LinkedIn Recommendation Examples: How to Write and Request Them

LinkedIn recommendations are the social proof that sits on your profile permanently. Unlike endorsements (which are one-click validations), recommendations are written testimonials from people you've actually worked with. A handful of strong recommendations can be the difference between a profile that gets glanced at and one that gets acted on.

Here's how to write recommendations that actually help people, templates you can customize, and a strategy for requesting recommendations that get results.

Why LinkedIn Recommendations Matter

Recommendations serve as public references that anyone can read. They're valuable because:

• They build trust — a recommendation from a real person with a visible profile carries more weight than any claim you write about yourself
• They're permanent — unlike a reference call, recommendations live on your profile for every visitor to see
• They're specific — good recommendations mention projects, results, and working relationships that generic endorsements can't capture
• They influence decisions — recruiters, clients, and partners read recommendations before reaching out

Most professionals have 0-2 recommendations. Having 5+ strong, diverse recommendations puts you in the top tier of LinkedIn profiles and strengthens your overall profile optimization.

How to Write a LinkedIn Recommendation

The best recommendations are specific, concise, and structured. Here's the formula:

The 4-Part Framework

1. Context — How do you know this person? What was your working relationship?
2. Strength — What's the one thing they do better than anyone else?
3. Proof — Give a specific example: a project, a result, a situation where they excelled
4. Endorsement — Who should hire/work with this person? What type of role or project are they ideal for?

Length: 100-200 Words

Long enough to be credible, short enough to be read. Three to four paragraphs of 1-2 sentences each is the sweet spot. Anything longer than 300 words and people start skimming.

The Golden Rule: Be Specific

"Great to work with" is meaningless. "Redesigned our onboarding flow, cutting time-to-value from 14 days to 3" is memorable. Every recommendation should contain at least one specific detail that only someone who actually worked with this person would know.

LinkedIn Recommendation Examples

For a Direct Report

I managed Sarah for two years on our growth marketing team, and she consistently delivered work that exceeded what I thought was possible at her level.

Her standout project was rebuilding our email nurture sequences from scratch. She audited 18 months of data, identified the three biggest drop-off points, and redesigned the flows. The result: a 40% increase in MQL-to-SQL conversion within one quarter.

Sarah combines analytical rigor with creative instinct — a rare combination. Any marketing team would be lucky to have her.

For a Manager

I reported to David for three years at [Company], and he's the best manager I've ever worked for — and I don't say that lightly.

What sets David apart is his ability to shield his team from organizational noise while still keeping us aligned with company priorities. He fought for resources when we needed them, gave honest feedback without being harsh, and always made time for 1:1s even during the busiest quarters.

Under his leadership, our team grew from 4 to 12 people and hit revenue targets every single quarter. I'd work for him again without hesitation.

For a Colleague / Peer

I worked alongside Marcus on the product launch for [Product] and was consistently impressed by his ability to turn ambiguous requirements into clear, executable plans.

When our timeline got cut by six weeks, Marcus restructured the entire project roadmap in two days, negotiated scope trade-offs with stakeholders, and kept the team motivated through long hours. We shipped on time and hit our adoption targets within the first month.

Marcus is the person you want on your team when the stakes are high and the path is unclear.

For a Client or Vendor

We hired [Company/Person] to redesign our website and the experience was outstanding from start to finish.

What impressed me most was the discovery process — they spent two full weeks interviewing our customers and analyzing our analytics before presenting any designs. The result was a site that actually reflected how our users think, not just what looked good in a mockup.

Conversion rate went up 35% within 60 days of launch. I've already recommended them to three other founders in my network.

For a Job Seeker

I co-founded a nonprofit with Priya five years ago and watched her grow from a first-time leader into one of the most capable operators I know.

She built our volunteer program from zero to 200 active members, managed a $150K annual budget, and represented our organization at conferences where she consistently impressed senior stakeholders with her poise and clarity.

Priya is making a career transition into operations management, and whoever hires her is getting someone with the leadership instincts that most people take a decade to develop.

How to Request LinkedIn Recommendations

Asking for recommendations feels awkward, but it doesn't have to be. Here's a strategy that gets results:

Who to Ask

• Recent collaborators — people you've worked with in the last 6-12 months who can speak to your current skills
• Managers and leads — a recommendation from someone who supervised your work carries significant weight
• Clients or customers — especially valuable for freelancers, consultants, and salespeople
• Cross-functional partners — shows you collaborate well beyond your immediate team

When to Ask

The best time to ask is right after a successful project, a positive review, or when a working relationship is ending on good terms. Don't wait six months — the details fade.

How to Ask (Templates)

Direct message approach:

Hey [Name], I really enjoyed working together on [project/initiative]. Would you be open to writing a short LinkedIn recommendation about our experience? I'm specifically hoping you could mention [the result we achieved together / a specific skill]. Happy to write one for you too.

After a project wraps:

[Name], now that [project] has wrapped up, I wanted to say thanks for a great collaboration. If you have a few minutes, I'd really appreciate a LinkedIn recommendation — even just a couple of sentences about [specific aspect of the work]. I'll gladly return the favor.

Make It Easy for Them

• Suggest what to focus on — don't make them guess what to write about
• Mention a specific project — it jogs their memory and gives them a starting point
• Offer to reciprocate — writing one for them makes the exchange feel balanced
• Keep expectations reasonable — "a couple of sentences" is less intimidating than "a recommendation"

Recommendations vs. Endorsements

| Feature | Recommendations | Endorsements | |---|---|---| | Format | Written testimonial (100-200 words) | One-click skill validation | | Effort | High (requires writing) | Low (single click) | | Specificity | Very specific (projects, results) | Generic (skill name only) | | Impact | High — builds deep trust | Moderate — signals skill relevance | | Best for | Proving capabilities to recruiters/clients | Boosting search visibility for skills |

Both matter. Endorsements help with search ranking (profiles with endorsed skills get more views), while recommendations build the trust that converts profile visits into action.

Key Takeaways

• Aim for 5+ diverse recommendations from managers, peers, clients, and direct reports
• Use the 4-part framework: Context, Strength, Proof, Endorsement
• Keep recommendations between 100-200 words — specific and scannable
• Ask for recommendations right after successful projects when details are fresh
• Make it easy by suggesting what to focus on and offering to reciprocate
• Give recommendations generously — it's one of the highest-ROI networking activities on LinkedIn