A Complete Guide to LinkedIn Recommendations: Examples, Tips, and Best Practices [2026 Updated]
LinkedIn recommendations are the closest thing the platform has to a reference check. They're written by real people who've worked with you, and they carry a kind of credibility that no self-written profile section can match.
Most people have zero or one. A few have two or three. The professionals who take recommendations seriously, who actively collect them and give them thoughtfully, stand out in a way that's hard to fake.
This guide covers everything: what recommendations are, how they work, how to ask for them, how to write them, and how to use them strategically.
TL;DR
LinkedIn recommendations are written endorsements from people who've worked with you. They appear on your profile and are visible to anyone who visits. They improve your search ranking, build credibility with prospects and recruiters, and provide social proof that your self-written sections can't. Ask for them after wins, make it easy for people to write them, and aim for a mix of managers, peers, and clients.
So, What Exactly Are LinkedIn Recommendations, and How Do They Work?
A LinkedIn recommendation is a written statement from a connection that appears on your profile. Unlike endorsements (which are one-click skill confirmations), recommendations are full paragraphs written by real people describing their experience working with you.
Benefits of LinkedIn Recommendations
Social proof that cuts through noise. In a world of AI-generated profiles and keyword-stuffed summaries, a genuine recommendation from a real person is a signal that stands out. Recruiters read them. Potential clients read them. Collaborators read them.
Search ranking. LinkedIn's algorithm factors recommendations into profile completeness and search ranking. Profiles with multiple recommendations tend to appear higher in search results.
Credibility at the moment of decision. When someone is deciding whether to trust you with a job, a contract, or a partnership, a recommendation from someone they might know, or at least respect, can tip the balance.
Note:
Recommendations are different from endorsements. Endorsements are one-click confirmations of skills. Recommendations are written statements. Both appear on your profile, but recommendations carry significantly more weight.
How Do LinkedIn Recommendations Work?
1. Request Recommendations:
You can request a recommendation from any first-degree connection. Go to their profile, click "More," and select "Request a recommendation." LinkedIn will prompt you to specify your relationship and the position you want them to recommend you for.
Don't use LinkedIn's default request message. Write a personal note instead. Explain what you'd like them to focus on and remind them of the specific work you did together.
2. Writing a Recommendation:
When you write a recommendation for someone, it goes to them for approval before appearing on their profile. You can write one proactively (without being asked) or in response to a request.
Note:
The best recommendations are specific, include context about the relationship, focus on one or two key qualities or achievements, and end with a strong endorsement. Vague praise ("great to work with") is useless. Specific outcomes ("led our product launch and delivered 30% above target") are memorable.
3. Approving the Recommendation:
When someone writes a recommendation for you, you receive a notification. You can approve it (it appears on your profile), request changes, or decline it. You can also hide approved recommendations at any time.
Note:
You can choose which recommendations are visible on your profile. If you've changed careers or are targeting a different type of role, review your visible recommendations and make sure they're telling the right story.
How to Request a LinkedIn Recommendation... the Right Way?
The biggest reason people don't have recommendations is that they never ask. Asking feels awkward. It doesn't have to be.
Requesting a Recommendation
Who to ask: Former managers or supervisors, direct reports (especially if you're in a leadership role), colleagues who worked alongside you on significant projects, clients or customers you've served well, and professors or mentors for early-career professionals.
Aim for variety. A mix of managers, peers, and clients tells a more complete story than five recommendations all from the same type of relationship.
When to ask: The best time is right after a win. You just delivered a successful project. You just got a glowing performance review. You just wrapped up a client engagement that went well. Don't wait until you're job hunting and scrambling to fill your profile.
How to ask: Send a personal message (not LinkedIn's default) that does three things:
- Reminds them of the specific work you did together
- Explains what you're hoping the recommendation will speak to
- Makes it easy for them to say yes (and gives them an out if they're too busy)
Example message:
"Hi [Name], I hope you're doing well! I'm updating my LinkedIn profile and would love to ask if you'd be willing to write a recommendation for me. I was thinking specifically about our work on [project] — I think you saw firsthand how I [specific contribution]. If you're open to it, I'd love a recommendation that speaks to [specific aspect]. No pressure at all if you're too busy. Happy to return the favor if you'd ever like one from me."
What Makes LinkedIn Recommendations Stand Out
Not all recommendations are equal. Here's what separates the ones that actually help from the ones that blend into the background.
1. Specific Results and Metrics
Numbers are credible. "Grew our content traffic from 5,000 to 50,000 monthly visitors in 18 months" is more compelling than "significantly improved our content performance." Whenever possible, include a specific result.
2. Story-Driven Content
The best recommendations tell a mini-story. There's a situation, a challenge, an action, and an outcome. This narrative structure makes the recommendation memorable and gives the reader context for understanding the achievement.
3. Balanced Skill Showcase
Focus on one or two qualities rather than trying to cover everything. A recommendation that highlights someone's strategic thinking and their ability to execute under pressure is more credible than one that lists ten different strengths.
4. Future-Focused Language
Strong recommendations don't just describe the past. They signal future potential. "I'd hire her again without hesitation" or "Any team would be lucky to have him" tells the reader something about the person's trajectory, not just their history.
5. Authentic Voice
The best recommendations sound like they were written by a real person, not a corporate template. Write the way you'd describe this person to a friend who asked "should I work with them?" Conversational, specific, and genuine.
10 LinkedIn Recommendation Templates for Different Scenarios
Template for Colleagues:
"[Name] and I worked together on [project/team] for [timeframe]. Their contribution to [specific area] was significant — [specific example]. What I appreciated most was [specific quality]. They're the kind of colleague who [specific behavior]. I'd recommend them without reservation."
Template for Clients:
"I hired [Name] to [specific project/service] and the results exceeded my expectations. [Specific outcome]. What stood out most was [specific quality]. I'd work with [Name] again without hesitation and would recommend them to anyone looking for [specific type of work]."
Template for Freelancers/Contractors:
"We brought [Name] in to [specific project] and they delivered [specific result] on time and within budget. What set them apart was [specific quality — e.g., their ability to work independently, their communication, their technical depth]. I'd hire them again for any project requiring [specific skill]."
Template for Manager:
"Working for [Name] was one of the most formative experiences of my career. They [specific thing they did as a manager]. Under their leadership, our team [specific outcome]. I learned more in [timeframe] than I had in the previous [timeframe]. I'd work for [Name] again without hesitation."
Template for Mentors:
"[Name] mentored me during [specific period/context]. Their guidance on [specific area] was invaluable. They [specific thing they did as a mentor — e.g., challenged my assumptions, opened doors, gave honest feedback]. I wouldn't be where I am today without their support."
Template for an HR Professional:
"[Name] led our HR function during [specific period]. They [specific achievement — e.g., rebuilt our hiring process, reduced time-to-hire by X%, improved retention]. What impressed me most was their ability to [specific quality]. They're a rare combination of strategic thinker and operational executor."
Template for a Student:
"I had the pleasure of [teaching/advising/working with] [Name] during [specific program/project]. They demonstrated [specific quality] that set them apart from their peers. Their work on [specific project] showed [specific strength]. I'm confident they'll bring the same dedication and capability to their professional career."
Template for a Software Developer:
"[Name] joined our engineering team at a critical time — [brief context]. In [timeframe], they [specific technical achievement]. What impressed me most was [specific quality — e.g., their ability to ship clean code under pressure, their communication with non-technical stakeholders, their ownership mentality]. Any engineering team would be lucky to have them."
Template for Marketing Professional:
"[Name] led our marketing function during [specific period]. They [specific achievement — e.g., built our content strategy from scratch, grew our pipeline by X%, launched our first ABM program]. What set them apart was [specific quality]. They think in terms of revenue, not just metrics."
Template for Sales Professional:
"[Name] was one of the top performers on our sales team during [specific period]. They [specific achievement — e.g., exceeded quota by X%, closed our largest deal of the year, built our enterprise pipeline from zero]. What made them exceptional was [specific quality]. I'd hire them again in a heartbeat."
Real-Life Recommendation Examples and Why They Work
Example 1:
"I managed Sarah for two years at [Company], where she led our content marketing function. In that time, she built our blog from scratch to 50,000 monthly organic visitors, hired and developed a team of three writers, and created a content strategy that became the foundation for our entire inbound pipeline. What sets Sarah apart isn't just her output — it's her judgment. She consistently made smart decisions about where to invest time and where to cut scope. I'd hire her again without hesitation."
Why it works: Specific metrics, clear context (manager relationship), focused on two key qualities, ends with a strong endorsement.
Example 2:
"We hired [Name] to redesign our sales process after a period of stagnant growth. Within six months, our close rate improved by 35% and our average deal size increased by 20%. What impressed me most was how quickly they understood our business and how thoughtfully they approached the change management side of the project. They didn't just deliver a new process — they got our team to actually use it."
Why it works: Quantified results, explains the context and challenge, highlights a specific quality (change management), goes beyond the obvious outcome.
Example 3:
"I've worked with a lot of engineers over my career. [Name] is in the top 5%. They shipped our most complex feature in Q3 on time and with zero production incidents, while simultaneously mentoring two junior engineers. They're the kind of person who makes everyone around them better."
Why it works: Comparative framing ("top 5%"), specific achievement, highlights leadership alongside technical skill, memorable closing line.
Best Practices and Tips for LinkedIn Recommendations
Automation for the Win
If you're doing LinkedIn outreach at scale, you can use automation to request recommendations more systematically. Tools like Outly let you build campaigns that include recommendation requests as part of a broader relationship-building sequence.
Link Your LinkedIn Account
Connect your LinkedIn account to your outreach tool to track who you've asked, who's responded, and who might need a follow-up nudge.
Creating a LinkedIn Recommendation Request Campaign
A simple campaign: after a successful project or milestone, send a personalized message to the client or colleague, wait a few days, and follow up once if you don't hear back. Keep the ask specific and make it easy for them to say yes.
How Many LinkedIn Recommendations Should You Have?
- 0-1: Your profile looks thin. Prioritize getting at least 2-3.
- 3-5: Solid. You have enough to show a pattern.
- 6-10: Strong. You're clearly someone people want to vouch for.
- 10+: Exceptional. This level of social proof is rare and valuable.
Quality matters more than quantity. Three specific, credible recommendations from respected people beat ten generic ones.
How to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Shine With Recommendations?
Place your strongest recommendations at the top of your visible list. Review them periodically and hide any that are outdated or no longer relevant to your current goals. A recommendation from a role you left five years ago might not be the best first impression for your current target audience.
LinkedIn Recommendations vs Endorsements: What's the Difference?
Endorsements are one-click confirmations of skills. Anyone can endorse you for any skill with a single click. They're easy to get and carry relatively little weight.
Recommendations are written statements that require real effort from the person writing them. They're harder to get and carry significantly more weight. Both appear on your profile, but if you had to choose where to invest your energy, recommendations win every time.
Note:
Don't ignore endorsements entirely. They do affect your skills section's visibility in search. But prioritize recommendations for credibility-building.
Tips for Job Seekers: How to Stand Out Using LinkedIn Recommendations
If you're job hunting, recommendations can be the difference between getting an interview and getting passed over. A few specific tips:
- Ask for recommendations from people who can speak to the skills most relevant to the roles you're targeting
- Make sure at least one recommendation comes from a direct manager
- If you're changing industries, ask for a recommendation that speaks to transferable skills
- Request recommendations before you start actively applying, not after
The Takeaway
Building a strong recommendations section takes time, but it's one of the most durable forms of credibility on LinkedIn. Start with one ask this week. After a recent win, reach out to the person who saw your work up close and ask them to write a few sentences.
Do that consistently and you'll have a profile that speaks for itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit a recommendation someone wrote for me? You can request changes, but you can't edit it directly. Send the person a message explaining what you'd like adjusted.
Can I hide a recommendation? Yes. Go to your profile, find the recommendation, and click the hide option. It won't be deleted, just not visible to profile visitors.
Do recommendations expire? No. But older recommendations carry less weight than recent ones. Aim to add new ones regularly.
Can I recommend someone without being asked? Yes. Unsolicited recommendations are often the most meaningful. They signal that you thought of the person without any prompting.
Outly helps you build a LinkedIn presence that goes beyond your profile, automating outreach while keeping it personal. Plans start at $39.99/month.
