I sat staring at the email for almost five minutes. It was a moment of irony. I was being asked by my former employer, a CEO, to write a LinkedIn recommendation letter for him. Initially I thought it’s just a mere letter that would be put up on a social network. No big deal. It’s not an official letter so there’s nothing to panic about.
However, once I did my research, I realised just how important a LinkedIn recommendation actually is. Though it’s possible for an individual to obtain dozens and even hundreds of recommendations on this particular social network, it is by no means worthless.
According to blogger Chris Brogan, LinkedIn is more than a living resume.
“It’s a reputation engine, a visual representation of your business network’s reach, and a place to express your business capabilities,” he said.
Your opinion about a person counts and it will be read by thousands of other businessmen out there. For your friend, it can mean the difference between getting that six-figure salary or another month on the couch. So take your time to write a meaningful letter. Anybody can see when you’ve rushed to complete it and you will lose credibility too.
LinkedIn’s power lies in the number of members it has. There are already 55 million on the network. The more active you are on the network the more you’ll become familiar to other users. When Brogan confessed to having hundreds of recommendations he was asked how he got them.
“I responded with my secret: I asked for them.”
A LinkedIn letter is brief and to the point. Since the reader will be perusing a number of these on an individual’s profile, he or she would scan for the words and examples that have the most impact. So it’s fine to say someone is dynamic, innovative and attentive. However, those words should accompany examples of work you had done with the person. Instead of describing their personality, rather tell a story that vividly illustrates the person’s character. Provide tidbits of personal experiences you had with him or her. Don’t say they’re adventurous; instead, say he or she belongs to a skydiving club that jumps every weekend. Show, don’t tell.
Below is the recommendation I wrote for my previous employer, Yugasen Naidoo. Though my example is a bit too long, it certainly works:
Yugasen Naidoo represents the archetypal CEO of modern times: open, versatile and adaptive.
During my time as a young employee at Praxis Computing he would often invite me to his office to exchange a few words, providing me with invaluable professional and personal advice.
On the days we worked together, he allowed me to share my ideas and encouraged me to follow through with them. For example, when I spoke of creating a newsletter for the company he immediately saw its value and gave me full responsibility for its production and distribution.
Though I worked at Praxis for just a year (between 2007 and 2008), we continue to interact on a personal level.
Under Yugasen’s tutelage, Praxis IT Solutions was founded, a subsidiary that provides labour broking and specialised solutions to the IT industry on a national level.
He was also instrumental in developing the partnership, between Praxis and Cape Town based biometrics company, SuperVision. The partnership continues to flourish. This is indicative of his ability to identify new technologies that have the potential to change the way we live.
Yugasen’s boundless energy, however, is not limited to the workplace. He has taken it to the oceans, obtaining a qualification as a scuba diver in 2002.
His keen sense of social responsibility has motivated him to establish, along with his uncle, a feeding scheme for the needy in the south of Johannesburg.
Being the humble leader, he felt it was richly worded.
For another good example read Chris Brogan’s blog. I’ve attached the link below.
Chris Brogan: Community & Social Media
Click on these links which were used to guide me through the writing process. I trust they will help you too.
Jibber Jobber: How to write an excellent LinkedIn recommendation
Wikihow: How to write a LinkedIn recommendation
Ehow: Write a LinkedIn recommendation
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