LinkedIn-Specific Features

Recommendations are testimonials from people who’ve worked with you. They’re incredibly powerful.

Why recruiters care:

Recommendations from verifiable connections are harder to fake than endorsements. A recommendation saying “Sarah increased our blog traffic by 200%” is more credible than a skill endorsement.

How many you need:

• Minimum: 2-3 recommendations (for credibility)
  
• Ideal: 5-10 recommendations (strong credibility)
  
• Excellent: 10+ recommendations (authority)
  

What makes a good recommendation:

❌ Weak Recommendation:
“Sarah is great! Smart and hardworking. I enjoyed working with her.”

✅ Strong Recommendation:
“Sarah led our content marketing strategy and increased organic traffic by 150% in 6 months. She’s strategic, detail-oriented, and great with data. Highly recommend for marketing leadership roles.”

The second version:

• Mentions specific role
  
• Includes quantified result
  
• Highlights key traits
  
• Speaks to career direction
  

How to Get Recommendations:

Tactic 1: Ask Your Former Manager

After leaving a job or project, reach out:

“Hey [Manager], I’ve been updating my LinkedIn profile and would love a recommendation from you if you’re open to it. Something highlighting [specific project/achievement] would be great.”

Most managers are happy to do this. You’re making it easy by:

• Being specific about what to mention
  
• Keeping it short
  
• Asking clearly
  

Tactic 2: Reciprocate Recommendations

If someone gives you a recommendation, return the favor. Write a thoughtful recommendation for them.

This reciprocity often leads to more recommendations coming your way naturally.

Tactic 3: Use Recommendations During Job Search

When recruiting for a team, offer recommendations to your colleagues. When they need recommendations later, they’ll remember you helped them.

Tactic 4: Ask During Transitions

The best time to ask for recommendations is:

• Right after you finish a major project (momentum is high)
  
• When leaving a job (people remember your contributions fresh)
  
• After completing a certification or course
  

How to Write Recommendations (So You Get Better Ones Back):

Specific, data-backed recommendations get appreciated and are more likely to result in reciprocal recommendations.

Template:

“I had the pleasure of working with [Name] for [duration] on [project/role]. [Name] [specific action: led/managed/created], which resulted in [quantified result: 200% increase, $X saved, Y customers acquired]. What impressed me most was [key trait that applies to their target role]. [Name] would be an excellent [target role] due to [specific reason]. Highly recommended.”

Real Example:

“I worked with Priya for 6 months on our content marketing strategy. Priya led keyword research and content planning, which increased our organic traffic by 200% in 3 months. What impressed me most was her ability to balance SEO best practices with audience insights—she doesn’t just chase keywords, she understands user intent. Priya would be an excellent Digital Marketing Manager due to her strategic thinking and data-driven approach. Highly recommended.”