In a blog post titled “Requested Recommendations on Social Networks: Why I Won’t Do It“, Jeremiah Owyang weighs in against recommendations on LinkedIn. Although what he says has a lot of merit, ultimately this is an example of throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
In his article, Jeremiah sums up by saying:
I Won’t be Giving LinkedIn Recommendations
Although I’ve only given honest recommendations in LinkedIn, I won’t be giving anymore recommendations on that platform (at least for the foreseeable future), instead, I’ll use my blog and Twitter to provide them in a more organic area where there aren’t obvious filters –making the recommendations count even more. The challenge of course is finding them will not be easy.
If his blog post was initially aimed at requested recommendations from him, and even though he mentioned examples of people who found jobs using LinkedIn recommendations, Jeremiah’s conclusion is that all LinkedIn recommendations are cheapened by the way the system is almost entirely geared towards positive recommendations.
That may be true, but here are 3 reasons why I think Jeremiah is wrong to completely stop using LinkedIn recommendations.
1) The job search process is a sales process
When you’re trying to sell something to someone, one rule is to not give them objections, i.e. reasons not to buy. Stress the positive over the negative.
Even if LinkedIn is only a few years old, this idea is not. Before LinkedIn recommendations, people had (and still have) references and recommendation letters and can choose which ones to give and which ones not to give to a recruiter. By deciding whose recommendations to seek or which ones to hide, you are simply making these same kinds of sales decisions on LinkedIn.
In either case, it’s up to the recruiter to decide whether more reference-checking is needed.
2) The relation between the recommend’er and the recommended is what matters most
Not all recommendations carry the same weight or should.
Here’s how to rank them:
- Best - a recommendation from someone by whom you were employed, such a past boss or client.
- Useful - a recommendation by someone who witnessed your results firsthand or was directly impacted by them, such as a colleague or business partner.
- Sometimes useful – a recommendation by someone who is impressed by you or your work, like a fan, friend or family member.
You can always click through to see more information about the person who actually made the recommendation and where they are in this ranking.
3) LinkedIn is reliable
It’s fairly difficult for someone to fake recommendations on their own. If your profile shows that you have recommendations from your last employer, that recommendation almost certainly came from them and is less likely to be faked than a typed or handwritten letter. You could usually use LinkedIn itself to find other people to confirm the source of the recommendation. Compare this with a typed letter where often the only sign of authenticity is a company letterhead.
Even if I disagree with Jeremiah’s conclusions, his blog post inspired me to rewrite the recommendations section of my Gigantic Tips Guide for Finding Jobs With LinkedIn by putting less emphasis on the numbers game and more on the recommendation sources.
Author:
Jacob Share, a job search expert, is the creator of JobMob, one of the biggest blogs in the world about finding jobs. Follow him on Twitter for job search tips and humor.
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Thank you Dan for staying on top of the social media and social networking scene with your thought leadership.
I agree 100% with Jacob Share. LinkedIn Recommendations generate credibility for those that receive them, and although you sometimes need to filter what you read, they help make your LinkedIn profile more accurate than your resume.
I have blogged in detail about this in a similar vein, so for more information please see:
Is Your LinkedIn Profile More Accurate Than Your Resume?
http://windmillnetworking.com/2009/07/21/is-your-linkedin-profile-more-accurate-than-your-resume/
and
Are LinkedIn Recommendations for Real?
http://windmillnetworking.com/2009/04/23/are-linkedin-recommendations-for-real/
I agree that LinkedIn recommendations are valuable, but the value varies from person to person and reference to reference.
However, I would note a LACK of recommendations is always a negative. Having them varies in value – not having them is always bad.
Finally, I’d note recommendations are also a social tool. When I leave someone a reference I am signaling to them that I value them and will be a reference for them. I am making a public commitment to back them. That is important.
Hi Jacob,
This kind of dovetails with some of our suggestions on recommendations and the reputation economy that my colleague, Adam Nash, wrote about earlier today on the LinkedIn blog.
http://blog.linkedin.com/2009/07/23/adam-nash-recommendations-and-the-reputation-economy/
Mario from LinkedIn
Personally, I have aimed at getting recommendations from all levels within the various corporations in which I have worked. I think it is important to show recruiters and hiring managers that you have built solid relationships along your careerpath, both up and down the corporate ladder. I would also like to add that I fully agree with Steven (comment above), that having no recommendations on your profile is not a good thing.
Hi Jacob,
I agree. LinkedIn recommendations are powerful tools for job seekers and hiring managers. Whether “too positive” or not, it helps the hiring people determine which candidates might be the right fit or not.
Just as you said, during the job search, you have to SELL YOURSELF and what better way to do it then with recommendations of people who’ve worked with you and can vouch for your experience/skills/leadership/teamwork etc.?
Erin Kennedy
Professional Resume Services
Very true! I have given quite a few recommendations myself and have tried my best to give it to genuine vendors and suppliers who have provided excellent service to my firm.
Talking of recommendations, if you are looking to make the most of your LinkedIn account, check out networking expert Jan Vermeiren’s new book “How to REALLY use LinkedIn”. You can find a free lite version at http://www.how-to-really-use-linkedin.com/
Ok, I’ll be the lone voice here. I think they’re BS! I see people trade recommendations like stocks. You scratch my back I’ll scratch your back sort of thing. I’ve read recommendations knowing the people and the working relationship and can’t tell you how many were fantasy world with no real relationship between the two people other than workplace friendship. Add to this most employers frown on ANY recommendations from managers still employed. I’ve come to view it as a joke and I’m sad to see people making hiring decisions based upon what is really a rigged system at worse a popularity contest at best.
[...] expert, appeared on Dan Schawbel’s excellent personal branding blog with the post “Why LinkedIn Recommendations Really Are Valuable.” Now, Jacob is looking at this from the perspective of the job seeker, but he makes some [...]
[...] Why LinkedIn Reccomendations are Valuable (personalbrandingblog.com) [...]
The problem with LinkedIn reccomendations is that some are suspiciously solicited and often reciprocal. Let’s be honest here. You’ll see people you personally know are pretty dodgy getting rave reviews. Then you see that the reviewer is just a workmate that really isn’t in the position to judge the performance of the person in question. Hopefully, there are hiring managers that see right through that.
The best reccomendations are the ones you don’t even know about. That’s what a good reputation is all about.