LinkedIn: Are Endorsements Worth It?
As layoffs began across the IT industry, a few people within the managed services industry have asked me to “endorse” them on LinkedIn, the career-oriented social network.
In theory, the more endorsements you have the more likely you’ll impress potential employers who view your LinkedIn profile. But I’m not so sure that’s the case. As a general rule I don’t endorse anyone on LinkedIn anymore. (But I still offer personal recommendations, where appropriate.) Here’s why.
Over the years, dozens of really talented people have asked me for a LinkedIn endorsement. At first, I was happy to do so. But over time LinkedIn’s endorsement feature seemed to turn into a “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” strategy.
Plus, I started to receive endorsement requests from people I barely knew. Around July 2008 I made the universal decision not to endorse anyone on LinkedIn anymore. I’m still a big believer in LinkedIn as a networking and career search tool.
But to me, the endorsement feature no longer allows you to stand out from the crowd.
Side note: If you are seeking a new career in the managed services market, we’ve launched a rudimentary job board. You can find information at www.mspmentor.net/careers. Watch for us to pollish the job board in the weeks ahead.
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You’re not going to make many friends with blog entries like this. But you are absolutely right. All those endorsements add up to very little.
Frankie – thanks for reading and thanks for not getting upset if I decline your request for a LinkedIn endorsement 😉
Linkedin was added to the About.com Top 10 Employment site list with 2 other sites but linkedin is still the only social netwoking site on the list. 3 newest job sites on top list are:
http://www.linkedin.com (professional networking)
http://www.indeed.com (aggregated job listings)
http://www.realmatch.com (matches you to the perfect job)
Good luck to all those searching for jobs.
Gloria: Thank you for the thoughtful note to our readers.
During Thanksgiving 2001, I was brainstorming my next career move because my magazine had shut down. So I know what it’s like to be looking for work or mulling a career move during the holidays.
It’s stressful to say the least.
But I’m a firm believer that talented folks will always find new opportunities. Best wishes to all MSPmentor readers as you build your current business or pursue your next career opportunity.
-jp
My thoughts are bit off topic but with everyone creating private profiles on LinkedIn and LinkedIn’s own push to pay-by-the-month services, I’m starting to see less and less value from the site apart from perhaps catching up with people you used to work with.
When it comes to jobs most people refine their CV to some degree depending on the role they are chasing. If a prospective employer matches the CV against your LinkedIn profile it’s a good chance there will be discrepencies – even honest ones because you forgot to keep one of the two up-to-date.
So whether you are endorsed or not – or doing endorsements or not – I’m left wondering if LinkedIn is actually well aligned to finding work…the cynic in my soul thinks it’s perhaps more aligned to LinkedIn’s revenue making plans than us considering career moves!!
Tghu: LinkedIn endorsements are another pet peeve of mine. I don’t offer endorsements anymore because I found that people I barely knew were requesting them. It put me in a difficult position to honor “some” but not “all” endorsement requests, so I stopped offering endorsements entirely in mid-2008.
Joe: it is an interesting trend….I’m experiencing the same thing. I make it a rule to be picky about who I accept in terms of linked in invites anyways, as I’d rather have 200 quality contacts who are real than 5,000 who I don’t even know. I’m not even sure what the benefits are of accepting all invites which some people do…..
In my four years on LinkedIn, I’ve given perhaps 4 recommendations, to people I know, with whom I’ve worked, or have, over a long period of time, communicated in a meaningful fashion (as opposed to a chat room somewhere).
It’s important to use such tools credibly, and giving or accepting endorsements from just anyone just destroys one’s credibility on the service…
If you’re looking for work, get real recommendations from real co-workers and friends…HR people will see through the phony ones…
Jim Van
Logicomm, Inc.
http://www.logicomm-inc.com
Jim: Your advice earns my endorsement (sorry for the lame pun…)
Best
-jp
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