Once you’ve navigated creating your LinkedIn profile, it’s easy to let it sit to collect dust. It can be tempting to create your profile and let it idle at perfection, but you’d be missing out on a few great features that this professional networking site has to offer. We’ve already investigated the basics of LinkedIn recommendations, learning how helpful they can be to building your profile. Next, let’s dive even further to explore LinkedIn endorsements and how they can make your LinkedIn profile the best it can be.
What is an Endorsement?
A LinkedIn endorsement is a confirmation, made by another user, of one of your skills. You must first add skills and expertise to your LinkedIn profile in order for others to endorse you for those skills. As a LinkedIn user yourself, you’ll periodically be prompted to endorse others’ skills. It’s important to validate the skills of those that you’ve worked with, as that may encourage them to take a look at your skills to endorse, too.
What Endorsements Can Do For You
LinkedIn endorsements aren’t just for show – they give you the opportunity to build credibility. Anyone can say that they’ve got strong skills in public speaking and marketing strategy, but that means little if they’re the only one who thinks they’re good at it. LinkedIn endorsements prove that you’re capable of what you claim to be capable of and support that you’re trustworthy since others are backing up your claims. LinkedIn has also added a feature in which users can search for a skill or expertise. When you search for a skill, you’ll be brought to a “Skill Details” page that explains the industry the skill is typically used in, if you currently have that skill, and suggested skills that are associated with the skill you searched. This “Skill Details” page also offers a list of professionals who have that skill. These top ranked professionals are ranked on this page based on the number of times they’ve been endorsed for that skill as well as other factors. This privilege is an ultimate goal for users as it proves you’re a top ranked professional in that area of expertise. As you build new skills and expertise, it’s important that others validate your growth within your industry and your personal brand. LinkedIn endorsements as well as LinkedIn recommendations are a great way to do this, and are a good opportunity to show that you’re serious about professional networking by having an understanding of how to build a competitive profile.
