Now that you’re convinced, kinda, that you should collect a few recommendations, let’s consider the process.
REQUEST PROCESS
Here are steps to solicit a recommendation:
1. Email-wise, the request usually takes the following form: “Please write 2–3 comments on the value and impact of my consulting on your employees or project plans (or presentation to your faculty or coaching experience). There are recommendations on my profile that may help you compose one.” If he/she requests that you send them a draft, do it.
2. Request a draft first. Then you can edit it and send back for approval. Make sure it is generic enough so it will stand the test of time once it’s posted on your profile.
3. Once both of you are satisfied, go to your LinkedIn profile page, and under Profile, click Recommendations.
4. At the top, click Request Recommendations.
5. For 1, click Choose on the box, and a dropdown will appear of all of your job and student positions. Click the title to which the recommendation will apply.
6. For 2, type the name of person writing the recommendation or click IN and pick the person from your list of connections (Remember, he/she must be in your network.)
7. For 3, personalize the stock message in the block.
8. Click Send. That’s it. A piece of cake with ice cream and a root beer!
Your colleague, client, student, etc. will receive the request and copy and paste the recommendation you both approved into the block provided. You will receive the recommendation by e-mail from LinkedIn and be given a chance to revise or approve, then post on your profile.
FORMAL RECOMMENDATION SOURCE
When you consult, speak, or coach, specify in your contract a requirement that, if the event is successful, the client will prepare 2 or 3 comments about the experience within a couple of weeks. This is standard operating procedure for speakers. (REJECTION NOTE: In academia, it has been my experience over the past 2 years that many directors or faculty who hired me will ignore that requirement and refuse to write anything. Just post whatever recommendations you receive.)
What’s Next? My next blog will deal with how to add connections to build your network. That’s probably the most important ingredient in using your profile.
COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC
WHY RECOMMENDATIONS?
Short Answer: Your credentials count ginormously to provide credibility for your expertise. However, when you are being considered for a position where you are rendering specific services, such as any type of consulting, speaking, etc., what past clients say about your performance weighs in more heavily than anything you could possibly say about yourself. Recommendations or testimonials furnish that weight.
WHAT ARE RECOMMENDATIONS?
(BLOAT ALERT: This is the beginning of the bloated answer that consumes the rest of this blog.)
On LinkedIn, recommendations are important, to the extent that your profile will not be considered “complete” until you have at least 3. But LinkedIn’s notion of “recommendation” is more akin to what is known as a “testimonial” in the business community, not what we know as a recommendation.
Academic Recommendations. We’ve all had letters of recommendation written for us when we apply for a position or are being reviewed for promotion. They’re usually a couple of pages in length detailing our most amazing characteristics and accomplishments and structured according to the position or promotion criteria. That’s not a Linkedin recommendation.
LinkedIn’s Version. LinkedIn’s “Recommendation” is much shorter and has a specific purpose. It can range from 1 or 2 sentences to a long paragraph. The concept is: “What credible authorities say about your performance counts far more than what you could ever say.” This is consistent with the 360 degree multisource feedback model used in businesses to evaluate employees. Those in the best and, preferably, highest positions to observe what you do should be the ones to scribe the recommendations. They can document your dazzling performance. Here the emphasis is usually on the specific performance at one time or collectively over multiple experiences.
Who Should Write It? It can be a
(1) colleague or administrator in your department,
(2) the person who hired you to consult or speak, or
(3) a faculty or staff member, or student who was on the receiving end of your services.
People in different roles provide multiple perspectives on your performance. My recommendations on LinkedIn and my Website represent all of the above.
These professionals can describe what you do, how you do it, and the value and impact of your contributions. The last-named element is especially important. Does your work produce any visible results, change, or impact? When you leave, does the client say: Who was what's-his-name?" OR "Who was that masked woman." (NOTE: The person writing the recommendation MUST be a connection in your network; otherwise, it cannot be posted. Only that colleague can post it.)
What’s Next? I will take you through the steps to request, write, and post a recommendation. I have lost several recommendations because colleagues gave up on the process.
COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC
