A Consultant’s Guide to LinkedIn Recommendations

In today’s world, everything is digital – from job applications to restaurant menus, and now, even recommendations for future employment. The power of a reference or recommendation has always been proven to be a driving force in hiring, and many of us are familiar with gaining a written reference to share. But how do we go about obtaining a LinkedIn recommendation for our digital profile?

Four Steps to Gaining LinkedIn Recommendations

Before beginning the process of obtaining a public reference, you want to ensure that you are being strategic about who you ask. Remember, your LinkedIn profile is now one of the first things employers look at when deciding about who they want to interview, it is the best place to make a first impression for employers, so the people you publicly associate with are important.  

First, develop your plan.

Prioritization is key. Look over your experiences and consider those whom you worked with on big projects. Once you have a rough idea of individuals to ask, go through and decipher between colleagues and executives. While personal references can have an influence in some respects, employers are really looking for executives, managers, or other high-level, well-known people in the industry. Consider those who have titles such as Director, SVP, or Founder, not consultant, lead, or analyst. Also, try to stick with one recommendation per project, as this keeps your profile clean and concise. There is a lot of value in seeking recommendations from those whom you’ve closely worked with as it ensures an honest and meaningful recommendation. 

Next, ask for a LinkedIn recommendation.

Once you decide whom you would like to ask for a recommendation, build an honest relationship. Your first communication with them, outside of the project, should not be when you send them the request. You are more likely to get a recommendation from someone once an initial conversation or relationship has been built. Email them first, and in your request, it is advisable to allude to key words that you may want them to use in their recommendation. For example, you may say, “the projects you assigned me allowed me to step into my leadership skills.” While you want your recommendation to address skills related to the jobs you have completed or would want to transition into, you also want to remain authentic. Do not have your recommendation address skills you do not possess.  

Then, send the request.

You did the hard part! You asked for a recommendation, and they excitedly agreed. Now, it is time to send the request via LinkedIn. While LinkedIn allows you to send up to three requests at a time, it is best to keep it to one. When you send a one recommendation request, it gives you the opportunity to send a note, which allows you to personalize each request you send. This is also an opportunity for you to include a draft of what you would like your recommendation to look like. 

Finally, send a thank you note.

Once you have received your LinkedIn recommendation, do not want to stop there. It is extremely important to express gratitude to the person giving you the recommendation. You can say thank you in many ways – some suggestions include sending a handwritten thank you note, gift card, e-card, or another small token of appreciation.  

Conclusion

At the end of the day, requesting recommendations or references is always an intense process. But getting the right recommendations from the right people can put you that much closer to getting the job of your dreams. And above all, posting them publicly on your digital profile could be the deciding factor between you and another candidate. For more information on requesting LinkedIn recommendations, contact our team at BCTG.