If you have been reading my blogs for a while, you know that I am a big fan and user of LinkedIn. (You can read my LinkedIn related blogs by clicking here).
Until recently, the only tool that LinkedIn had for others to confirm that you are as good as you said you were was its Recommendations feature. This is a good tool, but requires the person writing the Recommendation to make a big commitment to you – they needed to essentially write a letter as to what they like about you and where you’ve added value to them and their company. Few people actually used this feature because of the commitment involved.LinkedIn is an excellent tool for business professionals. It allows them to brand themselves and stay connected and expand their professional network.
LinkedIn’s Endorsements feature is based on what you’ve identified as your skills and expertise, and others click to say “I agree” that you have this skill set. It’s an easy and effective tool.
I’ve enjoyed the past few weeks as people I know have endorsed me. It is interesting to see who actually thinks I have the skills I say I have, and I appreciate everyone’s endorsement.
To get the best out of the Endorsements feature, it is important that you properly identify your Skills & Expertise in LinkedIn. For example, if you are branding yourself as a CFO, do you really want to be endorsed for your Excel Skills?
Are you using Endorsements?
Do you find value in this LinkedIn feature?
I’m still undecided on this feature. I’ve always found value in the Recommendations feature, and am wondering if Endorsements will make them tend to disappear. After all, it is easier to do a quick Endorsement.
My other issue with it is that it is a very Klout like feature – Klout lets you give people +K’s (which I’ve done) and now LinkedIn has something almost identical.
Answering your question, I have done several. Just because I’m unsure about the feature doesn’t mean I won’t use it.
Another great post Samuel.
Joel,
Recommendations are certainly more valuable than Endorsements.
Endorsements are certainly easier to make (just click) than Recommendations.
While this is the case, Endorsements are like “Targeted Likes”, and as an overall trend, shows that people believe that the person being endorsed has these skills or expertise. When many people have endorsed someone for a certain skill set, it shows that other people believe that the person has these skills/expertise.
Endorsements are like votes. Recommendations are like editorial pieces. Both have value, and are needed in the LinkedIn / Social Media Eco-system.
Now excuse me while I go and Endorse Joel Ungar!
Best,
Samuel
Sam it seems to me that endorsements are a good idea from those that have seen what we do and how we do it. However, I wonder would a potential employer or recruiter realy take note of endorsements.
Cheers, Ross.
Hello Ross,
Thank you very much for your perspective.
I was actually asked a similar question by a recruiter in a LinkedIn Group earlier. What I said there was:
“With regards to whether recruiters / search consultants will put value on them, my personal view is that I take all information on LinkedIn or on a resume as base information that needs to be further validated. Endorsements and References are included.”
Does that help?
Samuel
Hi Samuel, Joel, Ross and other readers:
We love LinkedIn Endorsements for several reasons. As pointed out, it is quicker. Secondly, when you endorse someone it makes yourself visible in your contact’s network too. Monday has been made Endorse Monday. It is the day to pay it forward and endorse 10 people in your LinkedIn network. LinkedIn is hoping this brings more traffic to its site on what is typically a slower day for recruitment. For more LinkedIn ideas and tips, we also would like to invite your readers to check out our blog at http://www.sparkyourlinkedin.wordpress.com. We teach people how to use LinkedIn to make your name stand out. We also offer advice and profile the best on LinkedIn. This week we did a feature article on Sree Sreenivasan, who is Columbia University’s first chief digital officer. We also posted a content article on how LinkedIn Signal can help you find your next gig faster or help in B2B. We hope to see everyone around and thanks for the great content!
Hi Samuel … I always enjoy your blog, however on this one I am going to have to differ.
1. I don’t like the recomendation feature, my experience would suggest that a high proportion of “recommendations” are of the “you scratch my back …” type, which brings real questions about its validity. The number of people I know, who are really mediocre performers but receive glowing recommendations tends to support this thought. Again … my experience only, NOT an exhaustive study.
2. I believe the endorsement feature is EVEN worse.I have had a fair number of “endorsements” and most have been from people I know, but have never worked with. Again where is the validity? Also when the LinkedIn box takes up half my screen asking me to endorse someone out of the blue, I find it annoying. Again just my opinion but I believe this LinkedIn feature to be both intrusive and pretty much worthless.
Having said that, I use LinkedIn a lot … I just hate those features!
Later!
Kevin
Kevin,
Your points are valid and valuable. Thanks for disagreeing with me and sharing your experience and point of view.
Can I ask what you DO like about LinkedIn? What do you find valuable about it?
Best,
Samuel
Samuel,
LinkedIn strengths for me relate to its “networking qualities” … I can find people on LinkedIn. They might be former colleagues, they might be people with specific experience/skills, they might be people I meet in business. I can see their background, get a better understanding of who they are or I just re-connect with an old colleague.
I enjoy the group interaction. I can be in a group with like-minded people who have common interests to share in much the same way that I have belonged to President’s Clubs in the past, or other networking groups … except with LinkedIN the group is virtual and therefore geography is not an issue.
I can build relationships with people I meet on LinkedIn. The interaction makes each of us feel like we are in regular communication, so that when we actually meet face to face (yes that still happens), its comfortable.
I can add to my personal brand by being visible in a professional environment on LinkedIn. I try to be thoughtful in my comments and am happy to share knowledge and ideas. Hopefully they bring some value and that is good for my personal brand.
I view LinkedIn as my “go to” business-social networking tool, and I view Facebook as my “go to” personal-social networking tool. I know others use Facebook for business, but I am still resisting. I also use Twitter … but for me, it is more of an “interesting article” aggregator than a means of “connecting”.
My 2 cents!
Have to run and write MY blog entry for the day!
Cheers
Kevin