How To Use LinkedIn Recommendations To Max Effect
It should be easy to give and request recommendations on LinkedIn but for some reason LinkedIn has changed the way recommendations work and it’s not as straightforward as it once was.
I was recently sent a recommendation by a client via email because, as they explained in their email they “couldn’t quite figure out where to put a recommendation . . . .”
So, here’s my answer for everyone who has asked me recently how to do LinkedIn recommendations – any questions please let me know!
How To Ask for a LinkedIn Recommendation
- Go to the person’s profile you want to recommend or you want to ask for a recommendation. On the top right of their profile, just by their profile photo are ‘3 dots‘. Click on the dots to display a drop-down menu.
- From the drop-down menu you have the option to select: `Recommend Name’ or ‘Request a recommendation’
Requesting A Recommendation
- Select ‘Request a recommendation’ to display the screen below. Select your relationship to the person you are requesting a recommendation from and your position at the time and click on ‘Next.’
Clicking on ‘Next’ opens the recommendation request window where you can write your request to be recommended.
So far so good, but what if you’ve received an email or been verbally told of your client successes and you’d like to add them to your profile?
If you already have some text from a client that you have received either verbally or via email, the best approach is to copy and paste the text they sent (or type the words they said) into your request.
BUT . . . you also need to include instructions in the recommendation request email, so that your recipient knows what to do when they receive your recommendation request because it is not obvious!
For example:
“Hi NAME, I’m just updating my profile and would be very grateful if you could please recommend me following your recent email saying how you had benefited you from working with me? Please see below what you said/emailed. Please feel free to edit / change but once happy with it, could you please copy and paste the text below into your recommendation? Many thanks – JP
“I attended one of Judy’s workshops last year. It’s the only workshop I’ve been to when I took action as soon as I got back to the office! She has since been a great help in advising me on how to use LinkedIn more effectively. As a result of her help, I now get regular genuine enquiries that more often than not result in paid work for me.”
What Happens Next . . .
1. The person you are requesting a recommendation from will get an email in their inbox with a link: https://www.linkedin.com/recs/give?senderId=yourname
2. They need to click on the link in order to write the recommendation AND then click on ‘Write Recommendation’
3. This then opens a ‘Write NAME a recommendation’ window into which the person you asked to recommend you, needs to paste the text you sent and then click on ‘Send’.
Giving Recommendations
This is a much easier process. Having gone to the person’s profile you want to recommend, click on the ‘3 dots’ and select ‘Recommend NAME’.
This opens a dialog box where you select how you know that person – very much in the same way as requesting a recommendation.
Once you click on next you get a second dialog box where you can type in your recommendation. Once you have typed your recommendation simply click on ‘Send’
Your recipient will then receive an email saying they’ve received a recommendation request which they can then add to their profile.
Managing your recommendations:
You can manage your recommendations from your profile page by scrolling down to the bottom of your profile and clicking on the pencil icon. From here you will see how many recommendations you have received and given.
Key Links:
- Recommendation requests: Lists the people who have asked you to recommend them: https://www.linkedin.com/recs/give
- Recommendations received: these are recommendations you have received but not yet accepted or displayed on your profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/YOURLINKEDINID/recommendations/pending
Need more support with LinkedIn?
💙 If LinkedIn isn’t working hard for you or you’re not sure where to start with using LinkedIn, email judy@judithparsons.com or connect with me on LinkedIn to chat about how I can help.
Or book a virtual brew here and let’s make LinkedIn work for you . . . ⭐
Your LinkedIn profile is the foundation to success on LinkedIn so start improving your LinkedIn results today by downloading my free LinkedIn Profile ebook here.
I run regular LinkedIn LoveIns which are short 30-minute learnings over lunch, often with guest experts to help improve LinkedIn results. If you’d like to be notified of new events why not join my LinkedIn LoveIn group. You can also find the recordings of previous LoveIns as well as tips and updates here.
