Today I learned that I have to vent about LinkedIn.
In the fall of 2012, LinkedIn introduced endorsements. If you are not familiar, this allows your first degree connections to endorse you for a particular skill. For example, someone might endorse me for blogging or social media.
While endorsements are (thankfully) only allowed by a first degree connection, I still find people endorsing me who have never really experienced my skills. The reason for this is because LinkedIn makes it too easy to endorse someone. LinkedIn prompts you to endorse your connections, Not only does it prompt you, it specifically asks, “Does Sarah know about blogging?” and with a click of a button, the endorsement for blogging comes into existence.
Luckily, everything I am being endorsed for are skills that I actually do have and are represented in my profile, but it drives me crazy that people endorsement without speaking to me or working alongside me. This Huffington Post article “Why Getting LinkedIn Endorsements Doesn’t Mean You’re Special” explains the endorsements are not genuine, nor credible.
In talking with a friend in recruitment, as well as reading this article from Forbes, it seems that most recruiters understand that endorsements should be taken with a grain of salt; that’s comforting. To me, and I’m no recruiter, LinkedIn recommendations are more credible than endorsements. They come straight from a co-worker and the relationship (connection) is obvious.
If you are reading this, and have endorsed me, please know that I really do appreciate your kindness. Whether you love them or hate them, endorsements are here to stay.
Do you like endorsements on LinkedIn?
She Writes, Sometimes 