Do you strengthen your professional credibility with LinkedIn recommendations?

LinkedIn recommendations offer professional validation that can strengthen your credibility. Yet, many people overlook this feature or feel unsure how to use it effectively.

Recommendations are a vital way to make your profile stand out. It’s one thing to say you’re great at something. It means much more when someone else attests to your abilities and contributions.

How to Request a Recommendation

  • Go to the profile of the person you want to ask. Click on the “More” button and select “Request a Recommendation.”
  • Click on “Select Relationship” to choose the nature of your relationship.
  • Click on “Select Your Position at the Time” to select the position for which you want to be recommended. Then click “Next.” Then click “Send.”
  • After sending the request, notify them via email so they know to check their LinkedIn messages.
  • Carefully review the recommendation that comes back to you via your LinkedIn messages. If there’s a mistake in it, such as a typo or spelling error, click on the three dots at the top right of the recommendation. Select “Request a Revision,” and tell them what needs to be changed. Once the edited recommendation comes back to you, click on “Add to profile.”

 

Steps to Write a LinkedIn Recommendation

  • The process of making a recommendation is quite similar to requesting one.
  • Go to the profile of the person you want to ask. Click on the “More” button. This time, select “Recommend.”
  • Click on “Select Relationship” to choose the nature of your relationship.
  • Click on “Select Your Position at the Time” to select the position for which you want to recommend them. Then click “Next.”
  • Type the recommendation and click “Send.” Alert the person via email that you’ve written them a recommendation.

 

How to Highlight Your Best Recommendations

Since there’s no functionality to put your favorite recommendation(s) at the top of your Recommendations section, try one or more of these approaches:

  • Consider adding excerpts from one or two of your favorite recommendations to the About section. Excerpts from recommendations written by people who have known you well over many years are a perfect fit for the About section.
  • You could also add these excerpts to the position description for which the person recommended you. Be sure to select excerpts that truly capture specifics about you.
  • Here’s an example of an excerpt of a recommendation from my client Bonnie Schnautz that I use in a position description:

“Joyce goes beyond just providing guidance – she actively guides you through the process of implementing changes during the session. This hands-on approach is particularly invaluable for busy entrepreneurs like me.”

How Do LinkedIn Recommendations Differ from Google Reviews?

LinkedIn recommendations can only be written by people connected to you on LinkedIn, and they typically reflect a professional relationship—colleagues, clients, collaborators, or supervisors.

Google Reviews, on the other hand, can be written by anyone and are accessed when people view your Google Business Profile, previously known Google My Business.

LinkedIn recommendations are more relationship-based. They highlight your character, collaborative style, and industry expertise—often tied to a specific role or project.

Think of Google Reviews as your public reputation on display for the world, while LinkedIn recommendations are part of your professional portfolio. Whenever possible, encourage satisfied clients to post reviews on both platforms.

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 55 and up, become more effective social media users, especially LinkedIn and Facebook. She works with business owners, business development professionals, business consultants, job seekers, and others. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.