LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that allows users to connect with other professionals in their industry. One of the key features of LinkedIn is the ability for users to endorse each other’s skills and expertise.
What Does It Mean to Be Endorsed on LinkedIn?
On LinkedIn, users can endorse other users for specific skills and expertise. For example, if John is connected to Jane on LinkedIn, he can endorse Jane for skills like “Social Media Marketing,” “Content Marketing,” and “Blogging.”
When John endorses Jane for a skill, it means that he is validating or confirming that Jane has that skill or expertise. The endorsement shows up on Jane’s profile under the Skills & Endorsements section, along with the names and photos of the people who have endorsed her for that skill. Endorsements on LinkedIn are meant to serve as social proof and validation of someone’s skills and expertise.
Endorsement vs. Recommendation
It’s important to note the difference between endorsements and recommendations on LinkedIn:
- Endorsement – A simple one-click validation of someone’s skills, without any additional context or explanation.
- Recommendation – A written statement or testimonial that provides context on someone’s skills, character, or work experience.
So an endorsement is more of a general validation, while a recommendation is a more detailed evaluation of someone’s qualifications.
How Do Endorsements Work?
Endorsing someone’s skills on LinkedIn is easy. Here’s how it works:
- Go to the profile of the person you want to endorse.
- Scroll down to the Skills & Endorsements section.
- Click the “+\” icon next to a skill.
- A pop-up will appear confirming your endorsement. Click “Yes” to complete the endorsement.
You can take back an endorsement at any time by clicking the “Undo” link.
When you endorse someone, it will notify them and give them the option to endorse you back. This allows for easy reciprocal endorsements between connections.
Who Can Endorse You?
You can be endorsed by any 1st-degree connection on LinkedIn. This includes:
- Anyone you are directly connected to
- Connections within your school or university alumni networks
- Connections within your company or group networks
2nd and 3rd-degree connections cannot endorse you. You are only able to be endorsed by people you are directly connected to on LinkedIn.
Skills that Can Be Endorsed
LinkedIn allows users to add up to 50 skills to their profile. Any of these skills that you add yourself can be endorsed by your connections. When you first create your LinkedIn profile, it will automatically populate some initial recommended skills based on your work experience and education. You can then add, remove or reorder skills on your profile at any time.
Some examples of popular skills that can be endorsed on LinkedIn include:
- Social Media Marketing
- Digital Marketing
- Content Marketing
- Copywriting
- Blogging
- Social Media
- Leadership
- Team Management
- Project Management
- Customer Service
Essentially any relevant professional skills related to your industry can be added and endorsed on your LinkedIn profile.
Why Do LinkedIn Endorsements Matter?
Here are some of the key benefits of receiving endorsements on LinkedIn:
Validates Your Skills
Endorsements serve as social validation of your stated skills and expertise. Having connections and colleagues endorse you helps back up and reinforce the skills on your profile.
Builds Your Brand
Endorsements make your brand more credible and trustworthy. When people endorse you, it signals that they trust and believe in your skills.
Shows Your Connections
Receiving endorsements demonstrates that you have active and engaged connections within your industry.
Boosts Your Visibility
The more endorsements you accumulate, the more LinkedIn’s search algorithm may surface your profile for relevant queries. This can lead to being discovered by more connections and opportunities.
See Who You Know
Viewing your endorsers allows you to see the connections you have at specific companies you may be interested in.
Grows Your Network
Endorsing others enables reciprocal endorsements that help grow your network on LinkedIn.
Tips for Getting Endorsed on LinkedIn
Here are some tips to help you accumulate more LinkedIn endorsements:
Endorse Others Proactively
One of the best ways to get endorsed is to proactively endorse others first. This tends to spur reciprocal endorsements.
Connect with Colleagues
The more connections you have, the more endorsements you can potentially receive. Connect with colleagues old and new.
Join Industry Groups
Active participation in LinkedIn industry groups can connect you with new professionals to mutually endorse skills with.
Add Relevant Skills
Populate your profile with all relevant skills for your industry. The more endorseable skills you have, the more endorsements you can accumulate.
Update Your Position
When you update your position, it will prompt your network to congratulate you, providing an opportunity for endorsements.
Engage With Your Network
Commenting on posts and interacting with your connections can remind them to come back and endorse you.
Say Thank You
When someone new endorses you, reach out to say thanks and potentially endorse them back.
Do LinkedIn Endorsements Really Matter?
While LinkedIn endorsements can certainly be valuable, it’s important not to put too much stock in them. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Quantity vs. Quality
What matters more – having a few endorsements from close professional contacts or having hundreds of endorsements from connections you barely know?
Context Matters
Endorsements without context don’t hold as much weight as written recommendations that detail someone’s contributions.
Skills Can Become Outdated
Just because someone endorsed you for a certain skill years ago doesn’t mean it’s still relevant today.
Endorsement Inflation
If everyone endorses skills for all their connections without discretion, the value of endorsements becomes diluted.
Not a Replacement for Work Samples
Rather than primarily relying on endorsements, your skills are often better demonstrated through work samples in your portfolio.
So while endorsements have value in reinforcing your professional brand, they should be viewed as social validation rather than an objective assessment of capabilities.
Pros and Cons of LinkedIn Endorsements
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Conclusion
LinkedIn endorsements can be a nice validation of skills and a way to strengthen connections, but they shouldn’t be given too much weight on their own. The endorsements that matter most are those from close professional contacts who can contextually validate specific skills and expertise.
Rather than fixating on the quantity of LinkedIn endorsements, focus on building out an informative profile, cultivating meaningful connections, and showcasing your skills with rich work samples.
Used holistically with other elements of your profile, LinkedIn endorsements can be a nice added layer of social proof to reinforce your personal brand and qualifications.