As a healthcare professional and potential job seeker, recommendations can go a long way to support your aims. Recommendations go beyond traditional references. They validate your skill sets and professional attributes. Beyond traditional written letters of reference, consider the benefits of using the Recommendations feature in LinkedIn®, which directly supports the content and context of your professional profile.
Recommendations are not naturally good or pure. Realize that drawbacks exist and should be further explored. Here are 5 key facts to consider about LinkedIn recommendations:
1. Recruiters do NOT evaluate on recommendations alone:
There’s a job search myth floating around that recruiters can somehow use the number of recommendations a job seeker has as a search parameter in LinkedIn and quickly “rule out” those with too few or no recommendations. This is patently untrue. LinkedIn does not have such a feature nor would recruiters want it as they have been quick to verify with me this past week.
2. Gratuitous recommendations should be avoided:
Recruiters are wary of profiles that contain recommendations when the candidate has provided them in return for those same individuals. This is called “trading”. It’s a bit like “paying” for recommendations, or “scratching each others’ backs” and are motivated more out of simply getting recommendations than obtaining a true endorsement. Not to say there aren’t genuine cases of mutual appreciation – I’ve been in this position myself – but it should be the exception versus the norm. In some cases, you and another have worked together closely for a reasonable period of time. If you are both able to convey the other person’s professional strengths through long-term observation and partnership, such qualities will shine through.
3. Not all recommendations are created equal:
WHO recommends you makes a BIG difference. It shouldn’t be “just anyone”, for starters. Just because a person “knows” you, doesn’t mean they can truly provide an honest assessment of your accomplishments on the job or testify that you possess the most important attributes associated with your role and in concrete ways. Recommendations should directly support your career objectives to emphasize not only the scope of your abilities but also the professional impact you’ve demonstrated along the way.
4. Recommendations require substance not fluff:
Just as your resume needs to contain clear, concise, evidence-based information, so do your recommendations. WHAT is said about you is paramount; the information must be deemed worthy of consideration. This goes back to WHO recommends you. Someone has to have known you for some time, or seen your talents in action and can testify to the impact you’ve had or the outcomes you’ve achieved. Fluffy or gratuitous recommendations, or ones procured in an underhanded or unethical manner, will show themselves for what they are.
5. It is possible to have too many recommendations?:
This is a tough one. Most people assume having none is worse than having too many. For job seekers, 2-3 well-written, thoughtful, and evidence-based commendations from colleagues, clients, and supervisors will go a long way. For private duty, float pool or traveling nurses, such recommendations serve as referrals.
Above all, customize your requests:
Recommendations should be treated with the utmost respect. They should enhance your image as a nursing professional. Tip: don’t use the default message when requesting recommendations in LinkedIn. Customize your request by providing clear examples of the professional objectives you’d like them to support. It does not mean that you should dictate content, word-for-word, but do indicate that there are specific aspects of your work history which you would appreciate their concrete and tacit support.
Overall, think about why you want recommendations, the purpose they will serve, how they will be perceived, how genuine and concrete they are, how they directly support your aims, and the caliber of the person writing them. Recommendations should be well-written and as typo-free as possible, otherwise credibility is diminished.
How do you gather recommendations for yourself? What are the merits or drawbacks of your current method? Share your comments below with other PutMeBackTogether.com members
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