By Abby Hobbs, Executive Recruiter at PharmaLogics Recruiting
In today’s digital landscape, building a strong professional brand is essential for standing out in your industry. Whether you’re job hunting or networking, one powerful tool that can elevate your LinkedIn profile is LinkedIn recommendations. These recommendations act as a form of social proof, providing a real-world perspective on your skills, work ethic, and character. While they aren’t required to complete your profile, they offer a significant edge in making a lasting impression on recruiters, hiring managers, and potential collaborators.
What Are LinkedIn Recommendations?
LinkedIn recommendations are personal testimonials written by colleagues, managers, or clients that highlight your professional abilities and the positive impact you’ve made. These testimonials serve as a virtual “word of mouth” or online review, which can have a significant influence on your credibility.
Unlike LinkedIn endorsements, which are typically found in the “Skills” section of your profile and simply affirm specific skills through a quick click, recommendations are written narratives that provide context, examples, and deeper insights into how others perceive your performance, work ethic, and character. This makes recommendations significantly more meaningful when it comes to building credibility and standing out to recruiters.
Why Are LinkedIn Recommendations Important?
LinkedIn recommendations are a powerful tool for building credibility and enhancing your professional reputation. These third-party testimonials provide insight into your skills and work ethic, offering a perspective that goes beyond what’s listed on your resume. A recommendation can highlight specific accomplishments and the positive impact you’ve made, whether it’s a clinical trial manager praised for punctuality or a life sciences professional commended for effective collaboration.
These endorsements not only showcase your professional abilities but also help life science recruiters better understand your personality and strengths. A profile with thoughtful recommendations demonstrates your commitment to professional growth and your ability to build meaningful relationships, setting you apart from others in a competitive job market.
For those seeking new opportunities, a few high-quality recommendations can significantly enhance your profile, showing life science recruiters you’re serious about your career and take the time to build a polished online presence. Ultimately, LinkedIn recommendations offer valuable social proof, helping you stand out to potential employers and collaborators.
How to Gain Recommendations
To request a LinkedIn recommendation, begin by navigating to your profile and scrolling to the very bottom, just before the “Interests” section, where you’ll find the “Recommendations” tab. If there aren’t any recommendations yet, you’ll see a plus sign next to it. Click this to start the process of asking for a recommendation.
After selecting the option to request a recommendation, LinkedIn will prompt you to search for the person you want to ask. It’s important to ensure that you are connected with this individual on the platform. Next, LinkedIn will ask for your relationship to the person, as well as the role you held when you worked together. This context helps the recommender write a more specific and relevant endorsement.
While the process is straightforward, the key to success is personalized outreach. Before requesting the recommendation, it’s beneficial to reach out to the individual directly – whether through a call or message – to explain that you’re building your LinkedIn profile and would appreciate their support. This approach ensures they are expecting the request and can make time for it, increasing the likelihood of receiving a thoughtful and timely recommendation.
It’s also important to send out multiple requests to increase your chances of receiving a few strong recommendations. Ideally, aim for five to six requests to ensure you receive one or two endorsements. Starting with a couple of recommendations is a great foundation, and you can continue to build upon them over time as your career progresses.
To keep your profile current and relevant, make it a habit to request new recommendations periodically, especially after completing a major project, changing roles, or receiving positive feedback. Regular updates help reflect your most recent accomplishments and maintain a fresh, dynamic online presence.
What Do LinkedIn Recommendations Tell Recruiters?
LinkedIn recommendations offer recruiters valuable insight into a candidate’s professionalism, character, and work ethic. When reviewing a profile with recommendations, recruiters often see a polished, serious candidate who takes the time to build a strong personal brand. It signals that the individual is proactive, values feedback, and is willing to invest in their online presence.
While not having recommendations doesn’t necessarily indicate a lack of professionalism, profiles with multiple thoughtful endorsements stand out. They reflect a candidate who is engaged in their career and dedicated to showcasing their skills and accomplishments. Recommendations add a layer of credibility that can help reinforce what’s listed on a resume, allowing recruiters to see not only the technical skills a candidate possesses but also their ability to work well with others and their overall impact in a professional setting.
Moreover, if you give recommendations to others, it shows that you are a team player and are willing to recognize and support the work of your colleagues. This trait is highly valued, especially in collaborative industries like life sciences.
Maximize Your Profile: The Power of LinkedIn Recommendations
Incorporating LinkedIn recommendations into your professional profile is an effective way to boost your credibility and stand out from the competition. By gathering personalized, high-quality recommendations, you can provide potential employers and recruiters with a powerful snapshot of your professional skills and personality. As you continue to build your network and gain experience, make it a priority to leverage this feature to elevate your online presence.
Ready to boost your professional credibility and take your career to the next level? At PharmaLogics Recruiting, we understand the power of a standout LinkedIn profile and are here to help you showcase your expertise to top life sciences companies. We’ll match you with opportunities that not only align with your skills but also offer the work-life balance and benefits you’re looking for. Connect with us today to start your journey toward a fulfilling new role!
About the Author
Abby Hobbs is a dedicated Recruiter with a proven track record of success across biotech, pharma, and medical technology recruiting. With deep experience in full-cycle recruitment, Abby specializes in identifying, engaging, and placing high-impact candidates from early-stage startups to global pharmaceutical leaders. She brings a strategic, detail-oriented approach to each search—prioritizing client needs, candidate experience, and industry alignment. In her off time she enjoys training her best friend Scar who is a 3 year-old German Shepherd.