Getting Recommendations on LinkedIn

A recommendation on a professional profile is a short testimonial from someone who has worked with you. It sits on your public page, where a recruiter or collaborator can read it in thirty seconds and form an impression that no self-description can match. For students with a short work history, a few good recommendations from lecturers, supervisors or project teammates can carry real weight. The trick is asking the right people at the right time, and making it easy for them to say something specific. This guide shows how.

Features differ by platform and change over time, so check the current options. This guide describes principles and avoids naming specific features beyond the general idea.

Recommendations versus endorsements

• Endorsements are one-click confirmations that you have a skill. They are quick and easy, and carry little weight because anyone can click.
• Recommendations are written statements, usually a few sentences or a paragraph, from a named person who describes how they know you and what you did. They are more credible and more persuasive.

Both can help, but recommendations tell a story that endorsements cannot. Ask for skill endorsements only from people who have seen the skill in action.

Why they matter

• They provide third-party evidence of your reliability, skills and character.
• They answer questions a resume cannot, such as how you work with others.
• They add specifics about projects and results.
• They signal that people are willing to vouch for you.
• They make your profile stand out among many similar ones.

They do not replace formal references, which employers may request separately, but they support them. Our resumes and interviews section covers choosing references.

Who to ask

Choose people who know your work well and can be specific.

• Supervisors from internships, part-time jobs and volunteering.
• Lecturers and research supervisors who have seen your work, particularly in projects, labs or dissertations.
• Project team leaders and teammates who can describe your contribution.
• Society or club leaders you worked with.
• Clients from freelance or tutoring work.
• Mentors who know your growth.

Avoid asking:

• People who barely know you. Vague praise does little.
• Friends and family, unless they supervised your work.
• Someone you worked with years ago who may not remember details, unless you refresh their memory.

Think about the story you want your profile to tell. If you are targeting data roles, a recommendation from a research supervisor about your analysis is more helpful than a general one from a casual contact.

When to ask

• Soon after a project ends, while details are fresh.
• At the end of an internship or job, before you leave.
• After a good result or positive feedback.
• Before you graduate, while lecturers still know you well.
• When you are about to apply for jobs or programs.
• Avoid busy times such as exam periods or deadlines for the person you are asking.

Give people at least two weeks, and avoid last-minute requests.

How to ask

Send a personal message, not the default request, and keep it short and polite.

What to include

1. A friendly greeting and context: remind them how you know each other.
2. The request: ask if they would be willing to write a recommendation.
3. Why them: explain what you value about working with them.
4. How it will be used: say you are building your profile or applying for roles.
5. Offer to help: provide a short summary of your work together and key points they could mention.
6. An easy out: make it okay to say no or to decline if they are busy.
7. Thanks.

A template

Hello Dr. Mensah, I hope you are well. I really enjoyed working with you on the water quality project last term. I am building my professional profile and applying for environmental science internships, and I would be grateful if you would consider writing a short recommendation about my work on the project. If it helps, I can send a brief summary of what I did, including the data analysis and the final presentation. I understand if you are too busy, and I am thankful either way. Best wishes, Priya.

Customize each request. Avoid sending the same message to many people at once.

Help the writer

Most people want to help but struggle to find the right words. Make it easy.

• Send a short summary of the project or role: your tasks, key results and skills used.
• Suggest themes, such as teamwork, problem solving, reliability or leadership, depending on the person's experience with you.
• Include relevant dates and context.
• Mention what you are applying for, so they can emphasize relevant strengths.
• Provide a link to your profile or resume.
• Do not write the recommendation yourself and ask them to sign it. Offering bullet points is fine, but the words should be theirs.
• Respect their time. A short message is enough.

What a good recommendation says

A strong recommendation is specific, honest and balanced.

• It states the relationship: how long they worked with you and in what capacity.
• It gives examples: what you did and what happened as a result.
• It highlights skills and character traits: problem solving, communication, initiative, reliability.
• It compares you with others fairly, if appropriate.
• It ends with a clear endorsement.

An example of structure (not a real quote):

I supervised Priya during a summer research project on local water quality. She took the lead in cleaning and analyzing field data, found an error in an inherited dataset and presented clear results to the team. She is organized, curious and generous with her time. I recommend her without hesitation for roles in environmental research.

If a recommendation seems too generic, you can politely ask the writer whether they would add a specific example, but accept their decision.

After you receive it

• Read it carefully and check facts.
• Thank the writer with a personal message.
• Decide whether to display it. Most platforms let you choose which recommendations appear on your profile.
• Arrange the order so that the most relevant is first.
• Tell them when you get an opportunity that their recommendation helped.
• Keep in touch. Relationships are the point.

Giving recommendations

Recommending others strengthens relationships and gives you practice.

• Write only when you can speak honestly about someone's work.
• Be specific, and focus on strengths you observed.
• Keep it concise.
• Avoid exaggeration or generic praise.
• Respect confidentiality.
• Do not trade recommendations as a transaction. Offer when you genuinely appreciate someone's work.

Handling refusals and silence

• Respect no. Thank the person for considering it.
• Follow up once after a week or two if there is no response, with a gentle reminder.
• Move on if there is still no reply. People are busy.
• Ask others, and keep building relationships.
• Consider whether the person is the right one. If someone is hesitant, a different writer may serve you better.

Privacy and professionalism

• Be mindful of confidentiality in recommendations. Avoid details that reveal sensitive information about employers or clients.
• Use your professional account and email.
• Check visibility settings for recommendations.
• Beware of scams. Fake recruiters sometimes ask for recommendations or personal data.
• Do not pay for recommendations. Fake or purchased endorsements damage credibility.

Alternatives when you have few people to ask

If you are early in your studies:

• Ask a lecturer from a course where you did well and participated.
• Ask a supervisor from a part-time job or volunteer role.
• Ask a teammate from a group project.
• Join a project, society or research team to create opportunities.
• Use other evidence: a portfolio, projects, certificates and published work.

Recommendations come with experience, so keep building.

Common mistakes

• Asking people who do not know your work.
• Using the default message.
• Asking at the last minute.
• Not offering help or context.
• Pressuring someone who is hesitant.
• Collecting too many shallow recommendations.
• Forgetting to say thanks.

A quick checklist

• Have I chosen people who know my work well?
• Have I written a personal request with a summary of my contributions?
• Have I given enough time and made it easy to decline?
• Have I thanked the writer and decided how to display it?
• Do I give recommendations when appropriate?

Final thoughts

A good recommendation turns a claim into evidence. Ask people who have seen your work, ask early and kindly, and help them recall the details. Accept refusals gracefully, say thank you and return the favor when you can. A few specific, honest recommendations can make a young profile much more credible.