LinkedIn just introduced a new feature called LinkedIn Endorsements that allows users to endorse connections for a skill they’ve listed on their profile or recommend one they haven’t added yet. This is different than the Recommendations feature where users can request a written recommendation that can be posted on the user’s profile. I’m on the fence about this new feature and I’ve been pondering the pros and the cons for job seekers or anyone trying to manage their career. Here are my observations.
The Pros
- A job seeker can quickly build their reputation for having skills relevant to their job function and industry without putting a great imposition on their contacts.
- Having skills endorsements may help with profile optimization and SEO making it easier for people to be found.
- Colleagues can recommend additional skills that may be added to a user’s profile. This is a nice way for people to help each other build a more digitally distinct presence and generate additional interest from recruiters and employers.
- Endorsements help job seekers by offering more regular prompting to examine the skills section, an area of the LinkedIn profile that has become increasingly more important over the past few months.
The Cons
- Endorsements might not be viewed with the same “street cred” as recommendations. Someone willing to give you a recommendation is really taking the time to advocate for you and document specifically the value you bring to an organization. Someone offering an endorsement is basically “checking a box”.
- The endorsements feature may not be in synch with the LinkedIn culture. The feature in some ways mimics a Facebook “Like.” But on Facebook users “like” a company or product. This is consistent with the Facebook culture of sharing. But on LinkedIn you are “liking” a person. It just feels a bit contrived to me.
- Users may get bombarded with requests from people asking for endorsements since LinkedIn has made it so easy to keep clicking on user profiles to make requests. What used to require some effort on the part of the requester has been automated to the point that hundreds of requests could probably be sent out in minutes.
- Endorsements may actually erode the networking process rather than build it. Authentic relationships are built over time. You need to feel very confident in your relationship with someone in order to request a recommendation. I don’t believe there is the same level of entry for requesting endorsements.
- Endorsements smack of a “you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours” mentality. Just because someone gives you a recommendation it doesn’t mean that it is appropriate to return the favor. But with endorsements those lines may be blurred. Be prepared to see a lot of reciprocal endorsements on LinkedIn over the next few months.
I guess the takeaway here is that LinkedIn Endorsements may be able to add value to a user profile but they need to be used intelligently and in conjunction with the Recommendations feature which remains one of my favorite LinkedIn differentiators. You can click on the link to learn more about LinkedIn Endorsements. What are your thoughts?
Always a good read from you, Barbara. I think this is one more tool, and it has overlap, for sure. But, if it is NOT used, and one has many written “recommendations,” but, no “endorsements” at all, that would send up new questions.
For me, each additional feature added to LinkedIn reduces the simplicity factor. Richness has its cost.
Andrew,
This is such a good point. I guess we all need to strive for balance. Thanks for reading!
I agree with this entirely, as a LinkedIn consultant there is a significant higher emphasis on quality recommendations than simple endorsements. Focus on building a handful of very awesome recommendations (20 max!) and you will go far!
Actually, you can’t “request” endorsements – you can only offer endorsements. One of the biggest cons is that LinkedIn makes suggestions of skills to endorse which may not be the most relevant or important skills that someone has. Also, you can no longer reorder your skills the way that you want to display them on your profile. I hope that LinkedIn either fixes these issues or makes it all go away!
Thanks for the clarification. And to your point about relevant skills, I agree. I think everyone should do an audit of their skills section now that the endorsements feature is in place. Thanks for posting!
I’m not in favor of endorsements. With more than 1,000 connections, any of them can ‘endorse’ me without us having a relevant relationship. They’re simply clicking a list of skills. It doesn’t seem to add any credibility, and reminds me of ‘poking’ from FB, which I loathed. I emailed my list and asked them to refrain from endorsing me, and suggested they offer a recommendation if they feel I am entitled to one.
I don’t like the endorsement feature. I have endorsements regarding skills that the folks providing the endorsements have no idea of my skill in that area.
James,
Others have told me the same thing. Thanks for commenting.
Interesting analogy to the Facebook poke! Thanks for reading.
I agree with all that has been said here. In addition, Barbara, I do not agree with you when you list as a “Pro” the possibility that people can recommend additional skills. I think it is a “Con”, because people do not know your skills as well as you do, so they give another name – often inappropriate – to a skill you have added … and which will not be endorsed eventually. Imagine people could add a mission you performed in one of your positions, would you like this?
Hi Anna,
A colleague can’t add anything to another person’s profile except recommendations which still must be approved by the profile owner. I was just suggesting that people who know the person well might be able to recommend additional skills that are relevant or keyword-focused. Thanks for reading.
Hi,
Is there a maximum number of endorsements you can get on one skill?
Hi Mary,
There does not appear to be a limit on the number of endorsements per skill.