How Do You Get Recommendations on LinkedIn?
Posted on May, 01, 2013 by Kerry Rego -
Getting recommendations on LinkedIn is a subject that comes up a lot in my individual and corporate training sessions. Here my advice: Take a look at who you are connected to and pick out those you’ve enjoyed working with either as a volunteer or on the job. Then it’s easy write a sincere review of your working relationship (and it really comes through in the writing). Hopefully, that person feels the same about you, and they will return the favor. That’s not the main reason you should be writing recommendations and it feels good to sing someone’s praises without being asked.
Should I ask for recommendations?
You can ask absolutely ask people for recommendations, if you like, but I like this approach better because you are giving to get. It doesn’t pay off 100% of the time but it’s awkward for everyone involved if you ask and they don’t provide.
A woman I know well socially asked me to write one for her and I had to respond that I would be happy to once we’ve worked together on a project. Knowing someone from networking isn’t enough and I won’t put my name on the line if I have no reference to a person’s working style.
I’m on a committee with a man that’s the least dependable person I’ve ever met. He’s bailed on every project he’s been assigned, he whines about everything, interrupts people constantly, and is always “busy” when it comes to pitching in. He has asked me repeatedly for a recommendation and I simply cannot. At some point he’s going to ask me why I haven’t and I’ll have the opportunity to be honest with him. You’d think he’d figure it out after half a dozen requests but he hasn’t.
I believe that giving to others is the best approach because it creates goodwill and better relationships with your network. and If you don’t expect them to give back, it’s a bonus to your reputation (and your mood) when they do.
How to Get Back LinkedIn Invitations
Posted on May, 15, 2012 by Kerry Rego -
Why hasn’t that person accepted your LinkedIn invitation? I’m sure it’s not that they don’t love you or that you aren’t fabulously skilled. It might be that they’ve created themselves multiple accounts (quite common) and don’t check the email that you sent your invite to. They may simply not use LinkedIn. It could be they’ve forgotten their password and haven’t checked it since they turned on their account. You only get 3000 invitations on LinkedIn* so use them wisely!
Here’s how to get back some of the outstanding invitations you’ve sent:
- Navigate to your LinkedIn Inbox
- Click on Sent in the left hand navigation bar
- Select each line that has Accepted after the name and Delete (I deleted over 200)
- You will be left with the invitations that haven’t been accepted
- At the top of the list, you can select All and click on Delete to get back those invites
You can also use this “take back” if you’ve invited someone by mistake or have second thoughts about connecting. I was testing a Connect button during a LinkedIn lesson with a client and accidentally invited someone I totally did not know. I went and took back the invite the next day.
Simply connecting with others on LinkedIn doesn’t make magic happen. This is a digital representation of your physical network. When you need information, services, help, or work, your network is where you go. LinkedIn simply makes it easier to know the skills and abilities of your network. See this blog about why LinkedIn is the place professionals do business or read my LinkedIn blog category to get your fill on the subject.
*I have heard that you can request more from Customer Service, though I don’t know how effective that is but here are two emails I’ve found for this need: customer_service@LinkedIn.com or cs@linkedin.com
Connecting in the Third Dimension
Posted on April, 10, 2012 by Kerry Rego -
I was invited to participate in Maximum Buzz at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary on March 22, 2012. The goal was to have a mini-retreat for online professionals. [See my photoset on Flickr] Their words say it better than I can:
“We’re planning our own version of Web 3.0 – and it’s not [really] about the Internet, it is real people, in real-time. Social media, online networking and Internet marketing is based virtually, but it’s fueled by authentic, engaging conversation. Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary wants to open its doors to bloggers, social media experts and online marketing professionals to network, share ideas and compare notes (and have a little fun). So much of what you do is virtually based, we want you, live and in person to come to Osmosis and unwind.” [See their photoset on Facebook]
We sometimes forget what makes technology work is people. As a culture, we are beginning to look more closely at how we live our lives. I know that technology isn’t the final answer. People are. Don’t forget the enjoyment you derive from being in the same room with other individuals. On that night, we had active conversations about technology, what it means to us personally, and how it’s effecting us.
Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the good conversation, the chair massages, the cedar enzyme foot baths, or maybe it was the fire dancer. I don’t know. What I do know is we can’t exist in a vacuum and when I walked away from that event, I felt more alive than when I walked in.