Are you utilizing your LinkedIn account to its full potential? Many LinkedIn users simply fill out their profile and do little else. However, if used correctly, LinkedIn is a very valuable social media channel for business. It’s a great way to make connections and network with other like-minded professionals and potential clients in a professional setting (albeit online). One of the most beneficial tools LinkedIn has to offer is the ability to give and receive recommendations from fellow users. Unfortunately, for users that aren’t very familiar with LinkedIn, the recommendation function can be a bit tricky to navigate. Don’t worry; we are here to help!
How To Find Your Recommendations
First, you have to know where to go to manage your recommendations. Once you’re logged in to your LinkedIn account, start by hovering your cursor over your profile thumbnail in the top right hand corner of the screen. From the dropdown menu, select “Manage” to the right of the Privacy & Settings option.
Once you’re in your Privacy & Settings dashboard, you should automatically be in the “Profile” window. Located in the Profile window is the “Helpful Links” heading with four links. The bottom link will take you to the “Manage Recommendations” page.
How To Manage Your Recommendations
On the Manage Recommendations page, you can:
- View your recommendations
- Approve or deny pending recommendations
- Request recommendations
- Give recommendations
You will be notified when someone writes a recommendation for you or requests a recommendation from you. In order for your recommendations to appear publicly on your profile, you must approve them. You can deny any unsolicited recommendations that are irrelevant or possibly spam. Don’t have any recommendations? Request one from a satisfied client, past or present co-worker, or previous employer.
How To Give Recommendations
Remember to return the favor. Write recommendations for fellow users as you see fit. If you are connected to your realtor on LinkedIn and had a positive experience doing business with her, write her a recommendation.
To give a recommendation, search for the user under the “Give Recommendations” tab on your Manage Recommendations page. You can also go to the profile of the user you wish to recommend, scroll down until you find the heading “Recommendations”, and follow the link to write a recommendation.
Once you’ve chosen to write a recommendation, the first step is to draft your recommendation and a message to notify the user. Step two is to select how you know the user and where you and the user were employed during the time you worked together. All that’s left to do is send!
Why Recommendations Are Important
People trust professionals who have been endorsed or recommended by others more than those who have not. Recommendations give your profile an advantage. You will appear more experienced, reliable, and trustworthy to potential clients viewing your profile. If you were using LinkedIn to find a realtor and your search resulted in two options – one with three recommendations and one without any recommendations – which are you more likely to hire?
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