Stefanie Hahn
By Stefanie Hahn
I loved the idea of endorsements on LinkedIn. A fast, easy way to show someone what you are truly great at in your career. When I dove more into endorsements, seeing how LinkedIn displays and asks your first level connections to endorse your skills and expertise, I was a bit disappointed in the not-so-random nature of which skills appear for others to endorse.
How do you feel about LinkedIn endorsements?
Stefanie Hahn is the education director for Coldwell Banker Hearthside, REALTORS® in Collegeville, Pa. Visit her Web site: www.StefanieHahn.com or connect with her on Twitter @sahahn.
Comments 8
Nice job as always Stefanie. I think these are rather bogus “testimonials.” There’s not much value in one of my connections who I am already “friends” with clicking on a menu of “skills.” It’s more like an “atta boy.”
If down the road LinkedIn is planning to show that people have a certain number of “endorsements” I would probably second guess them and wonder how many of them came from true clients versus peers.
I think they are good, however I don’t like the way that Linkdin just throws them at people to click on, at first it looked like you have to click on it to move forward. All of my “skills” were wrong as well, but people still recommended me…. Now I have them corrected but wish they were something someone had to try a little harder to recommend.
I haven’t seen results from LinkedIn to justify the hoopla. I get more results and contacts through my facebook page for real estate.
I agree with both of you. It was misleading placement. It did make users more aware of what they had listed as their skills, but that’s about it. Actual recommendations are much better.
I like the old school ‘recommendation’. Writing one of those is like sending a digital surprise to one of your connections. They feel better and they mean more. Very informative video!
@Sean – thanks for commenting! I really consider a LinkedIn connection before accepting, so I think that many of my connections could record a valid endorsement for me, but you’re right, the value just isn’t there right now.
@Gene – a lot of people are complaining about how LinkedIn is throwing your skills out there, I’ve heard that quite a bit. If you don’t load your own skills, your connections can type in a skill for you – LinkedIn will then ask you if you want that displayed, but that may be why your skills were “wrong” at first. Thanks so much for commenting.
@Jim – that’s great! I think LinkedIn is making this move to try to grab some of your Facebook time 🙂 They know you are not on LinkedIn and interacting with your network there and endorsements is an attempt to pull your attention in their direction a bit. Thanks for commenting.
@Kimi – thanks for commenting! Yes, definitely “in your face” placement, but I’m not sure how else they could have accomplished getting users to endorse you otherwise. I agree 1000% with you that recommendations are still WAY better.
@Rob – thank you for commenting and for your kind words. I totally agree, a written recommendation means so much more and definitely trumps the endorsements here.
I thik it is a great way to connect and show support.the more connections…the more chance for business connections…you can still write out one if you prefer..
Hi Theresa – thank you for commenting. You are betting on the numbers and I have definitely said “real estate is a numbers game” more than once in my career. Very true too – you can still write a full recommendation.