practice on LinkedIn. Many users expect and are not surprised by recommendation requests.
• Done properly, asking does not come across as pushy or aggressive. A polite request is often well received.
• A recommendation from a supervisor or colleague can carry more weight than a skill endorsement.

Asking for recommendations in a respectful, appropriate way can help build your professional brand and open doors to new opportunities. However, there are some best practices to keep in mind.

Best Practices for Asking for a LinkedIn Recommendation

Follow these tips for requesting LinkedIn recommendations tactfully:

• Only ask people who you have worked with directly and who can speak positively about your work. Avoid asking strangers or distant acquaintances.
• Time your request. Don’t ask as soon as you connect with someone or while you are still working together. Wait until you or they have moved on.
• Do not pressure or guilt people into providing recommendations. Accept graciously if they decline.
• Consider offering to write a draft recommendation to make it easy for them. But allow them to edit or rewrite it entirely.
• Make the request personal with a customized message, not a generic template message.
• Show your appreciation by offering to provide recommendations in return.
• Give them plenty of time to complete the recommendation without rushing them.
• Thank them after they provide the recommendation. Consider returning the favor.

Being thoughtful and gracious can go a long way in securing positive recommendations. Avoid being transactional or treating the recommendation as an obligation.

Who Should You Ask for LinkedIn Recommendations?

Certain connections make better candidates for recommendation requests than others:

• Former managers – Managers are able to highlight your responsibilities, contributions, and on-the-job performance.
• Colleagues – Coworkers can provide insight into your work style, attitude, and ability to collaborate.
• Clients – Client testimonials can underscore your customer service and business relationships.
• Mentors – Ask respected advisors who have seen your career progression and development.
• Vendor partners – Recommendations from vendors demonstrate your professionalism and influence.
• Instructors – Teachers and trainers can remark on your dedication and academic achievements.

Avoid asking family members or others with an obvious conflict of interest. Also, focus on relationships where there is a solid basis for a recommendation.

How to Ask for a LinkedIn Recommendation

Here are some tips for requesting a LinkedIn recommendation:

• Make the ask in person if possible. This shows extra care and consideration.
• Refresh their memory of projects you worked on together and your professional relationship.
• Say you are seeking to grow your LinkedIn presence and would appreciate their endorsement.
• Offer to draft the recommendation based on their feedback to make it easier.
• Provide bullet points on your key responsibilities, accomplishments, and qualifications you would like highlighted.
• Give a deadline but allow flexibility if more time is needed.
• Express your sincere appreciation for their willingness to provide a recommendation.
• Offer to provide a recommendation in return.

Here is a recommendation request email template you can adapt:

Dear [name],

I hope this email finds you well! I wanted to reach out to see if you would be willing to provide a LinkedIn recommendation for me.

As you know, I am currently exploring new career opportunities. A recommendation from you would greatly help strengthen my LinkedIn presence and demonstrate the skills and qualities I developed while working at [company].

Please let me know if you would be open to providing a brief recommendation highlighting my contributions to [projects, achievements, role]. I can provide a draft for you to modify or use as a starting point.

Your support would mean a great deal and I would be happy to write a recommendation for you in return! Please let me know if there is any other information I can provide.

Best,
[Your name]

Customizing your request based on your relationship and explaining how it would help your career can increase the likelihood of a positive response. Offering to return the favor also provides incentive.

What to Include in a LinkedIn Recommendation

Crafting the perfect LinkedIn recommendation requires thoughtfulness and balance. Here are some tips on what to include:

• Start with a sentence establishing your professional relationship, job title, and the duration you worked together.
• Provide 1-3 bullets summarizing the person’s responsibilities and areas of expertise.
• Give specific examples of big projects, achievements, or contributions.
• Highlight soft skills like work ethic, attitude, ability to collaborate, etc.
• Close with a sentence emphasizing your endorsement and confidence in their abilities.

Effective recommendations are:

• 1-3 paragraphs long
• Written clearly and professionally
• Free of typos or grammatical errors
• Unable to be misconstrued
• Backed by specific details and examples

While being positive, avoid exaggerations or overt flattery. Be honest about the person’s qualifications to maintain credibility.

Here is a sample recommendation structure:

[Opening establishing professional relationship]

I had the pleasure of working with [name] in my role as [position] at [company] from [dates]. In [his/her] position as [position], [name] was responsible for [1-3 bullet points of responsibilities].

[Name] excelled at [accomplishment] by [highlight achievements]. [He/She] played a key role in [projects] and contributed to company growth through [examples of contributions].

Beyond [his/her] considerable professional skills, [name] demonstrated [positive soft skills] and served as a true [role model, leader, mentor, etc]. [He/She] could always be relied upon to [example of strong work ethic or teamwork].

It is my privilege to recommend [name] as someone who will make key contributions in any role. [His/her] expertise in [summarizing areas] and passion for [field or industry makes/will make [him/her] an asset to any team. Please reach out if you have any other questions.

Use this template as a model but avoid copying it word-for-word. Recommendations should be original and honest in your own voice.

How Many LinkedIn Recommendations Should You Have?

The number of recommendations appropriate for your LinkedIn profile depends on where you are in your career:

As you progress through different stages, it is reasonable to expand your recommendations. However, quality matters more than quantity. A handful of thoughtful recommendations carries more weight than dozens of generic blurbs.

Should You Recommend Someone You Don’t Know Well?

It is best practice to only recommend professionals on LinkedIn who you know well enough to vouch for their abilities. Avoid providing recommendations for those you do not know personally and professionally.

If asked to recommend someone you do not feel comfortable endorsing, you can politely:

• Decline by saying you do not know them well enough to recommend at this time.
• Suggest they request a recommendation from someone familiar with their work.
• Offer to provide a more general character or personal reference instead.

Providing recommendations for unfamiliar contacts puts your own reputation at risk. It is reasonable to explain you limit LinkedIn recommendations to direct colleagues for credibility.

Should You Recommend Someone You Don’t Respect?

Avoid providing LinkedIn recommendations for professionals you cannot sincerely endorse. Recommending someone you do not respect or had issues with could backfire by:

• Misleading employers performing background checks
• Damaging your own credibility if discrepancies emerge
• Hurting the substandard employee if your lack of enthusiasm shows through

If asked by someone you cannot honestly recommend, consider:

• Explaining that you do not feel comfortable recommending at this particular time
• Suggesting they request a recommendation from someone better acquainted with their work
• Professionally explaining the issues that make you unable to provide a recommendation

While honesty may be awkward, it prevents putting your reputation at risk. HR professionals say they can read between the lines of vague, half-hearted recommendations.

What to Do if You Receive a Poor LinkedIn Recommendation?

If someone provides an unenthusiastic, negative, or misleading recommendation, you can:

• Politely request they revise or remove the recommendation. Explain how it could damage your reputation unfairly.
• Publicly reply clarifying any exaggerations or false impressions given.
• Contact LinkedIn if they refuse to edit or remove a clearly inaccurate recommendation.
• Add multiple positive recommendations to push the poor one down your profile.

Prevent this by vetting anyone you allow to recommend you and maintaining good professional relationships.

Key Takeaways

• Asking for LinkedIn recommendations in a polite, considerate way can strengthen your professional reputation when done tactfully.
• Time requests appropriately, personalize messages, and express appreciation to secure positive endorsements.
• Tailor the number of recommendations you have based on your career stage and goals.
• Only recommend people you know well enough to sincerely vouch for.
• Decline requests gracefully from contacts you cannot authentically endorse.
• Handle negative recommendations promptly and professionally.

Judiciously requesting and offering recommendations is part of building your brand and network on LinkedIn. By following best practices, you can leverage recommendations without being perceived as pushy or self-serving.