Many of us have enjoyed working with fantastic colleagues, bosses, and employees we’d love to recommend on LinkedIn (or anywhere, really).
But sitting down to write that recommendation isn’t always easy. How do you make your contact stand out while keeping it genuine? Should you list every amazing skill they have, or keep it short and sweet?
We’ve broken down the task of writing a LinkedIn recommendation into a simple eight-step process you can complete in about five minutes (if you use the right tool—more on that later). So the next time you’re asked to recommend someone, follow our tips for crafting a message that boosts your colleague’s career—and earns you some good karma in return.
And as a bonus, we’ve included some great LinkedIn recommendation examples!đŸŒŸ
How to Write Powerful LinkedIn Recommendations (+Examples)
- What Is a LinkedIn Recommendation?
- How to Write an Effective LinkedIn Recommendation
- 1. Find a tool that can help you write and manage your LinkedIn recommendations
- 2. Kick things off on a positive note with a striking opening line
- 3. Next, state your working relationship with the person you’re recommending
- 4. Briefly describe how the person has handled their role and responsibilities
- 5. Highlight those impressive skills that you’ve seen firsthand
- 6. Mention a key achievement that had a significant impact on your business
- 7. Add a personal touch
- 8. Wrap it up with a solid endorsement
- LinkedIn Recommendation Examples
- Tips for Requesting a LinkedIn Recommendation
- Draft Impressive LinkedIn Recommendations Using ClickUp!
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Is a LinkedIn Recommendation?
A LinkedIn recommendation is a way for one professional to vouch for another by highlighting their skills, work ethic, or experience working together.
It’s a straightforward but powerful way for colleagues, clients, or managers to endorse someone’s abilities while giving their profile that extra edge to catch the eye of potential employers or clients.
These recommendations appear directly on the recipient’s LinkedIn profile and spotlight qualities that might not appear in a rĂ©sumĂ©. Whether they’re about soft skills like teamwork and team communication or specific technical talents, these testimonials help build trust and credibility in a professional network. This is especially useful when people are trying to change their careers or get their professional life back on track.
What are the benefits of LinkedIn recommendations?
Writing a LinkedIn recommendation helps both the person you’re recommending and yourself. How? Let’s find out.
Boosts their credibility—and yours
When you say something like, “Sarah increased our brand recognition by 40% in just six months,” you’re backing up her skills with real numbers, making her more credible to potential employers.
At the same time, giving a thoughtful recommendation boosts your credibility. It shows that you value others’ work and appreciate their strengths. Future clients or employers can see that you’re someone who not only delivers but recognizes the good work in others.
Builds your network and shapes your personal brand
When you give or receive a recommendation, it can strengthen relationships and open new doors. Imagine you wrote a recommendation for a former teammate. A few months later, they introduced you to a VP at a big tech company—an opportunity you weren’t expecting.
Recommendations also play a key role in building your personal brand. When you recommend someone like Mr. A, his connections will likely notice your profile, which increases your visibility.
Validates their skills and your expertise
LinkedIn recommendations do more than just give a thumbs-up; they provide real examples of someone’s skills in action.
For instance, imagine a colleague wrote:
Amy’s data analysis skills are exceptional. She used market segmentation to identify a new target demographic, resulting in a 25% increase in conversions.
This gives concrete proof of Amy’s expertise and the value she brings.
Moreover, your testimonial reflects on you as well. By recognizing someone’s contributions, you show you know what quality work looks like. This not only validates their abilities but also positions you as an expert in your field.
Makes you more visible and provides them an advantage during their job search
Profiles with recommendations usually rank higher in search results. That means they pop up more often when recruiters look for a specific role.
Plus, when you provide a recommendation as a well-known industry leader praising the recipient’s skills, it gives them an edge over other candidates.
Summarize this article for me pleaseHow to Write an Effective LinkedIn Recommendation
As simple as it sounds, LinkedIn recommendations can be a little tricky to draft. What qualities do you talk about? Do you mention your credentials to sound credible? How long does it have to be?
Here’s a step-by-step guide to put all your questions to rest.
1. Find a tool that can help you write and manage your LinkedIn recommendations
If you want to write high-quality, personalized recommendations without a glitch, having the right software makes all the difference. So, find a tool that helps you do this.
You want something that’s easy to use, has templates or AI to help with writing, lets you keep everything organized, and works well with platforms like LinkedIn.
Our choice? ClickUp.
This all-in-one project management platform has everything you need to simplify the process of writing and managing recommendations—on LinkedIn and elsewhere.
Features like ClickUp Docs provide a clean, distraction-free space to draft, edit, and format your recommendations with ease.
However, what truly sets ClickUp apart is its AI assistant, ClickUp Brain. Here’s how it can make your recommendations stand out from the rest:
- Generates ideas and suggests key points to include based on the person’s role and industry
- Improves language by recommending words and phrases to make your recommendation more impactful
- Helps you analyze the context you provide and personalize it by highlighting specific skills and achievements
- Adjusts and fine-tunes the tone, making sure it feels professional yet personal
- Organizes the structure of your recommendation for maximum impact, making sure you cover all the essentials
- Easily handles writing multiple recommendations, keeping them personalized while maintaining consistent quality
2. Kick things off on a positive note with a striking opening line
Once you’ve picked the right tool, it’s time to get writing. And the best way to start is with a line that grabs attention and makes people want to keep reading. After all, you want hiring managers to actually read it, right?
A strong opening line:
- Grabs attention and makes your recommendation stand out
- Sets a positive, professional tone for everything that follows
- Sparks curiosity, making the reader eager to know more about the person
- Gives some context, quickly establishing your relationship with them
However, you don’t want to overdo it. Your opening should be impactful but still feel genuine and professional. Avoid going too far with exaggeration or casual language that might make it feel less credible.
đŸ“ŒExample:
“In my 15 years managing tech teams, I’ve rarely met a problem-solver as innovative and determined as Sarah.“
This one shows the recommender’s experience and authority right away while highlighting Sarah’s standout skills.
Or you can go for something more direct and clear, like:
“If you’re looking for a marketing strategist who turns data into actionable insights, John is your guy.“
If you need a headstart, you can always ask ClickUp Brain to suggest a list of powerful opening sentences and continue with the most suitable one.
3. Next, state your working relationship with the person you’re recommending
“How do you know this person, and why are you, of all people, recommending them?“
This is what the reader will wonder next.
When you describe how you know the person, you’re not just showing that you’re credible—you’re also giving the reader a better idea of the angle you’re coming from. It adds weight to your recommendation and makes it more genuine.
You could say something like:
“I had the pleasure of working with Emma for three years when she was the lead UX designer on my team at TechInnovate Inc.“
It quickly sums up how long you worked together and her role, giving the reader a clear picture of your professional relationship.
Or:
“As John’s direct supervisor at Global Marketing Solutions from 2020 to 2023, I watched him grow from a junior copywriter to a team lead managing our most high-profile accounts.“
This not only explains your connection but also highlights John’s growth, adding more depth to your recommendation and helping you segue into the next section smoothly.
4. Briefly describe how the person has handled their role and responsibilities
In this section, you tell the reader exactly what the person did and how well they did it. Highlight crucial points like:
- The main responsibilities they took on
- Any additional roles they contributed to or “hats” they wore
- An assessment of their overall performance
If you use a tool like ClickUp to handle your company’s project management processes, this step gets much easier and more accurate. Instead of digging through records yourself, let ClickUp Brain pull together all the key info—like the projects they’ve worked on, task completion rates, communication skills, and even the quality of their work.
This is especially useful in remote or flexible work environments, where manually tracking everything can be tricky. ClickUp Brain helps by pulling together all that data, giving you a clear view of how the person performed.
Here’s a solid example to check out:
“As our Senior Project Manager, Sarah successfully managed several high-pressure client projects, always delivering ahead of schedule and under budget. She maintained a 98% on-time task completion rate while leading teams of up to 15 people and improving the company’s project management process.“
5. Highlight those impressive skills that you’ve seen firsthand
Sure, the person you’re recommending is smart and talented — but what really makes them exceptional?
Rather than stating the obvious, zero in on 1-2 key skills that truly set them apart. Think about what they do better than anyone else, and center your recommendation around that.
For example, if your former executive assistant is applying for a management role, you could emphasize their experience leading volunteers, which is more relevant than just talking about their organizational skills.
Before writing, it’s also a good idea to check in with your colleagues and see if they want you to discuss specific roles. That way, the recommendation not only reflects their actual work but also aligns with their career goals, making it more impactful and memorable.
6. Mention a key achievement that had a significant impact on your business
Now, it’s time to reveal the showstopper: the one achievement or contribution with the maximum impact.
It could be anything from leading a successful project to improving processes or driving results that mattered. Focusing on a standout accomplishment makes your recommendation stronger.
For instance:
“During our product launch, Emily led the marketing team and created a campaign that boosted our sales by 30% in just two months. Her strategic planning and attention to detail were game-changers for the launch.“
Once again, finding such information is effortless with ClickUp Brain. Simply ask it to analyze and highlight the employee’s best work, and you’ll have it within seconds.
7. Add a personal touch
The next step is all about adding a personal touch to your recommendation.
This is your chance to share what it’s like to work with the person and give some insight into their personality. Just remember to keep your audience in mind—what might be funny among friends could raise eyebrows with future employers!
A personal note can help hiring teams see that this person is not only capable but also a joy to work with.
For example, you could say:
“Working with Mark was always a pleasure; he could easily build rapport with the team and keep them motivated, even during tight deadlines.“
This gives a glimpse into his character while highlighting the value he brings to the workplace.
8. Wrap it up with a solid endorsement
Finally, end your recommendation with a short and direct closing line that shows your strong endorsement of the person. There’s not much to do here; just a simple statement that leaves a lasting, positive impression.
Something like this:
“I’m happy to recommend John for any role he wants—he will undoubtedly be a great addition to any team!“
With these steps and ClickUp as your brainstorming and writing partner, you can give every LinkedIn recommendation a distinct, professional (yet personal) touch!
Summarize this article for me pleaseLinkedIn Recommendation Examples
Even though we just went into great detail regarding how to write one, here are some of the best LinkedIn recommendation examples to take inspiration from:
1. For a colleague
Emily has an amazing talent for turning complicated data into practical insights. We’ve been working together as Marketing Analysts at TechGrow for the past three years, tackling some big projects.
Emily always goes the extra mile, not just crunching the numbers but turning them into strategies that deliver results. What truly sets her apart is her incredible ability to spot trends that others might overlook. For example, her analysis led to a product change that boosted our Q4 revenue by 30%!
Emily’s humor and kindness make her a pleasure to work with—she’s the one who keeps our team connected, especially when things get hectic. Any company would be lucky to have her, and I fully recommend her for any data-driven marketing role.
2. For your senior
Working with John has been a fantastic learning experience in strategic thinking. As the VP of Operations at InnoTech, he’s led our department through a major digital transformation.
What sets John apart is how he empowers his team; he balances long-term goals with everyday tasks while always being there for support. His introduction of agile methods boosted our productivity by 40% and improved team morale.
Plus, he’s incredibly approachable. Despite his senior role, he’s been a career mentor to many of us. I’ve grown more under his guidance than anywhere else, and any company would be extremely lucky to have him as a leader.
3. For a manager
Sarah’s management style is truly inspiring. As a Project Manager at BuildRight Solutions, she’s navigated our toughest projects over the past 18 months with ease. Sarah balances multiple tasks, client demands, and team dynamics flawlessly.
She always brings out the best in everyone—knowing how to match tasks to each person’s strengths, leading to a 25% boost in on-time project completions. We even earned a city-wide contract when she led the downtown revitalization project while staying within budget and ahead of schedule. Plus, her excellent communication skills and open-door policy make her a manager people genuinely love to work with.
I highly recommend her for any managerial role.
4. For an HR professional
Alex is the HR professional you didn’t know you needed until you worked with him. In just a year at GlobalTech, he transformed our HR department into a key player in our growth. As HR Manager, he revamped our hiring process, rolled out a wellness program, and led diversity and inclusion efforts.
What sets Alex apart is his mix of empathy and data-driven decisions. His new onboarding process cut turnover by 40%! Plus, he makes every employee feel heard and valued, handling sensitive issues with care. If you want an extremely helpful HR leader who fosters a great culture and drives results, Alex is your guy!
5. For your boss
Lisa is the kind of leader who makes you excited to come to work every day. As CEO of TechSpark, she’s guided us through rapid growth and changes in the industry over the past four years. Lisa isn’t just a visionary; she’s also hands-on and knows how to get things done. Her ability to balance innovation with practicality stands out.
I was managing up for her when we launched our flagship AI product, and under her leadership, our revenue doubled overnight. Plus, she fosters a positive company culture where everyone feels valued. I wholeheartedly recommend Lisa for any executive leadership role!
6. For a student
Jake’s thirst for knowledge and his practical approach set him apart. As his mentor during his summer internship at DataDrive, I saw him tackle complex data analysis projects like a pro, even though he’s just a junior in college.
He quickly became a key member of our team, contributing innovative ideas that boosted our data processing efficiency by 15%. His ability to connect theory with real-world application is impressive. Jake’s final project—a predictive model for customer churn—is now being used across the company. Plus, his enthusiasm and teamwork make him a great guy to work with.
He’s perfect for any entry-level data analyst role!
7. For a client
Working with Mark and his team at GreenGrow has been a highlight of my consulting career. Over the past year, I’ve helped them optimize their supply chain, and Mark has been an amazing client—super clear about his goals and open to new ideas. Thanks to his leadership, we cut waste by 30% and boosted efficiency by 25%.
I admire Mark’s forward-thinking mindset; he’s always looking for ways to innovate. If you’re thinking of partnering with GreenGrow, you’ll have a great collaborator in Mark. I highly recommend him!
8. For a freelancer
Rob is the freelance developer you need on your team. For the past six months, he’s made a huge impact at our startup, SnapSell, with his impressive coding skills. His ability to turn complex concepts into functional features has been a game-changer for us. The web app he developed for our product launch streamlined user experience and contributed to a 40% increase in sign-ups.
Rob is proactive in developer communities, always keeping himself updated and rich with ideas. Plus, he’s reliable and meets deadlines without breaking a sweat. I can’t recommend him enough—he’s a fantastic tech partner!
Summarize this article for me pleaseTips for Requesting a LinkedIn Recommendation
People don’t generally hand out recommendations on their own, which means if you need one, you’ll have to request it. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you do so:
- Choose the right people, the ones who know your work well and can talk about your skills and achievements
- When you reach out, mention any shared experiences or projects to make your request feel special
- Be clear about your goals, whether you’re job hunting, switching careers, going for professional development, or just updating your profile
- Remind them of specific projects or accomplishments you’d like them to highlight
- If it fits, offer to write a recommendation for them too
- Give them a quick summary of your role and key achievements to get them started
- Ask for recommendations right after you wrap up a successful project when your work is fresh in their mind
Summarize this article for me pleaseDraft Impressive LinkedIn Recommendations Using ClickUp!
Writing LinkedIn recommendations may feel time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be.
These recommendations can help your colleagues shine and grab the attention of potential employers. With ClickUp, you can turn the whole process into a 5-minute task!
Use ClickUp Docs to jot down your thoughts, take advantage of the task management features to keep everything organized, and let ClickUp Brain help you pull together any details about your colleague’s achievements. It’s all about making things easier for you while supporting your teammates.
Sign up to ClickUp today and effortlessly write LinkedIn recommendations that are hard to ignore!
Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.
