Gone are the days when individuals on the job hunt submitted printed recommendation letters to potential employers. Today, everything is digitized. This digitization has opened various opportunities for job-seekers and businesses alike.
Social platforms play an essential role in connecting people for entertainment, business, and even career growth. LinkedIn recommendations play an important part in getting you or your business recognized and respected.
LinkedIn recommendations are proof of an individual's competency, skills, and abilities. They help improve the employability of an individual, kick start their career, and help them grow. Employers and colleagues give these online recommendations to bolster an individual's online work profile.
Meaningful LinkedIn recommendations act as an asset as a business as well. They highlight your strengths, help gain a competitive edge in the market, and provide a way to stay active in the business network.
To get these recommendations, you need to ask your colleagues, friends, and family. However, it is essential to analyze the desired skills and highlights that you would like to be displayed about yourself or your business to ensure they align with the professional image you want to achieve. Below are some of the greatest benefits LinkedIn recommendations can have for both you and your business.
The Benefits of a LinkedIn recommendation for you
The Trust of Potential Employers
With new talents rising every day, getting a job is becoming more and more difficult. It is because the corporate arena has become immensely competitive. Brands are in a rush to beat their competitors. For this, they need highly-skilled employees. Hiring an incompetent employee can be a significant risk for a brand's reputation. Therefore, employers are going through every possible step to ensure that the employee can perform better. No matter how many tests and interviews an employer may schedule, reviews from the former employer are the best proof of employee competence.
More Authentic than LinkedIn Profile
Experts recommend creating a professional level profile on LinkedIn. The profile should showcase your talents, strengths, and achievements. However, employers may not rely on the strengths highlighted by your profile because you have written it yourself. Here recommendations play a significant role; since they are given by a third-party, they seem more authentic than anything you write yourself.
Complete Review of Skills
LinkedIn recommendations make prospective employers analyze the performance of the potential employee. Giving them an idea of how the candidate in question will fit in with company culture. Besides this, it also shows the work ethics, values, and other aspects of the person.
Standing Out From the Crowd
Almost everyone adds their skills and achievements on their profile. However, those who possess recommendations stand apart from others. Experts recommend asking your former colleagues, bosses, and managers for LinkedIn recommendations. They become immensely important, especially when you are in search of your next job. For instance, companies nowadays are looking for experienced customer service professionals. The HR manager may find a couple of matching profiles on LinkedIn. However, profiles having strong recommendations from experienced professionals most likely will have a greater chance of being granted an interview call.
How to Get LinkedIn Recommendations
The process of getting a recommendation is simple. Just go on the profile from which you want recommendations. For instance, it may be your former manager's profile or your project supervisor. Select the Menu icon and then go to the option of "request recommendations."
After this, you need to give a few details regarding your relationship with that person and your designation during the time you worked together.
Some things to keep in mind when asking for recommendations on LinkedIn:
- Do not ask for a recommendation from just anyone. Select the person who has a good designation. Recommendations from highly-ranked professionals are of more value than those of average and lower-ranked individuals.
- Think about the relevant skills that you want to showcase. These skills must match with the next job you are interested in; therefore, ask the appropriate person for a recommendation.
- Using the letter provided by LinkedIn for recommendation requests is a big mistake. Make the other person feel how important it is for you to get the recommendation. Therefore, spend some time creating a customized request letter.
- Start giving recommendations to others. Please do not consider it a waste of time because LinkedIn prompts the recipient to give back recommendations when you give them to others. In this way, you get more recommendations too!
Times are changing, and we need to adopt the latest tactics to improve our employability or attract the best of the talent pool. Employers will look to authenticate skill-set by relying on recommendations from your previous workplace. LinkedIn recommendations are an ideal way to display your talents and let others know who you are.
The benefits of a LinkedIn Recommendation for your Businesses
Attracting Investors
When an investor notices good recommendations and achievements on your profile, they will be more inclined to invest in your business.
Getting Loans Approved
Every financial institution does some research before approving a loan. They need to make sure that the company is doing well and can return the loan at the said time. Thus, recommendations can play a positive role in highlighting your business success.
Reaching Suppliers
Well-known suppliers do not make a deal if a business is unknown. LinkedIn is an amazing platform to get insights into any business. There are high chances that the supplier may visit your LinkedIn profile, and if no recommendations are present, your business will leave a negative impact.
Impressing Prospects
Some potential clients doing product research before an actual purchase may visit the profile. Profiles having great recommendations are likely to leave a lasting impact on targeted customers. For instance, you are searching for the best local handbags. You will visit a couple of profiles and select the one that has recommendations for further research.
More importantly, employee recommendations on LinkedIn pages are like a badge of approval for future employees. They tell prospective employees that this place is worth working for, and thus, it invites a bigger and more talented pool of candidates.
Wrapping It Up
In short, LinkedIn recommendations are playing an immense role in building careers as well as businesses. No matter which stage of career you are at or your line of business, profiles with good recommendations always stands out.. They often work like positive reviews on other social media platforms like Facebook or Yelp. They are vital in attracting potential clients, potential employers, and standing out from the crowd.
Author's Bio- Shaheryar provides ghostwriting and copywriting services. His educational background in the technical field and business studies helps him in tackling topics ranging from career and business productivity to web development and digital marketing. He occasionally writes articles for Carpet Cleaning London.