LinkedIn Recommendations: Five Ways to Make The Most of Them

As potential employers or recruiters peruse your work experience on LinkedIn, recommendations from past and present colleagues can be one of the most helpful features to help communicate your value. Here's five tips for doing the most good for yourself with LinkedIn recommendations.

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READER FEEDBACK

Flyn Penoyer Mon, 2009-03-02 10:55

I think there are two very important points here that are not clear.

Quality Vs. Quantity
The first is the issue of quantity over quality. Quality is ALWAYS important, but you must remember you don't always know who really represents quality.

For example I have one connection who will never do business with me but he consistently refers people to me who connect and become part of my network. Had I been out for a quality connection this would not have been someone I would choose.

Quantity and Quality are not mutually exclusive. You can accept everyone's invitation and take the opportunity in conversation and your summary to invite others to connect without worrying about quality -- as quality is developed not appropriated.

Networking is about "visibility" and "accessibility." If you saw the Sci Fi channel show "Connected Six Degrees of Separation" you understand just how powerful even the most inconspicuous connection can be and that networking is about the connections -- quality comes in understanding how to develop and use them.

ONLY Provide Value
This leads me to my second comment. One of the most dangerous mistakes on can make on LinkedIn is taking any form of the prospecting mindset. Networking is all about developing "valued relationships" and this is only done by providing value to them.

The best way to get business on LinkedIn is not to ask for it, but to earn it by becoming an indispensable resource on LinkedIn.

For those interested I have on my free resource site for LinkedIn networking a number of reports and a short video course on being more profitable on LinkedIn for anyone that wants them.

www.OnlineBusinessNetworker.com

Joleen M. Colpa Mon, 2009-03-09 17:15

I remember a time, not too long ago, where a recommendation from a manager, work colleague, and/or peer was somewhat “difficult” to obtain – unless you of course were a “stellar” employee or an upstanding individual. And who could blame a person, after all, who wanted to put their signature against someone who was just “average” at best – the top of the bottom so to speak.

However, today, with the whole “LinkedIn Recommendation Rave”, I see people, that I know personally, who have received the highest level accolades possible – and these are “below-than-average” people. My goodness, some of these recommendations are exaggerated to the max, sensationalized beyond belief, and elevated to an unrealistic level; to put plainly – they are all lies.

Personally speaking, I do not grant commendations that were not deserved. In fact, I have been known to decline a recommendation request. I am not rude, arrogant, or unsympathetic as I understand the importance of positive approval; nevertheless, I will not put my name or my signature against a recommendation that was not warranted or true – in my eyes anyway.

prefer-not-to-tell Tue, 2009-03-17 10:14

Recommendations can sometimes backfire.

In my network there are any number of people who make it some sort of a barter system - "you recommend me in return for my recommending you".

Unfortunately, they do it within days of each other. So frequently, I can see a "Abc recommends xyz. Xyz recommends abc.'

This effectively dilutes both recommendations.

One needs to be prudent when you solicit recommendations.

Annoyed Wed, 2009-10-07 22:05

I think it's ridiculous for an ex-employer to ask for recommendations from their subordinates, and even more ridiculous that they get them. Recommedations are supposed to be handed down, not sideways or up, or they have absolutely no meaning other than a popularity contest. This article is detached from reality.

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Reader Feedback

LinkedIn Recommendations: Five Ways to Make The Most of Them

Flyn Penoyer Mon, 2009-03-02 10:55

Joleen M. Colpa Mon, 2009-03-09 17:15

prefer-not-to-tell Tue, 2009-03-17 10:14

Annoyed Wed, 2009-10-07 22:05

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