How To Use LinkedIn Endorsements

How To Use LinkedIn EndorsementsHow To Use LinkedIn EndorsementsWhat does it mean to endorse or be endorsed on LinkedIn? Is this something that matters to your LinkedIn profile? Endorsements happen to be a valuable feature to add your profile. They allow peers, colleagues, and bosses to attest to your expertise. LinkedIn Endorsements vs. Recommendations First, its important to know that endorsements are different fromLinkedIn Recommendations. A recommendation on LinkedIn is a written reference supporting you and your work. It typically involves a few sentences (or a of couple paragraphs) published on your profile. You might consider this a virtual recommendation letter for all to see. These are very valuable to your profile. Endorsements work differently than recommendations. Anyone can visit your profile, read your skills list, and hit the endorse button for the skills they know you have. Many have questioned the value of endorsements on LinkedIn because its so easy to do. Linke dIn prompts you to endorse other people and suggests that you endorse them for certain skills. Its as simple as liking a post or a page on Facebook. Technically, you dont even have to know the person that you are endorsing. That being said, you do not want to be endorsed for every skill imaginable. For example, if you helped someone look over their resume, they endorsed you for resume writing, and you dont provide resumewriting servicesprofessionally, you wouldnt want to confuse anyone into thinking that that is what you do. On a similar note, you shouldnt be too quick to endorse everyone you know for every skill. You may not actually be helping them, and you will find that those that use LinkedIn thoughtfully will not return the favor. Endorsements on Your LinkedIn Profile When someone wants to endorse you, LinkedIn will offer suggestions on what to endorse you for (blogging, for example). When they decide to endorse you, the endorsements you receive will be listed on your prof ile in a section called Skills Expertise (listed under Experience and above Education). Is it a good idea to seek endorsements for your LinkedIn profile?While it is difficult to know for koranvers just how endorsements will influence recruiters or employers that review your profile, it is safe to say three things Endorsements will never hurt your profile (unless you are being endorsed for skills you dont want publicized)A lack of endorsements might make viewers skeptical about your social media savvy as well as anyskill setsyou claim on your profile andCombined with recommendations, a large amount of endorsements will make you look like a superstar in your industry. How to Get the Right Endorsements Its important that the endorsements you get are a match for your skills and experience. The best way to set up your profile to get accurate endorsements is to start by itemizing a wide selection of critical skills and knowledge assets on your profile so you can give potential endors ers plenty of options to trigger endorsements. Make sure you cover asmany skillsareas as possible within your industry, especially if you are transitioning to a new field. LinkedIn Endorsement Examples Skills and expertise will generally fall into two categories Generaltransferable skills,such as writing, analysis, supervision, research, and problem solvingSpecialized skills unique to a particular industry, such as portfolio management, Python development tools,behavioral interviewing,job search strategies, search engine optimization, copywriting or estate planning. Try to incorporate a combination of both general and specialized skills into your list of skills open for endorsement. If you are branching out into a new field and dont yet possess many specialized skills, make sure you include as many transferable skills as possible. How to Get Endorsements One of the best ways to get endorsements on LinkedIn is to endorse others, particularly those that have had seen you use y our skills. LinkedIn members receive an email notification when endorsements are added to their profile, and this helps you get noticed. You also can send a simple private message, such as John,You might have noticed that I recently added endorsements to your profile. I am building up that component of my profile and would love to have any endorsements which you might feel comfortable adding given our past working relationship.Specifically, I am seeking endorsement for the following skills. Since I want to be a help to you, as well, please let me know if there is/are skill(s) that you would like more endorsements for.Thank youMary Expand How to Turn Off Endorsements You cant stop someone from endorsing you, but you can opt out of having your endorsements public. If you dont think that endorsements add value, you can hide them from your profile. Heres how Click on ProfileClick on Edit ProfileScroll down to Skills ExpertiseClick on the pencil iconClick on Display your endorsements and selectYes, show my endorsements, orNo, dont show my endorsements How to Turn Off Endorsement Notifications If you dont want your email cluttered with notifications about the endorsements youre getting, you can turn them off. Heres how Click on Settings(under your name on the top right side of the page)Click on Email PreferencesClick on Set the frequency of emails(under Emails)Scroll down to EndorsementsSelect No Email(you can also opt for a Daily Digest, which is a once a day email message with all the endorsements you have received listed) How to Delete and Add Skills It is ideal for you to go through your Skills Endorsements list on a regular basis. Scroll down the section on your profile and click the pencil icon on the right-hand side. Set top skills. LinkedIn allows you to select three skills as your top skills. To make a skill a top skill, click on the pin icon on the left of the skill. It will go from white to blue and move to the top your skills list. This lets people know that you want to be known for these skills above all others. Remove skills. As you scroll through your list of skills, you may notice some that you do not want on your profile. Simply click the trash can icon on the right to remove them. Reorder skills. If you want to reorder your skills, you can select the four lines icon on the right, click and drag to the spot you want it to stay. Add a skill. To add a skill, close out of the edit skills box and select the Add a New Skill on right of the Skills Endorsements section. LinkedIn will suggest some skills (based on your experience), or you may schriftart in skills that you want listed. Remember that LinkedIn allows for you to list up to 50 skills.