Everyone knows you should get recommendations on LinkedIn, but few are aware of the most persuasive ways to use them to get your dream job. After all, that’s what it really comes down to… getting a job that excites you, with a company that you feel proud to be a part of. RELATED: 3 Ways To Ask For LinkedIn Recommendations And if you look at LinkedIn recommendations from a slightly different perspective, you’ll see that they might just help you out even more than you thought possible… when used correctly. So, just for a second…
Let’s Look At Them From The Perspective Of A Marketer
See, what you’re really doing when seeking your dream job is marketing yourself to an employer. They’re in the marketplace looking for the best candidate, and you’re in the marketplace looking for the best position. Now, LinkedIn recommendations are essentially testimonials to your character and ability. And to marketers, testimonials are GOLD... especially focused ones that highlight the areas most important to your prospect (your future employer, in this case). A marketer will tell you that you can make any claim you want, but it’s not believable or effective unless you have solid proof. And testimonials are the proof you need. They’re a testament from a credible source saying that you’re able to do what you claim you can.3 Types Of Testimonials You Need
Here are the three kinds of testimonials you need: 1. Expert testimonial - This can be from a mentor, boss, or teacher. Try to get one from a leader in your field if possible, since they’ll be easily recognizable as an authority to your future employer. 2. Character testimonial - Friends, peers, and co-workers are great character testimonials. They can testify to your positive qualities and provide a more personal perspective. 3. Mentee testimonial - If you’ve helped someone along their way and they’ll testify to the impact you’ve had on their life, that can be really powerful. Serving others shows strong leadership qualities, which is highly desirable to your dream employer.So, How Do You Get Great Recommendations?
There are two solid ways to get quality testimonials. The first works like karma: give recommendations to others - especially to people you would like one back from - and they’ll likely return the favor. You can also reach out to anyone in your network with a personal message saying something along the lines of:“Hey [x], hope you’re doing well. I’m looking to start my career in [y], and would really appreciate it if you would write a brief LinkedIn recommendation for me. I want to show my future employer that I’m [quality #1], [quality #2], and [quality #3], and I believe you’re the best person to testify to that. By the way, if you’d like a recommendation touching on anything in particular, I’d be happy to write one for you as well.”
