Hey, suppose you needed to reach out to past or current colleagues, and ask them to give you a recommendation.
Maybe it’s a reference for a job.
Maybe it’s a recommendation for your LinkedIn profile.
What would they say about you?
When clients come to me about a career change or job coaching, one of the first things I do is looked at their LinkedIn profile.
Among other things, I go right to the recommendations they have, and see how meaty they are. I mean, I want to know what others are saying about you, too! ; )
More importantly, potential employers, recruiters and network connections will check your profile details out. And what they see – or don’t see – can have a big impact on the introductions they’re willing to make or the time they’re willing to spend with you.
A well flushed out profile, with glowing recommendations and lots of connections, makes a much weightier impression than a bare bones profile that reeks of neglect.
Ultimately, it will influence whether a potential employer or recruiter considers you for an opportunity.
What you can do today
So you want people to say nice things about you. And then you want them to share those nice comments and observations with others. Here’s how you can do that.
1. Inspire others to share their rave reviews about you.
The way you show up in the workplace on a day-to-day basis has more to do with what people will say about you than anything. In my latest column on The Muse learn how you can get great recommendations and references from those you work with.
In the spirit of “begin with the end in mind,” what you do in the workplace today will affect what others say about you tomorrow. Or in a few months. Or even in a few years.
2. Get LinkedIn recommendations
If you aren’t actively requesting recommendations on LinkedIn, you should start. In this post I give you the step by step process for requesting and getting good recommendations on LinkedIn.
By the way, good recommendations include much more than the “Jack is great to work with” pablum that tells me nothing about you.
3. Keep up your LinkedIn “body of work.”
Once you start getting recommendations, don’t neglect the rest of your LinkedIn profile.
It’s not a job search tool. It is a career management tool.
If you think LinkedIn is a tool ONLY for your job search, this post will persuade you otherwise. Also, you’ll find step-by-step actions to take this week on your profile.
So, make a good impression. Ask others to share it. And incorporate both into not only your career management practice, but your online portfolio as well.
If you need help with either, let me know and we’ll figure it out.
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