Endorsements on LinkedIn are a new way to network with colleagues. Being a new feature, many users are a little foggy on just what the feature can or cannot do or why it’s even there. Let’s remove the mystery and take a look at how you can use this LinkedIn feature to your advantage. Since its introduction in September, more than 200 million endorsements have been made. Endorsements are a fast and easy way to give props to business associates and colleagues. They were created to be a shortcut for people who want to refer your skills to others but do not want to write a full recommendation.
How Endorsements on LinkedIn Work
Give and Receive Appropriate Endorsements
Endorsements on LinkedIn can only exchanged by people who have first-degree connections. Take a moment to look at the people you have connected with on LinkedIn to make sure the folks in your first-degree circle are those that know your work. If your first-degree connections include personal connections like family and friends, you may reconsider their status. Endorsements on LinkedIn are intended to refer solely to business matters.
Hiding Endorsements
You may find that a well-meaning friend endorsed your work but has not hired you for your services. In order to represent yourself fairly on LinkedIn, you should only show endorsements from people who know your work or have used your services. Endorsements cannot be deleted but they can be hidden so only you can see them. To hide an endorsement, go to “profile” at the top of the screen and click “edit profile.” Scroll to the “skills and expertise” section, click on the pencil icon and select “manage endorsements.” Choose which endorsements you would like to hide.
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People may endorse you with a skill you do not have, no longer use in business or do not want to advertise. In this case, you can delete the listed skill. Follow the directions above to the “skills and expertise” section and click on “add and remove” to delete a skill.
Choose Your Skills
Take the time to choose your skills for your profile page. You can only be endorsed for the top 10 skills you list on your page so choosing your skills helps you manage what you can be endorsed for. From your profile page, go to “more” and choose “skills and expertise.” There are many skills to choose from. You should have no problem finding 10 to list on your page.
Give and Receive
If someone gives you an endorsement, consider returning the favor. The folks at LinkedIn will send you an email each time you receive an endorsement. Follow up an endorsement with a networking lunch, coffee date or a quick thank you note. Endorsements on LinkedIn are an innovative way to reach out to colleagues. If you have recently finished a project with someone, consider asking him or her for an endorsement.
Endorsing others is simple and easy. To give an endorsement, log in to your LinkedIn profile page. Go to the profile page of the connection you wish to endorse. At the top of his or her profile page, you will see an area to give an endorsement. Choose the skill or expertise you are endorsing your colleague for and you are finished.
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