How to Endorse People on LinkedIn: Practical Steps & Strategy

How to endorse people on LinkedIn is a frequent question from professionals who want to strengthen relationships, signal credibility, and grow their network without sounding transactional. Endorsements and recommendations are small social actions with outsized effects: they increase visibility, build trust, and can prompt reciprocation — when done correctly.

In this guide you’ll get a clear, step-by-step walkthrough for both skill endorsements (the clickable skills list) and written recommendations, plus strategic advice to use endorsements as part of your personal brand and networking workflow. If you want to combine this with consistent profile visibility and content that attracts endorsements, see how Linkesy automates your LinkedIn content calendar and keeps your profile top-of-mind for connections.

Why endorsements and recommendations matter on LinkedIn

Before the how, let’s cover the why. Endorsements are a lightweight signal on LinkedIn that tells others what you and your network are good at. Recommendations are public testimonials that can influence hiring decisions, partnership evaluations, and prospect trust.

• Visibility: LinkedIn displays skills on your profile, which can appear in searches and recruiter filters.
• Trust & credibility: Recommendations serve as mini-case studies — they’re social proof.
• Network reciprocity: Thoughtful endorsements often lead to stronger relationships and inbound conversations.

LinkedIn now has over 900 million members worldwide, so even small credibility signals can help you stand out in a crowded feed.

Difference: Skill endorsements vs. written recommendations

Use this quick comparison to pick the right action for your goal.

How to endorse people on LinkedIn: step-by-step (desktop & mobile)

1. Endorsing skills (desktop)

1. Go to the person’s LinkedIn profile.
2. Scroll to the Skills & endorsements section.
3. Click the “+” or the small plus icon next to a skill to endorse it.
4. If prompted, select the level of your endorsement (sometimes LinkedIn asks how well you know the skill).

2. Endorsing skills (mobile app)

1. Open the LinkedIn app and navigate to the profile.
2. Tap the Skills section and choose a skill.
3. Tap Endorse or the plus icon. Mobile sometimes prompts for relationship details.

3. Writing a recommendation (desktop)

1. Visit the person’s profile and click the More button (near the Connect/Message buttons).
2. Select Recommend or Recommend [Name].
3. Choose your relationship and the person’s role when you worked together.
4. Write a concise, specific recommendation (see templates below).
5. Click Send. The recipient can accept and display it on their profile.

4. Writing a recommendation (mobile)

1. Open the profile, tap the three dots menu, and select Recommend.
2. Complete the relationship/role fields and write your recommendation.
3. Tap Send.

Best practices: be strategic, not transactional

Clicking a skill is easy, but strategic endorsement creates real value. Follow these best practices:

• Be specific: Endorse skills you’ve actually witnessed — it preserves your credibility.
• Prioritize closeness: Endorse colleagues, clients, or collaborators first. Endorsing strangers looks like reciprocity farming.
• Mix actions: Combine a skill endorsement with a short comment on a post or a direct message to deepen the relationship.
• Use recommendations selectively: Reserve written recommendations for people you’ve worked with closely — they carry weight.
• Keep it short and specific: A 2–4 sentence recommendation focusing on outcomes is ideal.

Recommendation templates (copy & adapt)

• Client/Consultant: “I worked with [Name] for 6 months on a product launch. Their data-driven strategy increased conversions by 22%. Reliable, strategic, and a pleasure to collaborate with.”
• Manager to direct report: “As [Role], [Name] consistently delivered high-quality work ahead of schedule and mentored juniors effectively. Strong communicator and problem-solver.”
• Peer/partner: “[Name] is a creative thinker who turned complex problems into simple solutions. Their cross-functional leadership drove measurable results.”

When NOT to endorse or recommend

• Don't endorse if you don't know the person's work — it dilutes both your reputation and theirs.
• Don't ask for reciprocal endorsements en masse; personalized requests are acceptable when genuine.
• Avoid endorsing dozens of random people in a short span — that pattern triggers low-value impressions.

How endorsements support personal branding and LinkedIn growth

Endorsements are micro-evidence of competence. When paired with regular content and profile optimization, they help you rank for skills and boost discoverability.

• Search and recruiter visibility: Recruiters and LinkedIn search use skills as filters — more endorsed relevant skills can help you appear in searches.
• Top-of-mind recall: Endorsing others often triggers a friendly message or a public comment, which increases profile visits.
• Content synergy: When your posts highlight your skills, endorsements validate the claims — social proof matters.

If you want consistent visibility so more people endorse and recommend you organically, consider automating high-quality posts. Try Linkesy free to generate a 30-day content calendar that matches your voice and positions you as an expert.

How to request endorsements and recommendations (templates and timing)

Timing and personalization matter. Ask after a successful project, a milestone, or an impactful presentation.

Direct message template for endorsements

“Hi [Name], I enjoyed collaborating on [project]. If you feel comfortable, would you mind endorsing my [specific skill] on LinkedIn? It helps others find relevant experience. Happy to reciprocate.”

Message template for recommendations

“Hi [Name], I appreciated working together on [project]. If you have 5 minutes, would you consider writing a short LinkedIn recommendation based on our work together? A couple specific results would be hugely helpful (e.g., impact, timeline). Thank you!”

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• Generic language: Avoid vague endorsements like “great worker.” Be specific about the skill or outcome.
• Mass requests: Personalize each message to avoid being perceived as spam.
• Over-endorsement: Endorsing irrelevant skills on others’ profiles lowers authenticity.

“Endorsements are credibility micro-deposits — small, but they compound over time when combined with consistent content and real relationships.” — Linkesy Growth Team

Automation and workflow: integrate endorsements into your routine

1. Block 15 minutes weekly: review recent collaborators and add 3-5 targeted endorsements.
2. Use a CRM or notes (e.g., in your contact card) to track who might be open to a recommendation request after a milestone.
3. Automate content that showcases your skills: when you post reliably, people are more likely to endorse you. See our plans to learn how Linkesy creates month-long calendars that keep you visible without extra time.

Quick checklist: endorse and recommend with impact

• Only endorse skills you’ve observed.
• Write recommendations for meaningful collaborators.
• Personalize requests and include specific results.
• Schedule weekly micro-sessions to endorse 3–5 people.
• Pair endorsements with content that demonstrates the skill.

Related Linkesy resources

• Pillar: LinkedIn Growth and Personal Branding
• How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile (Checklist)
• How to Build a LinkedIn Content Calendar
• AI for LinkedIn: Automating High-Quality Posts

FAQ

Conclusion & next steps

Endorsing people on LinkedIn is a small but strategic habit: it builds goodwill, validates skills, and increases visibility when done thoughtfully. Use skill endorsements for quick social proof and written recommendations for high-trust cases. Combine this practice with consistent content and profile optimization to make micro-actions compound into real authority.

Want to drive more organic endorsements by staying consistently visible? Try Linkesy free to generate a 30-day content calendar that matches your voice and frees you from weekly content production. Explore the LinkedIn Growth pillar for deeper strategy and related guides on profile optimization and AI content automation.