Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies
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Members of your LinkedIn network can vouch for any of your skills by endorsing them. Each skill in your profile can have endorsements, which look like a teeny-tiny icon of the Endorser’s face next to your skill on your profile.

In contrast to recommendations, endorsements don’t require thoughtful responses, complete sentences, or specific details. It’s just a quick-click kudos from people who think you’re indeed good at that skill.

You’re probably thinking, “So what’s the point?” On a small level, it may seem fruitless, but when you start to get large numbers of endorsements next to skills, the perception can be that you are really good at that, relative to other skills you might have. From a grander perspective, who endorsed you may have an impact as well.

If someone with expertise in jazz guitar says you’re also good at jazz guitar, chances are you’re pretty good at jazz guitar. Some people speculate that this type of weighted skill endorsement feeds LinkedIn’s search algorithm for recruiters.

Anytime you receive endorsements, or when you give them, you have an opportunity to re-engage your network. If someone you haven’t been in touch with for a while endorses you, use it as an opportunity to reconnect.

As soon as you enter your skills, you’ll start getting endorsed. LinkedIn will pop-up an “Endorse your network” type of box for folks in your network. Then with one click, they can endorse you. However, if you don’t want to wait for that to happen, you can take a more proactive approach. Here are some ways you can supercharge your endorsements.

  • Endorse first: When you endorse someone, that person receives an e-mail. Often people will reciprocate. Only endorse people for skills you know they have and you can vouch for.

  • Ask directly: If certain people in your network can vouch for some of your skills, feel free to ask them, just like you would ask for a recommendation.

  • Join an Endorsement Group: Although this practice goes against the intention of endorsements, you can join a group and get endorsed by total strangers, just to get your numbers up.

About This Article

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About the book author:

Joshua Waldman, MBA, is an authority on leveraging social media to find employment. His writing has appeared in Forbes, Huffington Post, Mashable, and the International Business Times. Joshua's career blog, CareerEnlightenment.com, won the About.com Readers' Choice Award for Best Career Blog 2013. Joshua presents keynotes, trainings, and breakout sessions around the world for students, career advisors, and professional organizations.

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