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Thanks!
The recommendations that I have given are indeed of colleagues whom I know well enough, and the other way round I have received recommendations from (former) colleagues who know me well enough.
Giving a recommendation without expecting one back works great, especially if one does receive a recommendation in return!
Another related tip: I have found the podcasts by Mark Horstman en Michael Auzenne (www.manager-tools.com; awarded 'best business podcast' for three years in a row) very helpful in writing a well thought out and focussed profile. Recommended!
One thing I hold to when writing a rec is being honest ... So if someone asks of one that I don't think deserves it I won't write one. And if someone deserves one I try to write very honestly about my exp with them.
--
http://twitter.com/franswaa
Be specific on which part of your job function you want your contact to comment on. Recommendations are best viewed in my mind when they are specific to a particular project.
The following is based on my experience:
1. One of my potential referees said he was happy to write me any number of personal references for each prospect and client, but not happy to do so on LinkedIn. He said, "Besides you, I have worked with many people and one recommendation from me for you can open the flood gates. Not all have been as stellar as you are, but I will find it hard to excuse myself from those I do not wish to recommend". Lesson? It is good to try and understand your referee's situation before asking. Few will be so honest as this one has been.
2. Whenever I see reciprocal references, my antennae go up. They somehow seem 'crafted'. One of my old bosses dissuaded me from writing one for him because he had given me one. I agree with him although I have subsequently given a reciprocal recommendation to two people - both of whom wrote me a reference without my asking. I think references we get without asking are the best (also as an ego kick)!
3. Few readers of our references may be aware that at one time, LinkedIn used to restrict the number of characters in a reference! I do not know if this restriction continues.
Older references read artificially compressed and unnatural due to the number of character restriction. I have not yet figured how to deal with this issue. Have you any ideas?
Thanks.
I send people to my LinkedIn page at http://www.linkedin.com/in/dalelarson, but recommendations don't even appear there. In fact, I wish I could link directly to the recommendations (letting other people say something good about you is better than saying it yourself!). Or automatically import the recommendations onto a resume page on my site (or even a FaceBook widget). None of those seem to be an option?
What ways have you found to make sure your great LinkedIn recommendations are seen?
I've started to view LinkedIn a little different lately... Sort of along the lines of "If I couldn't leave you a positive recommendation based on work that I've seen/know you've done, why are we connecting?"
Not to say I am going to cut my connections down, but I want to make sure I have meaningful connections.
This was timely for me as I have not really focused on getting recommendations, but literally started today after I wrote a blog post on connecting with people through Social Networks. I also Stumbled and Sphunn this.
Best, Anthony
I really like the point of sticking to one main characteristic rather than the entire body of work. It's tougher to do when recommending someone who you've worked with for many years, but I think it has a stronger impact.
Here I've just finished writing you one of your own and sending you a thank you note and head over to your blog only to see this shining feature of the greatly appreciated recommendation you wrote for me! Thank you so much for the recommendation and the feature on your blog. Both are greatly appreciated.
An you forgot one thing about how you have so many LinkedIn recommendations: you are a superstar who consistently puts out excellent content, maintains a great blog, and has a powerfully impressive personality and work ethic. That always helps get those pearls of positive feedback from people. :-)
Thanks again!
Ben Grossman
It was interesting to read what you have to say about LinkedIn recos.
For the most part, I'm on the same page at Shefaly.
I've not yet given recommendations to anyone on LinkedIn (though I've had a few requests). Based upon what you wrote, I will reconsider my stance moving forward.
In the past, I have gladly given paper recos to folks who I worked with at the time, or within a short time of the reco request because I felt the recos were timely.
While I understand that the LinkedIn recos are date-stamped, I am reluctant to reco someone who I worked with ages ago. As you noted, I could speak to their skills & accomplishments from that timeframe, but then the reco seems dated.
Also, it's tough to say "yes" to some and "no" to others, v. giving everyone — or no one — a reco.
I also have questioned the validity of reciprocal recos. For that reason, I would consider not posting a reco from someone who I reco'd.
Also of note..... job hunters beware: since LinkedIn date-stamps the recos, it's pretty easy to tell if someone is actively updating their profile with recos. Better to space them out a bit.
Thanks,
Todd
I ask for recommendations only from those folks that I will be happy to recommend as well so that I am not left in an unpleasant situation of not being able to writing a less glowing recommendation. I have written recommendation for folks (usually peers or juniors) from whom I don't intend to ask for a reciprocal one - not that they won't write one, but to avoid what I have described above.
Geez.
Chris mentioned he connects with "anyone" on LinkedIn; I don't. When people I don't know ask to be connected to me, I point them to my blog, my Twitter feed, even Facebook; and ask them to connect with me there; then, once I get to understand how they tick and what their values are, I'd be more willing to be a mutual LinkedIn connection...which may or may not lead to a recommendation.
For more tips on using LinkedIn, including how to write a good recommendation, visit Jason Alba's blog, http://www.imonlinkedinnowwhat.com. You can also connect with Jason at http://twitter.com/jasonalba.
Solid post with some good suggestions, but I'm confused about the the mixed message...
"They asked how I got them, and I responded with my secret: I asked for them."
"The best way I’ve found to ask for recommendations is not to ask."
I'm wondering if you started this post with one thought and changed your mind once you got going?
Anyway, I agree with the giving in order to get instead of just asking.
http://www.twitter.com/avilbeckford
http://www.linkedin/in/avilbeckford
Don't actually READ my posts. That's a horrible idea. : )
Upon further review, I saw that he used just the standard LinkedIn form letter for recommendations. No personal note, in a request for a personal reference. My guess is that the individual sent it to all his contacts.
This said I don't believe I should spend my time writing a recommendation, especially since so little time was spent on their part to connect and receive a recommendation.
I'll also mention that the individual was my manager's manager at previous job, so although we worked together, we really didn't work together that closely. I liked the guy just fine and would be happy have a beer with him, but also not sure what I would include in the recommendation in the first place.
You know, I've spent more time commenting here than he did to encourage my recommendation.
It's clear that I'm not giving this recommendation, right?
This is the first time I've visited your blog and I'm very impressed with the breadth and depth of information. This post is particularly timely, as I'm in the process of writing a recommendation and looking for new ones for myself.
I'm curious if you (or any of the individuals who have commented) can share any experiences in which a LinkedIn reference "worked" -- that is, for example, a new employer mentioned that a candidate's references factored significantly into his/her decision. In particular, I'd be interested to know which aspects of the reference(s) were most compelling, e.g., quantity, quality, relevance to the industry/position, demonstrating a breadth of functional experience, etc. It would also be interesting to see examples of poorly conceived or written references to use as guidelines of what to avoid.
I find real-world examples most helpful and illuminating, which is the reason for my inquiry.
Thanks, and keep up the great work!
George
http://twitter.com/geo2geo
Especially the part where you wite about pointing readers to ways you can do business with the recommendationee.
Question: there are many situations, including a few described above, where others ask inappropriately for recommendations. Of course we all feel awkward saying no, even if that is entirely the right thing to do. Most of us, I suspect, do nothing and expect the other person to intuit that non-response means no.
I would wish there were a more proactive, useful, truthful response to such people that would leave them not mildly paranoid and neurotic, but rather feel well-dealt with, and more importantly, not making the same asinine request again.
Any ideas for snappy rejoinders that respond directly, say "no," and at the same time raise the quality of expectations among the masses about the right role of recommendations?
I wrote about LinkedIn Recommendations on my JibberJobber blog.
Jason Alba
Author -I'm on LinkedIn -- Now What???
(second edition coming out ... this month!)
I saw one of my friends (I have known him 20 years) recommend someone with these words:
"...I get more liberal with praise once you have my full confidence."
Could he not have politely refused the recommendation request instead of writing something like this?
John Bisnar
I am wondering what recruiters think about this.
This is good stuff. I referenced it in the group. As I said there, I'm guilty of not having enough so I think this gives me the right to harp on this a little with the rest off the group too.
After reading the article, I may have to go forth and write a few of my own. I'm not looking for a job, but I am looking for new clients with positions to fill. In the long run, it's all the same anyway.
I have been of the opinion that you must ask for recommendations as people often don't think to do as you suggested. However, at the end of the article I most certainly advocate returning the supplied reference with one of your own. Afterall if you thought enough to ask this person, you must respect their opinion and should not have issue with writing a sterling recommendation of them in turn.
But in review, I find your suggestion most humbly the real way this should be done. I would obviously reserve that right to continue to pursue those close colleagues who will write me back, but I think your strategy most certainly has a much higher chance of success. Almost EVERY time I write a recommendation for someone I get one back.
Interesting post. I find linked in most useful for resumes.
I don't find the recommendations useful, becuase it's socially awkward to be askeed to provide something with no context.. just a "your great" kind of thing. Every time I'm asked, I feel 'required' to do it. I would not ask others because of this bizarre position it puts people into.
Additionally, I've noticed that people with loads of recommendations that I've worked with tend to be really good at getting recommendations and not so great at actually doing the work. It's like getting a score in a video game.. 'can i get more points' as it were.
It has caused me to shy away from anyone with lots of recommendations. This may be changing as you seem to know lots of people with recommendations and know they actually do good work.. I just haven't seen it myself.
So I prefer to do private, and more seemingly honest confidential recommendations (or not as the case may be).
mary
Why are you not yet a member of Top Recommended People Group on Linkedin?
You are invited!
Thanks,
Ross
Barbara Shay Pignotti