Best LinkedIn Recommendation Examples: Here’s How to Write A Great Recommendation

LinkedIn recommendations that make your profile stand out isn’t that the dream? In fact, a great recommendation gets you noticed better than a generic one. 

Want to rank higher in recruiter searches? Having recommendations on your LinkedIn profile can help you with that. It enables potential employers, clients, or leads to know more about you.

If you have recently been laid off, a good LinkedIn recommendation can help. However, do not take a LinkedIn recommendation lightly. 

While AI or ChatGPT can quickly write it for you, a lack of that personal touch can leave a bad impression on a potential recruiter. Learn how to write the perfect LinkedIn recommendation with the 10 best LinkedIn recommendation examples below.

Why Should I Write A LinkedIn Recommendation?

This LinkedIn feature helps us add testimonials about people we’ve worked with. These social media recommendations are similar to online reviews. You can write them for your colleagues, managers, bosses, or simply anyone you have worked with.

It is common for HRs or recruiters to scroll through LinkedIn profiles for recommendations. This is an integral factor in deciding whether to hire or interview someone.

It works as a mini reference for you, sharing information about your professional background and skills. 

Why write a recommendation for someone?

It’s like leaving a glowing online review. It shows support and makes it easier for others to discover what you’re recommending. Writing a LinkedIn recommendation also showcases your thoughtfulness in professional circles and boosts your image with potential employers.

5 Simple Steps to Write the Perfect LinkedIn Recommendation

Still dicey on what makes a recommendation stand out? Just follow our 5-step formula to ace it!

1. Start With Relationship Duration

Your recommendations need context and details rather than unnecessary information. How do you know the person, or what did you work on with? 

Keep it short and valuable. Something like, “Chris and I worked together on a large-scale project for a year,” helps validate the readers. 

2. Explain The Context Of The Relationship

Next, explain your reporting relationship with the person you are recommending. This will show why you are qualified to give it. 

LinkedIn will automatically show your organization and job titles, so you don’t need to include every detail. This ensures readers understand your connection to the person you’re recommending.

3. Emphasize The Professional Skills Of The Person

When recommending someone, it’s clear that you find them smart, talented, and great to work with. So, instead of that, focus on things that make them an outstanding colleague.

For example, your former executive assistant is applying for their first management role. You can emphasize their experience managing volunteers rather than their organizational skills.

4. Add Some Personal-Level Information

Most employers want to hire someone who is good at their job and easy to work with. Mentioning something about the person’s personality can earn brownie points for the candidate. Just remember to keep it appropriate for the audience. 

For example, saying, “Sophie ensured everyone left smiling, despite a tense meeting,” would help. 

5. Include A CTA

Finally, end your recommendation with a simple but empathetic endorsement. Keep it short, positive, and to the point. 

For example, “Elsa is a perfect asset to your management team.”

How to Request a Recommendation For LinkedIn

Here’s how to request a LinkedIn recommendation from someone.

1. Go to a LinkedIn user’s profile.
2. Click on the message icon at the top right of their profile and choose “Request recommendation.”
3. Type a custom message to engage your network about how you know each other and why you feel he/she deserves a recommendation.
4. Send it!

Here are some LinkedIn recommendation sample ideas that can be used when requesting a recommendation:

• “Your insights into A, B, and C were helpful to me when I was working on the X project management. Please help me in presenting that experience so I can demonstrate my abilities to a potential employer. “

• “I requested this recommendation because of your expertise in X, Y, and Z. Can you also recommend  Z for me? I’m looking for a new opportunity as well. “

• “Please help me out with my request for a recommendation. I want to demonstrate my experience working on the X project. I would highly appreciate your support “

People usually request recommendations and use LinkedIn’s default message. But I always prefer a personal message, as it increases the chances of getting responses. 

Use a text expander to store some personalized templates that you can use repeatedly. 

Here are a few contextual ideas that you can use in your recommendation request:

•  An update on a project or task that the two of you were working on together.
•  A request to recommend someone else in addition to yourself.
•  An update on a project or task that the two of you were working on together.

Some LinkedIn profiles will display a “Send an InMail” button; it means that the person allows LinkedIn members.

10 Best LinkedIn Recommendations Examples That Get 5/5 for Us

For Work Colleague

Wesley Rizal recommends his work colleague by highlighting her marketing expertise. You can do the same for your recommendation for a colleague sample by specifying their creativity, professional enthusiasm, and hardworking nature. 

Wesley ends with a solid recommendation by emphasizing Jennon’s specialties, creating a greater impact. 

For Junior Colleague

Andrea Vitale recommends Maureen Badura as an invaluable asset. She begins by sharing her working duration with her and how she possesses diverse knowledge of eCommerce website management. 

Andrea ensures the praise is genuine and based on real experiences. You can customize the recommendation for your junior colleague based on their specific aspirations. 

For a Friend

Paul Abbott recommends his friend Cheryle for her effective market strategies. After describing her professional qualities, he shares how great a team player she is. 

You can also provide a specific example just like Paul stressing about Cheryle’s customer acquisition trait. 

For Manager

It is key to highlight leadership qualities when writing LinkedIn recommendations for managers. Benny clearly states how Ketan was a responsible leader. Adding successful project completion and unique strengths gives the endorsement an edge. 

For a Client

Emily supports the professional reputation of Arvin by focusing on his credibility as an SEO specialist. A well-crafted recommendation opens doors to new opportunities for a client, which Emily helps with by emphasizing Arvin’s result-driven activities.

For a Student

Suman gives specific details about his student Aritra. Mentioning achievements like being the university’s first rank holder increases relevancy. 

Adding soft skills like mentorship qualities, effective communication, etc., expresses Suman’s confidence in his student’s potential. 

For an HR professional

Acing an HR LinkedIn recommendation means discussing key HR skills like Vanshika’s. She talks about Mahalakshmi’s talent acquisition, enhanced employee relations, and performance management skills. She goes on to share that HR’s personality is delightful for effectiveness. 

For a Senior

Ben Howarth recommends his senior Emily by sharing her interpersonal skills first. He understands the value of a positive association with being easy-to-work with. 

Once done, he quickly hints at her design abilities and adds context about their workplace. Ben summarizes the recommendation with a positive conclusion, just like it should be. 

For Boss

“No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.” – Andrew Carnegie. 

We all know the importance of having the right leader. John Paterson shares Matt Gray’s unique entrepreneurial skills and thoughtful approach. He also highlights Matt’s idea of living a meaningful life, adding a personal touch. 

For Developer

Kaki Sharn recommends Stephen for his QA engineering skills. From his technical capabilities to quick learning traits, he shares everything that makes him an ideal developer. You can do the same to write an impactful recommendation. 

Other Creative Recommendation Ideas [ Template ]

• “I had the pleasure of collaborating with [Name] on a crucial project. His outstanding problem-solving abilities and keen eye for detail played a crucial role in its success. I wholeheartedly endorse [Name] for their commitment, professionalism, and track record of achieving results.”

• “As a manager, I can confidently say that [Name] is organized and gets things done efficiently. Her time management skills are top-notch, and she always knows how to tackle important tasks first. It keeps everything on track, and deadlines are always met.”

• “While working with us, [Name] consistently showed impressive problem-solving skills. They tackled challenges head-on, always coming up with creative and effective solutions.”

Sending a Thanks After LinkedIn Recommendation

Remember to thank the person for the recommendation (if you haven’t already). Even if you’re not interested in continuing to work with that person, it’s polite to thank them for their time. 

If you’re a member of their professional network, you can even discuss the value their recommendation will have for your new role.

Receiving recommendations is just as important as giving them. You should immediately thank your recommender when they submit your request to LinkedIn. 

If you can make the process easier for them, do it! Maybe you can provide some documents or additional information to help give them a head start on writing your recommendation.

You should also consider following up with your recommender after they’ve submitted their recommendation. 

Let’s look at a few ways to thank people after getting a recommendation:

Sl No.	Recommendation Thank You Follow Up
1.	[Name], Much appreciated your recommendation. I’d love to repay your kindness. If you ever need a recommendation, I’ll be happy to tell people how great it was to work with you at [company]. Cheers, [Your name]
2.	Thanks for the great recommendation, [Name]. I’ve had the pleasure of working with you this year. It was a real pleasure to work with you on [X project], and I learned a lot from you. I hope we can work together next time. I’m looking forward to working with you on [Y project].
3.	Thank you so much for your recommendation! It’s a real pleasure to know that we have worked together. I’m excited about working with you on [Z project]. Keep up the great work!
4.	Thank you for the opportunity to work with you. It was a pleasure, and we look forward to working together again. Cheers!
5.	I am deeply thankful for your recommendation, and I’m excited about joining your team and working on [Z project]. Continue doing great work! Thanks a lot!

Few Tips While Writing a LinkedIn Recommendation

1. Start With a Hook

A good testimonial must be a little different from others. It should grab the reader’s attention. The best way to do this is to start with an anecdote or quote that shows your skills or personality.

2. Give Details

Instead of a paragraph that tries to describe you in one sweeping generalization, have a few paragraphs: the first focuses on describing yourself, the second focuses on why you love working for this company so much, and the third focuses on listing some of your accomplishments at this company. Moreover, choosing the right paragraph structure helps in writing a LinkedIn recommendation that includes all the essential details.

3. Use a Few Vivid Examples

If the reference you are writing about is a CEO, don’t just write that you were assigned to her business unit. Instead, tell us how she asked you to lead a project and how she promoted you because of your work on that project.

4. Emphasize Their Growth

Tracking someone’s progress over time reveals a lot about how they adapt to new challenges, how quickly they learn, and how ambitious they are. It shows that they’re not stuck in one place and are motivated to grow in their career.

5. Have an Action Step

After writing all this, use some important sentences like: “Please get in touch if there’s anything else I can do for you. I’ll be happy to help!”

6. Highlight Their Impact on the Team

Showing the real-life benefits or results of someone’s work helps everyone understand how valuable their contributions are. This could mean pointing out specific numbers, like sales figures or customer satisfaction ratings.

7. The Endgame

I have discussed a strategy for writing an effective testimonial and what we do after we have written one. This is an important part of making a good impression on your references. They will remember who sent you the testimonial and how many people added their names to it. If you have an idea for a solution for your reference, why not take advantage of it?

For example, if I were Joseph, you could follow up with him with a question like: “Joe, Thank you so much for sending this recommendation. I’ve attached a few other people, who I think would be great additions to your business. Can you please write testimonials for them?”

8. One Last Thing

Just like you experiment with articles before publishing one to see what works and what doesn’t, do the same with your LinkedIn Testimonials and endorsements. Once you have written a few of them, take a look at the stats for each of them and see which ones have gotten more endorsements and more views: copy those successful ones, tweak them, and repeat the process.

How LinkedIn Recommendation Is Different From Endorsement? 

Here are brief points that differentiate a LinkedIn recommendation from an endorsement –

LinkedIn Recommendation	LinkedIn Endorsement
A recommendation is a written testimonial highlighting a professional’s strengths and experience.	A way of acknowledging someone’s skill on LinkedIn.
Includes writing a thoughtful and personalized message.	A simple click is needed to endorse a skill.
It is a strong personal endorsement from someone who has seen your work.	Helps you appear skilled.
Adds credibility and value to your LinkedIn profile	Can improve your social ranking.
It is a sincere form of professional recognition.	Can sometimes be misused.

You can check out more here: 

Templates for LinkedIn Recommendation That Will Help

Let’s look at a few recommendation samples for LinkedIn for a different relationship.

Relationship	Template
You managed the person	I worked with [name] when I was with [company X]. We were a team of about 40 people who were in charge of sales and marketing for the Southeast region. You led the team and ensured all members worked as a cohesive unit to achieve our goals. Your practical approach to problem-solving was a great asset to our team.
You managed the person in a different company	I worked with [name] at [company X] when we were part of [company Y]. You were the Director of Inbound Sales and Marketing, and your region was in charge of sales for the southeast region. Your problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership skills were great assets.
You are a current employee but supervised by a different person	I am currently working with [name], and I am very satisfied with my work environment. I supervised [name] when she was first hired as a contractor, and she quickly became one of the most productive people in our company. Her counting on you and your guidance has been key to {product name}’s continued success.
You were personally trained by a person	I worked with [name], who is one of the most admired business consultants in the industry. As part of my training, I was personally assigned as one of her direct reports and helped {product name} achieve its objectives. I was so impressed by [name]’s leadership and management skills that I am now considering a career switch to become a consultant myself.
You interviewed someone and gave them a job	I am very grateful that you were the one who interviewed me and gave me my first job out of college. Please feel free to get in touch if there’s anything I can do for you. I’ll be happy to help!
You are a friend, colleague, or personal trainer of the person	I know [name] through mutual friends, who have always spoken very highly of his consulting abilities. I can’t say enough good things about [name], and I’m looking forward to working with him
You are a direct report of the person	You and I met when I was hired as your assistant. You were so helpful in showing me the ropes. Now that I have been promoted to a supervisory position, my goal is to watch you take off and succeed, just like you did for me!
You work for a competitor/frenemy	I worked for [name] for about a year, who’s my friend and who is currently in charge of our company’s product line. I will miss him. However, I am looking forward to working at [company X] and competing with you guys!
They were a client	I had the opportunity to work for [name] as a consultant and was very happy with his approach to problem-solving.

Benefits of Sample Recommendation on LinkedIn for Colleague:

Benefit	Description
Easy Recruiting	Recommendations are useful for recruiting purposes and demonstrate your knowledge, experience, capabilities, and enthusiasm.
Advertise Career Progression	Recommendations are an effective way to advertise your career progression. It sets you apart from other candidates for a particular role in a company or industry.
Enhances Reputation	The number of recommendations you have is a measure of your industry experience and reputation. It will give others the impression that you are an expert in the field and that people will want to work with you.
Conveys Character	It informs the recruiter about your professional character. They hire you based on the qualities displayed at the workplace.
Informs About The Type Of Work	A LinkedIn recommendation conveys the type of work you excel at and your post. If you worked as a junior, senior or in other capacities.
Better Networking	Recommendations strengthen your professional network. When someone writes a recommendation, it improves your connection with them and brings new opportunities.
Effective SEO	LinkedIn recommendations can help you show up in search results, both on LinkedIn and on search engines like Google.
Adds Credibility	Recommendations enhance your credibility and validate your skills. When others publicly vouch for your work, potential employers, clients, or colleagues are assured.

Conclusion for LinkedIn Recommendation Example

Remember, the best endorsements are honest, specific, and relevant. 

Positive LinkedIn recommendations cannot be overstated when it comes to career development and evaluating a job offer. They highlight talent, experience, and industry involvement. 

You can also boast your vast professional network with a high number of recommendations on your profile. Now when you know why to have one.

Start with your first LinkedIn recommendation today!

FAQs:-

1. Are Recommendations Worth It On Linkedin?

LinkedIn recommendations do matter. Statistics show that 92% of people trust non-paid recommendations, while  70% trust them even if they come from an unknown source. A recommendation instills faith that you are capable.

2. What Is A Good Example Of A Linkedin Recommendation?

A good LinkedIn recommendation is specific, genuine, and highlights the person’s strengths and accomplishments. Mention specific projects they excelled in, skills they demonstrated, or how they contributed to the team or company.

3. How Long Should A LinkedIn Recommendation Be?

Your LinkedIn recommendation should not exceed 3,000 characters. The shorter the recommendation, the better the results. 

4. How Many Recommendations Are Good On Linkedin?

There’s no ideal number of recommendations you need to have. What matters most is that you have relevant details, showing different aspects of your work. Aim for a variety that highlights different skills and accomplishments.

5. Who Can See Your LinkedIn Recommendations?

Only your close connections and their connections can see LinkedIn recommendations. So, it’s not visible to everyone, just to those who are connected to you directly or indirectly. Your profile shows how many recommendations you’ve got, but only the two most recent ones are displayed.

6. How Do You Start An Opening Line For A Recommendation?

A good opening line for any piece of content grabs the audience’s attention immediately. Use a line in your recommendation that intrigues the readers and wants them to learn more. 

7. Is There Any Recommendation Format For Linkedin?

A good opening line, details on shared work relationship with the person, skills of the person you are recommending, and a solid CTA make an effective LinkedIn recommendation. 

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