Playing with Fire: Asking the Wrong People for LinkedIn Recommendations

This morning, I opened my email to find a LinkedIn recommendation request waiting for me. However, nothing sounded familiar about the person who requested it – I didn’t know who they were! I puzzled over his name…wonderful if he was having a momentary lapse in memory as to why he couldn’t remember them. This individual was definitely not in my immediate network. Then I checked his name against my client list. Zipper.

Finally, I clicked through the person’s profile, struggling to remember how I knew them. Only after going to their page did I realize that I had met this person only once before at a conference where we were discussing resumes. The conference setup included a computer workstation, and the fuzzy details in my memory helped me remember that I had encouraged that person to join LinkedIn as a way to build his contact base.

Since I logged on to that networking site, I haven’t heard from this person. If they hoped to build a meaningful relationship, they failed to cultivate it to hopefully lead to a possible referral.

The mere fact that I’ve even been asked to write a recommendation tells me two things:

1) They don’t understand the impact of the importance of credibility on LinkedIn.
2) They must be scrambling (and utterly desperate) to even consider asking a complete stranger to write a recommendation.

My answer back:

My love [person’s name]:

“I received your LinkedIn reference request this morning and frankly I don’t feel comfortable writing this as I barely know you. I think we met once in [conference name] in [city name] last year, if my memory serves me correctly.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any experience observing his knowledge of his work ethic, skills, or abilities, nor do I know him well enough on a personal level to make any kind of judgment, let alone write a testimonial.

It’s best to reserve requests like these for colleagues, former or current supervisors, co-workers, or people who are more familiar first-hand with your professional skills. LinkedIn is all about credibility, and I know you’ll understand that this is why I’ll politely decline your request. I just can’t answer that, although I’m sure he’s a consummate professional.”

The danger of playing with fire in a situation like this is that you should never attempt something so desperate and completely reckless. In my opinion, this investigation practically brought down the credibility and ethics of this applicant.

To make another point: there has been a growing practice of ‘trading’ professional testimonials on LinkedIn, which actually dilutes the power this networking tool has to offer. Taking the “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” approach to racking up testimonials is a surefire way to ruin your reputation among industry professionals when you ask for unwarranted or unsubstantiated recommendations. Providing scapegoat trades is ineffective, and most employers who scan via LinkedIn can smell them from a mile away, and have learned to stay away as a result.

I am a firm believer in my personal brand, integrity and credibility, just like most professionals. In the past, yes, I have exchanged some selected recommendations, but only with people who hold me in the same regard as I hold them, as we have worked closely together and have direct and specific knowledge of work habits and of others. personal strengths.

For the most part, though, most of my LinkedIn testimonials come from clients who are very comfortable (and excited) providing first-hand reports on the quality and integrity of my work. That alone is the value of having testimonials that convince a potential client or employer to look into it further.

Professionals must hold their professional credentials, from resume to cover letter to LinkedIn profile, to the same high ethical and transparent standard.

The reputation of your career depends on it.