How to Write and Ask for LinkedIn Recommendations: Free Templates and Examples
LinkedIn recommendations are one of the most underused credibility signals on the platform.
Most people either have none, have a few generic ones from years ago, or have never thought strategically about them. That's a missed opportunity, because recommendations do something your profile headline and summary can't: they let someone else vouch for you in their own words.
When a prospect, hiring manager, or potential partner reads your profile, a strong recommendation from a recognizable name or relevant role carries more weight than anything you write about yourself.
Here's how to get them, how to write them, and templates for both.
What Exactly Is a LinkedIn Recommendation?
A LinkedIn recommendation is a written statement from a first-degree connection that appears on your profile. Unlike endorsements (one-click skill confirmations), recommendations are full paragraphs written by real people describing their experience working with you.
They're visible to anyone who visits your profile. They can't be edited by you (only by the person who wrote them). And they're one of the few things on LinkedIn that genuinely can't be faked, because they come from real people with real profiles.
The obvious reason they matter: social proof. A recommendation from a satisfied client or respected colleague tells a stranger "this person delivers."
But there are less obvious reasons too. LinkedIn's algorithm factors recommendations into profile visibility. More recommendations, especially recent ones, can improve how often your profile appears in search results. They also give context that your profile can't: your profile lists what you did, a recommendation describes how you did it and what it was like to work with you.
How to Write a LinkedIn Recommendation
If someone asks you to write a recommendation, or if you want to write one proactively, here's what makes the difference between a generic endorsement and one that actually helps someone.
Be specific. "Great to work with" is useless. "Led the migration of our entire data infrastructure in six weeks without a single production incident" is useful. Specificity is credibility.
Include a result. What happened because of this person's work? Numbers are best, but even qualitative outcomes ("the team's morale visibly improved") are better than vague praise.
Describe the context. What was the situation? What was the challenge? This gives the recommendation a narrative that makes it memorable.
Write in your own voice. Don't use corporate language. Write the way you'd describe this person to a friend who asked "should I hire them?"
Keep it focused. A recommendation that tries to cover everything covers nothing. Pick one or two things and go deep on those.
5-Step Formula for a LinkedIn Recommendation
1. Hook Them In
Open with something that grabs attention. A strong statement about the person's impact, a surprising result, or a memorable characterization. "In 15 years of managing engineers, [Name] is in the top 5% I've worked with" is a hook. "I had the pleasure of working with [Name]" is not.
2. Define Your Professional Connection
Tell the reader who you are relative to this person. Were you their manager? Their client? Their colleague? That context shapes how the recommendation is interpreted. A client saying you delivered results is more credible than a coworker saying you're a team player.
3. Showcase Unique Values and Strengths
Pick one or two qualities that best represent the person and go deep. Don't list ten strengths. Focus on what made this person genuinely exceptional in your experience. Specific examples are more convincing than adjectives.
4. Add a Personal Touch
What was it like to work with this person day-to-day? What made them different from others in similar roles? A personal observation, a specific moment, or a quality that's hard to quantify but easy to recognize makes the recommendation feel real.
5. Wrap It with Conviction
End with a strong, unambiguous endorsement. "I'd hire her again without hesitation" or "Any company that gets him is lucky" signals confidence. Weak endings like "I think she'd be a good fit for the right role" undermine everything that came before.
Top 3 Proven LinkedIn Recommendation Templates
LinkedIn Recommendation Templates for Colleagues
"[Name] and I worked together on [project/team] for [timeframe]. Their contribution to [specific area] was significant — [specific example or result]. What I appreciated most was [specific quality — e.g., their ability to stay calm under pressure, their attention to detail, their generosity with knowledge]. They're the kind of colleague who makes everyone around them better. I'd recommend them without reservation to any team looking for someone who [specific strength]."
LinkedIn Recommendation for Client
"I hired [Name] to [specific project/service] and the results exceeded my expectations. [Specific outcome — e.g., they delivered the project two weeks early and 15% under budget]. What stood out most was [specific quality — e.g., their communication throughout the process, their ability to translate complex ideas into clear deliverables, their responsiveness]. I'd work with [Name] again without hesitation and would recommend them to anyone looking for [specific type of work]."
LinkedIn Recommendation Templates for Manager
"Working for [Name] was one of the most formative experiences of my career. They [specific thing they did as a manager — e.g., gave me real ownership from day one, created a culture where honest feedback was expected and welcomed, pushed me to grow in ways I didn't expect]. 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 in a heartbeat."
How to Request a LinkedIn Recommendation
The ask is where most people get stuck. It feels uncomfortable to ask someone to write something nice about you.
A few principles that make it easier:
Ask soon after a positive outcome. The best time to ask for a recommendation is right after a project wraps up, a deal closes, or a milestone is hit. The experience is fresh, the relationship is warm, and the person has specific things to say.
Make it easy for them. Don't just send a generic LinkedIn recommendation request. Send a personal message first that gives them context: what you'd like them to focus on, a few bullet points of what you worked on together, and why it matters to you. The easier you make it, the more likely they are to do it.
Be specific about what you're asking for. "A recommendation about our work on [specific project]" is easier to write than "a recommendation about working with me." Specificity helps them know what to say.
Give them an out. "No pressure at all if you're too busy" is not weakness. It's respect for their time, and it actually makes people more likely to say yes.
5 Steps to Request a LinkedIn Recommendation
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Identify the right person. Someone who's seen your work up close and can speak to specific results. Former managers, clients, and close colleagues are the best sources.
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Choose the right moment. Right after a win, when the relationship is warm and the work is fresh.
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Send a personal message first. Don't use LinkedIn's default request. Write a note that reminds them of the specific work you did together and tells them what you'd like them to focus on.
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Make it easy. Give them bullet points of key achievements or qualities you'd like highlighted. Offer to draft something they can edit if that helps.
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Follow up once if needed. If you don't hear back after a week, a gentle nudge is appropriate. "Just wanted to make sure my message didn't get buried" is enough.
What to Say When You're Asking for a Recommendation
The message you send matters. Here's a framework:
- Open with a warm, personal greeting
- Reference the specific work you did together
- Explain what you'd like the recommendation to focus on
- Acknowledge their time and give them an easy out
- Offer to reciprocate
Pro Tips for Your Ask:
Don't send the LinkedIn default. The generic "I'd like to add you to my professional network" energy carries over to recommendation requests. Write something personal.
Give them a direction. "I'd love for it to focus on our work on [project] and specifically how I [specific contribution]" is much easier to act on than "anything you'd like to say."
Offer to draft bullet points. Some people are happy to write a recommendation but don't know where to start. Offering a few bullet points of key achievements removes the blank-page problem.
Reciprocate proactively. Offer to write one for them before they ask. It's good practice and often prompts them to write one for you.
Examples of LinkedIn Recommendation Requests
LinkedIn Recommendation Templates from Colleagues
"Hey [Name], I've been meaning to ask — would you be open to writing a LinkedIn recommendation for me? We worked closely on [project/initiative] and I think your perspective on [specific thing — e.g., how I handled the client relationship, the technical approach we took, the way we managed the timeline] would be really valuable. Happy to write one for you in return. Let me know!"
"Hi [Name], I'm updating my LinkedIn profile and wanted to reach out to a few people I've worked with closely. Would you be willing to write a short recommendation? Even a few sentences about [specific aspect of your work together] would mean a lot. No rush at all, and happy to return the favor."
LinkedIn Recommendation Templates from the Manager
"Hi [Name], I hope things are going well. I'm working on strengthening my LinkedIn profile and would love to have a recommendation from you. We worked together on [specific projects/period] and I think your perspective on [specific skill or contribution] would be really meaningful. Would you be open to it? Happy to draft some bullet points to make it easier if that helps."
"Hi [Name], I wanted to reach out and ask if you'd be willing to write a LinkedIn recommendation for me. I was thinking specifically about [specific project or achievement] — I think you saw firsthand how I [specific contribution]. I'd love a recommendation that speaks to [specific aspect]. No pressure at all if you're too busy, and I'd be happy to write one for you as well."
Key Takeaways for LinkedIn Recommendations
Build the habit, not just the collection. Don't wait until you need recommendations to start collecting them. Ask after every significant project or milestone. Over time, you'll build a section that speaks for itself.
Quality beats quantity. Three specific, detailed recommendations are worth more than ten generic ones. Focus on getting recommendations from people who can speak to real results.
Recency matters. A recommendation from 2019 carries less weight than one from last month. Keep your recommendations fresh by asking regularly.
Diversify your sources. Recommendations from clients, managers, peers, and direct reports each tell a different story. A mix is more credible than five recommendations all from the same type of relationship.
Reciprocate. Writing recommendations for others is good practice and often prompts them to write one for you. It's also just the right thing to do.
If you're using LinkedIn for outreach, a strong recommendation section is part of the credibility foundation that makes your messages more likely to get a response. When someone receives your connection request and clicks your profile, what they see in the first 10 seconds determines whether they accept. Recommendations are part of that first impression.
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