As a professional on LinkedIn, you have the opportunity to endorse others for their skills and expertise. But who should you endorse and why does it matter? Here are some tips on how to strategically leverage LinkedIn endorsements.
What are LinkedIn Endorsements?
LinkedIn endorsements allow you to recognize the skills and accomplishments of other professionals in your network. When you endorse someone, you are validating that they have that particular skill or expertise. It displays on their profile under their list of skills.
Endorsements serve as a form of social proof and validation for a person’s capabilities. They help build someone’s professional brand and credibility.
Why Do LinkedIn Endorsements Matter?
Here are some of the key benefits of LinkedIn endorsements:
- Boosts visibility for the endorsed person’s skills and expertise
- Shows alignment between their skills and those recognized by peers
- Helps them rank better for skills in LinkedIn searches
- Adds credibility to their capabilities from external sources
In summary, LinkedIn endorsements are a vote of confidence in someone’s proficiencies from others in their field. When used strategically, they can enhance a professional’s personal brand and reach on the platform.
Who Should You Endorse on LinkedIn?
When deciding who to endorse on LinkedIn, consider the following:
1. Professional contacts you have worked with directly
These are people you have firsthand experience with and can authentically validate their skills. For example, colleagues from current or former jobs who you worked closely with. You directly witnessed their capabilities and contributions.
2. People who have endorsed you
Endorsing those who have endorsed you helps build goodwill and reciprocation. Look at who has validated your skills and consider endorsing them back.
3. Contacts you highly respect
There may be professionals you greatly admire or look up to in your industry. Though you haven’t worked directly together, you are confident in the skills they possess based on their experience and reputation.
4. Connections who you want to support
Perhaps you have younger or less experienced contacts you want to help build up. Endorsing them for skills or progress helps empower their professional brand.
5. Quality connections relevant to your industry
Look through your network for respected professionals in your field that align with your business goals. Endorsing them for niche, relevant skills can build relationships.
How Many Skills Should You Endorse Someone For?
When it comes to how many skills to endorse someone for, moderation is key. Here are some best practices:
- 1-3 skills per endorsement – Avoid endorsing someone for an excessive number of unrelated skills, as it will come across as disingenuous.
- Skills you can authentically validate – Only endorse skills you are confident the person possesses based on experience with them.
- Variety over repetition – Endorse different skills rather than the same ones repeatedly.
- Align with their goals – Endorse skills that seem most relevant to their professional brand and aspirations.
The sweet spot is typically endorsing someone for 1-3 relevant skills that align with their goals and your direct knowledge of their capabilities.
How Often Should You Endorse on LinkedIn?
When it comes to frequency, aim for quality over quantity. Here are some tips:
- Every few new skills – Periodically endorse others when they add relevant new skills to their profile.
- Ongoing reciprocation – Continuously endorse those who endorse you to build mutual benefit.
- During active engagement – Endorse while actively engaging with your network, such as messaging contacts or viewing profiles.
- Major accomplishments – Endorse people when they share major accomplishments or career updates on LinkedIn.
The ideal cadence is to endorse organically and meaningfully as you actively engage on LinkedIn, avoiding mass randomized endorsements.
Should You Endorse Someone You Don’t Know?
It’s best practice on LinkedIn to only endorse people you have direct professional experience with or knowledge of. Some tips:
- Avoid endorsing random contacts or second-degree connections unless you are very familiar with their capabilities.
- Be wary of endorsing those outside your immediate professional circles, even if requested.
- Ignore or politely decline endorsement requests from strangers.
Stick to endorsing those within your close professional network for skills you can credibly validate. Authenticity with endorsements builds credibility.
Can You Remove an Endorsement on LinkedIn?
Yes, it is possible to remove endorsements on LinkedIn if needed. Here is how:
- Go to your profile and click the “Me” tab.
- Under the Management section, click “Posts & Activity.”
- Go to the “Endorsements You’ve Given” section.
- Find the endorsement you want to remove and click the “Remove” button.
The endorsement will be removed from the person’s profile. Use this feature judiciously if you endorsed someone inaccurately or the relationship has changed.
Tips for Giving LinkedIn Endorsements
Here are some best practices when it comes to endorsing others on LinkedIn:
- Personalize with a note when possible to add context.
- Endorse real skills – don’t just click every skill listed.
- Focus on recent skills they are actively using.
- Align endorsements to their professional brand.
- Re-endorse them when they add new relevant skills.
- Keep your own skill list updated for reciprocity.
Thoughtful, strategic endorsements can go a long way in building relationships and credibility on LinkedIn.
Conclusion
Here is a summary of key tips on who to endorse on LinkedIn:
- Endorse professional contacts you’ve worked with directly
- Endorse those who have endorsed you
- Endorse respected contacts you admire
- Support less experienced connections
- Endorse relevant industry leaders
- Endorse 1-3 skills per person
- Endorse authentically and organically
- Only endorse people you know professionally
When in doubt, focus your LinkedIn endorsements on your closest professional connections. Thoughtful endorsements that authentically validate relevant skills can make a big impact.