[09.27.10]

121 great comments!

10 Tips: Asking For Recommendations On LinkedIn

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So I’ve decided to spend a good portion of the week writing about getting and using job references. For a few reasons.

A loyal reader in Newport Beach has been extremely patient. Asking some great questions. He deserves some answers!
The question about job references came up last week at my presentation to Experience Unlimited in Irvine. And it took up half the Q&A portion of the morning.
Surprisingly, in two years of writing I’ve never covered the subject. Funny.

Today the focus is on LinkedIn – the social networking site that many job seekers now call home. They view it as an essential tool. And rightly so. Whereas Twitter and Facebook still receive lower marks from many job seekers. For the quality of engagement you can achieve. And the perception that you do career networking with a purpose on LinkedIn. But that will change.

Before I get to the tips, know that LinkedIn recommendations are suspect. They are short, often without specifics and often written without a tremendous amount of thought (based on the hundreds that I’ve read). Just like a traditional letter of recommendation, they lose their value as they age. And can lose their relevance when tossed in a pile with others.

I never put much stock in letters of recommendation as a hiring manager. I always wanted to talk with someone. To put the reference in context.

And I think a lot of hiring managers and recruiters are like me. If someone walks in with a binder full of recommendation letters, I usually won’t read them. And if I do, it is to scan for specifics. Or to see who they are from.

Same with LinkedIn.

But, good or bad, I like knowing that they are there. That a job seeker has taken the time to get them. Because getting recommendations is not easy. And if you put the time in to get them, that tells me something. And the fact that people took the time to write them for you (assuming they did), that tells me something too.

So you should have job recommendations on LinkedIn. Even if they are not widely read.

Here are my 10 tips on getting them:

1. Have a goal to get at least 10 people to recommend you on LinkedIn. And if you only have 10 job recommendations, here’s how they should break down: 3 supervisors, 3 peers (people working at your same level), 3 direct reports, 1 superior that worked in another department. If you’ve never been a boss, replace “3 direct reports” with people that took direction from you or worked on a cross-functional team with you.

2. Ask for recommendations as soon as possible after leaving a company. That way your experience with that person is fresh. And they can remember specifics about the role you played.

3. Request specifics. I made this mistake early on. If you don’t ask for specifics, you will get a vague and generalized recommendation that no one will want to read. Like “Tim played a key role and helped drive the company to new heights . . .”. Here’s an idea. What if each of your recommendations for a position reflected back on a key accomplishment statement on your resume? That way you can integrate your messaging . . .

4. Ask for a re-write. If you don’t like the recommendation you get, ask for a re-write or a tweak. Someone asked me a few weeks ago to update my recommendation for them. To make it more about their work vs. their work at XYZ company. It took me two seconds and I did it gladly.

5. You don’t have to publish every recommendation. If you get one out of the blue and don’t want others to see it, don’t publish it. You can either leave it hidden on your profile or ask for some adjustments to make it worth a public spot.

6. Offer to swap recommendations. We all need them, right? As you leave a company, pick two or three people and offer to write them a recommendation. As a favor in return, ask that they write one for you. This betters the odds that someone will deliver.

7. Share them via e-mail first. This allows a more open discussion about the actual content before you actually involve LinkedIn. Sometimes people get nervous or anxious writing in an online form. This allows a more well-thought out approach.

8. Your recommendations should ideally reinforce your personal brand. If you are a strategic salesperson, a tactical marketer or a customer service focused HR manager, your recommendations should support your own content (positioning statement, work philosophy, etc). Again, more integration.

9. Offer to write it yourself or suggest a theme. Of course, this is somewhat relationship dependent. Some will love that you write it and they just have to approve, cut and paste. Others will see it differently. I think that as long as it is accurate, it is OK.

10. Be persistent. Not everyone checks LinkedIn everyday. Many who are employed check it “occasionally” at best. So if you haven’t heard back from a contact, try them again via LinkedIn. If that doesn’t work, try to reach them outside of LinkedIn by phone or traditional e-mail. And if they don’t respond, you need to move on. Not everyone likes to help. And some just don’t make the time for it.

Just like when you personalize a LinkedIn Invite, do the same with a recommendation request. Don’t use LinkedIn’s generic copy. Here’s sample copy for a LinkedIn recommendation request that I would feel good about receiving:

Subject: A Quick Favor

“Hi (former boss) – it’s been a few weeks since I left (XYZ Company). Hope you are doing well! As you know, I am looking for my next role and would really appreciate your help in writing a recommendation for me on LinkedIn. I’d be happy to offer a few ideas on what to write about (e.g. my work on our successful market launch in 2009). Please let me know if you have any questions. It will only take a few minutes and I’d be happy to write one for you as well!

Thank you! Tim

So what are your ideas for LinkedIn recommendations? Do you read them as a hiring manager, recruiter or potential connection? Share your thoughts!

Want to get some live feedback? Consider a “power hour” with me:

Be sure to check back this week for more on this subject. Including how to prep references for an upcoming call, how to maintain a strong relationship with your references and how to avoid burning out your references during a long job search.

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About the Author:

Tim Tyrell-Smith is the creator of Tim's Strategy, a ground-breaking online job search and career strategy tool. As a blogger, Tim has been a regular contributor to U.S. News and World Report, was featured in USA Today, interviewed twice on NPR and is the author of two career books (“30 Ideas” and “HeadStrong”). Become a fan at http://facebook.com/TimsStrategy and follow on Twitter (@TimsStrategy). He lives with his wife and three kids in Mission Viejo, California.

Tim Tyrell-Smith – who has written 522 posts on Tim's Strategy®.

•

James (Jim) R. Todd

I have used the LinkedIn recommendation functional capability and have been most pleased to do so. However, my view of recommendations may be a bit peculiar. I suppose that I categorize recommendations as follows: generic and specific. For me, having an on-profile LinkedIn recommendation or writing a recommendation for someone by that means is generic – for a broad audience. In contrast, my personal preference is a specific one – written by a close associate and targeted to a singular person or organization that has requested one – probably better know as a form of professional reference check. Both have their place – the generic variety creates “draw” to my profile and the specific one meets a highly focused and targeted business need – where the remarks must be tailored to a context to be most effective. Either way, cultivate the relationships and keep writing!
James (Jim) R. Todd

I just posted a note on this important topic. Another line of thinking bubbled up and may be of interest or value to readers on this discussion. Not to be a maverick, but please consider the following point of view. My most valued recommendations personally and as an executive are those recommendations that have weight. My measure of weight centers on two key concepts – character and durability. I hold that professional character takes a very long time to develop – I measure that by decades of years. Character is not added on, but built in – through good times and bad, good circumstances and exceptionally adverse ones. Durability to me is a measure of endurance – bearing up under a load. A recommendation given or received that reads as if written from the heart is a good recommendation – neither quickly nor lightly undertaken. The best that I have seen are written many years removed from the events alluded to and are treasures, because they have withstood the tests of both time and circumstances. I would encourage all of us to keep these criteria somewhat in mind. My take away is therefore highly skewed to perhaps one or two at most – precious corals against a solid velvety smooth background of professional adversity with the facets of being an overcomer shining brightly.
- http://timsstrategy.com/ TimsStrategy
  
  Hi Jim –
  
  Thanks for two very well thought out comments. My focus today was on LinkedIn (your generic) but as the week rolls on I’ll shift to the very specific recommendations that are more about you being considered for a role with a new company. I think it is a worthy distinction.
  
  I also like your comments about the weight and relevance of a recommendation. A hiring manager would most like to hear most about a prior role that is similar and from a reference that can speak in detail and with credibility about your contributions.
http://wisemansay.co.uk/blog/ Hung Lee

Tim,

Your work has been brilliant recently but I’m going to give this list an 8/10. The 2 I disagree with?

2) I would go further – you should ask for Recommendations BEFORE you leave. Why wait until you go? You are much more likely to get a result if you are still in day to day line-of-sight of your colleagues, peers and manager – in fact, it would take some courage or antagonism for them to deny you!

6) The backlash against this started some time ago – the ‘I scratch your back, you scratch mine’ approach damages the authenticity of any recommendation that is ‘paired’ in this way, and therefore reduces it’s value. If you do go down this route (and maybe you might have to if you are just starting out and need the numbers), then I would alter the timing of the publication so that it doesn’t look so obvious you’ve done a deal to get it.

Keep up the great work,

Best wishes

Hung
- http://timsstrategy.com/ TimsStrategy
  
  Hey Hung – You may already know this, but I love critical feedback. Thanks for sharing your view on those two. In the spirit of sharing, here are some reactions to your critique:
  
  2) Yes, start earlier if you can. Can’t disagree. But the truth is that most don’t see the point. Perhaps your push will give people reason to do it. Also only works if you know you are leaving. Those who are laid off may not have the sense of urgency (no notice on lay-offs). And I wonder what an old boss of mine would have said if I asked before leaving. Would it signal to him that I was leaving? Or thinking about it?
  
  6) You know I really didn’t think of the backlash. I’ve never experienced it. But now that you mention it, I can see that if someone was looking for it they might see something suspicious. I wrote that one based on the knowledge that we’d all like to have recommendations. Even if we don’t ask for them. Choosing to alter the timing is a good idea – even if the the intent of the co-helping was honest.
  
  Awesome, Hung. Keep the comments coming. So I got a “B” today. OK, I’ll try harder.
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Tonya V

In thinking further about #10, I’d love to see ideas about how to handle a recommendation request that you don’t really feel comfortable writing?
- http://timsstrategy.com/ TimsStrategy
  
  Hi Tonya – I guess it depends why you are uncomfortable. It might be best to start with an informal re-connection. An e-mail exchange, phone call or coffee. That way you can know for sure before you ask about a recommendation. Can you share any more about your situation?
  - Tonya V
    
    Thanks Tim, Actually I was referring to myself being asked to give someone a recommendation, and I wasn’t really comfortable giving it. In this instance, I just didn’t know the person well enough. I didn’t have a lot of time to reconnect in a meaningful way, and I wasn’t sure the best way to respond. Its important to write only genuine recommendations for people I would honestly recommend.
    
    I could also imagine there might be situations where the person being asked is suprised by the request, and may not even want to recommend the person? So my question is a “How does someone politely decline a request for recommendation without burning the bridge (maybe its not even possible)?” or “How do I create a new opinion of someone who is requesting a recommendation so I can be more confident in giving one?” (especially if there isn’t the time or the desire to get coffee together)?
    - http://timsstrategy.com/ TimsStrategy
      
      Tonya – Gotcha. Yes, I’ve had a few of those. On one occasion, I ignored it. This was a number of years ago. Recently, I simply sent a nice note back saying I didn’t feel that I had worked closely enough with them to provide a recommendation. I don’t think you can give in. Your recommendation of someone you don’t really know or don’t really have anything good to say about is on your profile and could come back to haunt you.
      
      Of course you can pick more generic statements to use or comment on a positive, niche aspect of their work – avoiding their bad points, but I don’t recommend it.
      
      If someone you worked very closely with asks for a recommendation. And you can’t do it (bad seed, poor performer, etc). One other option is to tell them “no” and explain why. If you are trying to help them see a growth area, then perhaps the bridge is not burned. Maybe they’ll thank you for highlighting an issue they didn’t know they had.
      
      Or they might hate you.
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http://twitter.com/ed_han ed han

Tim, I’ve offered similar advice myself in the past & agree with Hung re: reciprocal recommendations. I know some people don’t have an issue with it–and the truth is, if you both had a positive professional dynamic, one should ideally *expect* reciprocal recommendations.

One thing I would add: don’t be afraid to prime the pump. I am a fan of recommendations that include accomplishments. If in your request for a recommendation you can add something like, “in the time we worked together, I felt that I demonstrated [trait] which yielded [positive metric] and had [impact].”

When people’s recommendations of you include accomplishments, I think that’s a good thing.
- http://timsstrategy.com/ TimsStrategy
  
  Thanks Ed. Yes, I agree with priming the pump as long as the content is a fair representation. Also, by providing some ideas and specifics, you may speed up the response time. I’ll bet some of the hesitation is in knowing what to say – remember, that this is a reflection on the recommender as well (shows up on their profile) – not just the recommendee!
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Shiyun Chung

Tim, very good posting. Now I know why only 10 LI Recommendations on your profile.
That’s the usual Tim’s Top-10 style. This sample request is very useful.
Our friend Neal had few blogs on this subject, one of that specific talked about
“Linkedin Recommendations:Will you write me one?”. There he quoted 5 LI thoughtout blogs
opinoned from both angles. (Neal’s Top-5 style) I agreed that the LI Recommendations
still has it’s value. Now I need to continue to get my Top-10.

One point to add: the received and given recommendations better to be balanced but not exactly
equal. In this example, ideally one should give out 9 or 11 recommendations, with about 50% are
mutual recommendations. (then there is no issue on #6)

@Tonya: Neal also had a blog talking about how to handle the recommendation you are not comfortable
to write.
@Ed: interesting wording “reciprocal recommendations”.
- http://timsstrategy.com/ TimsStrategy
  
  Hi Shiyun – Thanks for your comments. Appreciate how you read through them all and responded to many of them. Very helpful! Sounds like you know Neal well – we are both lucky to have him around!
Suzy Ubry

Hi Tim,
Well timed post … and topic for the week … for me! Just finished up my summer interim position at NPO where I volunteer and consequently, just asked for two additional LI recommendations on my most recent positions since back on the market for my next position.

I liked your suggestion for the 10 to have. Very helpful as I think about who to ask for the other 7 (I have 3 so far!). In addition to your thoughts, I am also trying to space my recommendations across the different postions that I have listed. I also appreciated the “ask template” that you shared. Very cool.

As for my two cents:
1) I like to think of them as helpful because we have to be so accomplishment specific on our resumes! The three I have, I think, have more of a character-trait feel to them and therefore compliment my resume as to what I have to offer.

2) I am all for suggesting specifics to address when appropriate. Since I am pretty focused on what I am looking for in a position, I am comfortable asking for certain things to be covered, as long as it as accurate … as you mentioned. I am fortunate, and thankful, to have the three recommendations that I do have as somewhat distinct from each other … at least they seem to be to me!

Looking forward to this week!
- http://timsstrategy.com/ TimsStrategy
  
  Thanks Suzy – awesome to have you back commenting again. Missed you! I like your comment about having a nice variety of recommendations from prior jobs – not all from your last company. Shows consistency. Now just get 7 more!
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Richard Blackburn

Tim, following up on your #8 – I asked former customer connections for recommendations, even though I’m not in Sales or Customer Service. I’d worked extensively with this customer – she’d been the project manager on our project for them – and she wrote me a nice, positive recommendation. This customer is the one that features in my ‘proudest moment’ which I talk about in interviews, and so having that recommendation is critical for me, should anyone want to look me up on LinkedIn after an interview.
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10 Tips: Asking For Recommendations On LinkedIn

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