Wednesday, April 4, 2012

5 Reasons I am Giving You a LinkedIn Recommendation



LinkedIn Recommendations are great to have, and most of us using LinkedIn prefer to have as many of them as possible, especially if they are really good recommendations.

Therefore, I try to be generous when giving LinkedIn Recommendations.  I know that they make people feel good, and sometimes they can really help someone.

I take my LinkedIn Recommendations seriously, and I only make those recommendations on LinkedIn for other people if I feel they deserve it.

Sometimes, people will ask me for recommendations on LinkedIn, and I try accommodate them as much as I can, but sometimes, I just cannot do it with a clear conscience.

5 Reasons I am Giving You a LinkedIn Recommendation

Here are the most common reasons I gave recommendations.

Reason #1: You did great work for me or someone I know.

This is pretty self explanatory.

If I feel like your work would be nearly impossible to expect anyone else to duplicate--in a good way, then I am probably EXCITED to give you a LinkedIn Recommendation.  You probably could also ask me to write a letter of reference for you, too.

Reason #2: You're a really good speaker or teacher.

I lump together these two: speaking and teaching, because they often go together.  Sometimes, you were more entertaining than you were teaching, but most of the time really good speakers help me learn things really well.

Honestly, I probably place TOO much of an emphasis on this, but I believe the communication is SO incredibly important.

There are plenty of pretty good speakers and plenty more mediocre ones.

How do YOU feel when you've just finished watching a really good speaker?  Do you get that feeling often?

I sure don't!

That's why I will give you a recommendation on LinkedIn, even if I do not know you very well, if you are a good speaker.  You did a GREAT job at something many people do not, and other people should know about you.

Reason #3: You often make it your mission to help people.

Maybe I never have seen you work for me, but some people just try to make other people's lives easier.  They will help them when they are down-and-out.  If someone is struggling--even just momentarily--they will help if they have the ability and resources.

If you are one of these people, I have probably given you a recommendation if you are connected to me on LinkedIn.

Reason #4: You have an incredibly good personality or character.

Because I have a personal mission, I am biased.

One of my personal missions is to prove to the world (and myself) that nice people really can--not just survive--but thrive.

If you have not "made it," and I think that you might get some luck thrown your way if more people know how nice or kind you are, I will probably write you a LinkedIn Recommendation.

By the way, just because you are not mean does not guarantee that you are uncommonly nice.  We expect you NOT to be a jerk, but do you radiate kindness (most of the time--we all have our moments :).

Reason #5:  You try amazingly hard.  Your effort is amazing!

Maybe you have not had your breakthrough, yet.  Perhaps, you might not ever get there.

However, there is always a place for someone who is always trying and always trying hard.

We are not all blessed with the same talents, much less the same amount of those talents.  We cannot control that.  We're born with certain DNA.

We CAN control how hard we work and try.  It's tough not to root for someone who tries really hard.

I can almost always find a place for you someone if you try really hard.  When I run across you, hopefully, I remember to give you a LinkedIn Recommendation.  You need it, but more importantly, you deserve it.

Summary:  Were you extraordinary (to me) in some way, or are you the type of person that does MORE than you have to do on a regular basis without needing to be praised EVERY TIME you do it?  If so, then I am probably recommending you on LinkedIn and in life.

It is NOT enough for me to give you a Recommendation if...

  • You just met me online.  If I exchanged one or two LinkedIn messages or emails with you, I probably do not know enough about you to recommend you.  Maybe one day I will, but not today.
  • You simply attended one of my talks.  There are people are get offended, because I do not recognize them.  "I saw you at your talk," they might say, but they never introduced themselves nor asked any questions during my talk.  I can't recommend you, yet.
  • You were my coworker.  We all have had many coworkers.  There were some we liked more than others, and there were some that would excite us to be coworkers somewhere else.  If you worked with me but never did anything spectacular around me, I probably have nothing about your work to recommend on LinkedIn.  Maybe we'll find something else.
There are some people who request LinkedIn Recommendations, but I just cannot give them to you--right now.  If I know that you're looking for a recommendation, I will try to find reasons to give you one.  If I cannot give you one today, I will try to find or create an opportunity for you to show me enough reason to write up that LinkedIn Recommendation for you.

Would you like a LinkedIn Recommendation from me?  If you don't know me, introduce yourself and get to know me.  I look forward to finding reasons to brag about how great other people are.

Just make it easy enough for me to see your greatness.  Make your actions scream to me that YOU deserve my LinkedIn Recommendation.

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