How To Get LinkedIn Recommendations

Dear Liz,

I've been working on my LinkedIn profile and it's coming along. I'm not job-hunting now but I'm going to start a job search in the spring. I have to move up and out of my current job.

I have had some very nice compliments from my co-workers and customers (not my boss -- he is the main reason I want a new job). How do I ask those people to put their kind words in writing and give me a LinkedIn recommendation?

If I say "Can you please write a LinkedIn recommendation for me?" they're going to ask "Why do you want one?" I don't want to tell anybody that I'm thinking about job-hunting. What should I do?

Thanks Liz!

Bennie

Watch on Forbes:

Dear Bennie,

Don't ask your co-workers for LinkedIn recommendations. As you point out, asking a colleague for a LinkedIn recommendation is almost identical to telling them "I'm going to be job-hunting soon."

Start your LinkedIn recommendation-collection process by writing LinkedIn recommendations for some of your favorite former colleagues, as well as your current customers and vendors.

The best way to get LinkedIn recommendations is not to ask for them but to write them for other people. Whenever you write a LinkedIn recommendation for someone, LinkedIn will prompt them to write one for you, too!

Your former colleagues (people who used to work with you at your current company and left, or people who worked with you at former employers) are the perfect recipients for your recommendations.

Be as specific as you can when writing LinkedIn recommendations -- that will make your recommendations more powerful.

Here's an example:

Marcy and I worked on the launch of the Tasty-Tips edible nail polish line, which was ground-breaking in 2012 and won Best New Product at Chocoholic Expo that year. Marcy built the marketing plan for the launch and did an incredible job. She's one of the most creative, reliable and hard-working teammates I've had the pleasure to collaborate with.

You can leave a recommendation for Marcy even if you haven't seen or talked with her for ages -- and she'll be happy to receive it! It is always nice to get acknowledgment for our hard work.

Marcy is likely to write a lovely recommendation for you in return. You won't have to ask your friends to write recommendations for you if you write recommendations for them first!

All the best to you Bennie --

Liz