How to ask for a recommendation on LinkedIn

When you are offered an interview, you will be asked for references, however, if the company actively reviews the profiles of potential candidates before shortlisting for interview, all things being equal, you may find that you didn’t get shortlisted for interview because another candidate had several recommendations on his LinkedIn profile, and you didn’t. The job market is very competitive at the moment, and having recommendations on your profile adds to your credibility and competitiveness. This posts covers how to ask for a recommendation on LinkedIn and some do’s and don’ts.

How to ask for a recommendation on LinkedIn

On LinkedIn, a recommendation can be provided by any connection. The person providing the recommendation can recommend you as:

• A colleague – you need to both have worked at the same organisation
• A service provider – you hired them or their company
• A business partner – you worked with them, but not as a client or colleague
• A student – you were at school when they were, either as a student or teacher.

The person then establishes the relationship between the two of you and writes a recommendation. You have the option to add this to your profile (or not).

There are two ways of getting to the [Manage your Recommendations] screen:

1. From [Privacy & Settings] screen, in the profile section, you’ll see [Manage your recommendations]. In the Recommendations screen, click on the [Ask for a recommendations] tab.
2. From the [Edit Profile] screen, scroll down to the recommendations section, then click on [Ask for a  recommendation] screen.

You can now complete the fields in the screen:

• “What do you want to be recommended for” – Specify which role it is that you want the recommendation for and
• “Who do you want to ask” – Specify who you want to ask
• “Create your message” – Add a personal message, asking for the recommendation.
• Click on [Send]

Recommendations do’s and don’ts

• Do identify people who could provide recommendations. They should be previous managers or lecturers who are able to comment on your abilities.
• Do ask for recommendations, but do it on a one to one basis. Don’t send out a blanket email. You’ll probably end up with blanket refusals!
• Do personalise the request. If needed, remind the person of the work you did well and the contribution you made to the team.
• Do be careful who you ask for a reference. They should know you and be able to vouch for you.
• Don’t ask family members or friends for references. If an employer realises that the relationship is not a professional one, your credibility is gone.
• Don’t offer to provide a reference for someone unless you can actually vouch for them. Your credibility will be damaged if they have been found to be less than stellar employees.
• Don’t give a recommendation in exchange for one. It’s very easy to spot, and they have the potential effect of cancelling each other out.

When you apply for a job, you’re usually asked to supply at least two references. On LinkedIn, you have recommendations. These recommendations are shown underneath the background section on your LinkedIn profile and are really, really important to have, especially as potential employers are now checking out candidates who have applied for a job. When someone makes a recommendation on LinkedIn, they link it to the job or qualification that it relates to. These are a very powerful endorsement of your work, often seen as references in advance, and so shouldn’t be overlooked.

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Adapted from my latest book.

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Take care for now

Karen x