How to Write a Good Recommendation for LinkedIn — Examples

Writing a great LinkedIn recommendation can open doors for the person you endorse — and for you. Whether you want to help a former colleague land a promotion, support a client, or publicize a partner's expertise, a clear, authentic recommendation boosts credibility, increases visibility, and strengthens professional relationships.

In this guide you'll find a practical, step-by-step framework, hand-tested templates, example recommendations for common roles, mistakes to avoid, and tips to make your words feel like you (not a robotic endorsement). If you manage multiple recommendations or a client roster, use automation tools like Linkesy to schedule and standardize approvals while keeping the voice authentic.

Why LinkedIn Recommendations Matter (Quick Data)

LinkedIn remains the professional social network where recommendations are prominently displayed on profiles and often read by recruiters, buyers, partners, and hiring managers. A few quick facts:

• Social proof: Recommendations act as public referrals that validate skills and character.
• Visibility: Profiles with recommendations tend to get more profile views and inbound messages.
• Trust & conversions: Decision-makers read recommendations when evaluating candidates and vendors.

If you want a deeper guide about building your personal brand on LinkedIn, visit the LinkedIn Growth & Personal Branding pillar.

Search Intent & Who This Helps

This article is for professionals who want to:

• Write persuasive, authentic LinkedIn recommendations
• Save time with reusable templates and frameworks
• Support clients, teammates, and contractors while strengthening their own brand

If you manage many profiles or want to automate repeatable recommendation workflows, see our guide on AI content automation for LinkedIn.

How to Write a LinkedIn Recommendation: The 5-Step Framework

Use this repeatable formula to create recommendations that read naturally and convert readers into advocates or buyers.

1. Start with context: Explain your relationship and how long you worked together (1–2 sentences).
2. Highlight one key strength: Focus on a specific skill or trait with a quick example (1–2 sentences).
3. Share a measurable outcome or story: Use a result, metric, or short anecdote to prove the claim (1–3 sentences).
4. Explain why it matters: Connect the skill to business impact or team dynamics (1 sentence).
5. Close with a clear endorsement: Use a strong closing line that states who you’d recommend this person to (1 sentence).

This structure keeps recommendations scannable and powerful. Below are templates and examples you can customize.

Quick template (30–60 seconds)

Use the template below when you need to write a short, authentic endorsement fast.

Template: I worked with [Name] for [time] at [Company]. They consistently [skill/behavior] — for example, they [specific example or result]. I highly recommend [Name] for [role/situation].

Full template (2–5 minutes)

When you have a bit more time, use this extended template that includes outcomes and a closing endorsement.

Template: I had the pleasure of working with [Name] for [time] at [Company] as their [relation]. [Name] stood out for their ability to [primary strength]. In one project, they [specific story or metric that demonstrates impact]. That work resulted in [quantifiable result or business outcome]. [Name]'s combination of [skills/traits] makes them an outstanding [role]. I strongly recommend [Name] to anyone looking for [type of role or contribution].

13 Ready-to-Use LinkedIn Recommendation Examples

Below are role-specific examples you can paste and personalize. Keep the 5-step framework in mind as you edit them to match your voice.

1) For a Product Manager

I worked with Priya for two years at BrightCo where she led our mobile product team. Priya’s strategic roadmap thinking and user-first approach generated a 28% lift in monthly active users after she refocused onboarding flows. She’s an excellent communicator who aligns stakeholders and translates vision into measurable product outcomes. I highly recommend Priya for senior product leadership roles where customer growth and cross-functional influence matter.

2) For a Software Engineer

Jason was a senior engineer on my team at ScaleApps. He wrote clean, maintainable backend services and mentored junior engineers weekly. On one sprint he refactored a critical service, reducing response time by 40% and decreasing support tickets. Jason’s technical depth and collaborative approach would benefit any engineering organization focused on reliability and scale.

3) For a Sales Leader

Maria led our enterprise sales team and consistently exceeded quarterly quotas by 20% through a data-led approach and coaching. She built a repeatable outbound playbook that increased close rates and shortened the sales cycle by two weeks. Maria is both strategic and hands-on — a rare combo for scaling revenue quickly. I recommend her for VP-level sales roles at high-growth B2B companies.

4) For a Consultant or Freelancer

I hired Daniel to optimize our customer onboarding flow. He delivered a detailed audit and prioritized fixes that improved trial-to-paid conversion by 15% within 30 days. Daniel is timely, communicates clearly, and focuses on outcomes. Hire him if you want tangible improvements and a dependable partner.

5) For a Designer

Renee is a UX designer who transforms complex problems into elegant, usable interfaces. She redesigned our checkout experience, which reduced cart abandonment by 12%. Renee blends user research with design craft and collaborates effectively with engineers. She's ideal for teams aiming to improve conversion through better UX.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Vague praise: "Great person to work with" is nice but not helpful. Add specific examples.
• Over-embellishment: Inflated claims reduce trust. Stick to real outcomes.
• Generic templates: Personalize at least one sentence to reflect a real interaction.
• Length mismatch: Long essays can be skimmed — aim for 3–6 short paragraphs.
• No context: Always state how you know the person and the timeframe.

Tone & Voice: Make It Sound Like You

Authenticity matters. Use language and expressions you normally use. Want consistent voice across multiple recommendations (for clients or a team)? Use a lightweight checklist or an automation tool that captures the sender’s preferred phrases and tone.

Linkesy can help standardize structure while preserving each sender’s voice — generating a first draft and letting the recommender review and personalize it before posting. Learn more on how Linkesy automates LinkedIn content.

How to Ask for a Recommendation (What to Say)

Asking well increases the chance of getting a strong, specific recommendation. Use a short message with three parts:

1. Remind them who you are and your relationship
2. Suggest 1–2 strengths or stories they could highlight
3. Offer to draft one for them (optional) and provide a deadline

Example message:

Hi [Name], I enjoyed working with you at [Company]. If you’re comfortable, could you write a short LinkedIn recommendation highlighting my project management and stakeholder communication skills? Happy to draft a starting version if that helps — no pressure. Thanks!

Offering a draft saves time and often leads to a more specific endorsement — but only offer if you're comfortable and still let them edit freely.

Publishing Tips & LinkedIn Best Practices

• Keep it visible: A recommendation stays on the recipient’s profile; recommenders' profiles also gain credibility when people explore their network.
• Be timely: Post recommendations after a clear milestone (project end, promotion, successful launch).
• Approve with care: If you use a draft or automation, always review the final text for voice and accuracy.
• Reciprocate thoughtfully: Don’t recommend everyone — prioritize meaningful relationships and quality over quantity.

Table: Short vs. Long Recommendation Use Cases

Automation & Time-Saving Options

If you're a solopreneur, manager, or agency writing multiple recommendations each month, this workflow saves time without hurting authenticity:

1. Collect basic inputs: name, role, timeframe, one key example, preferred tone
2. Use a template engine or AI draft to create 2–3 versions
3. Send the drafts to the recommender for quick approval and personalization
4. Post and notify the recipient

Tools like Linkesy can generate drafts in the recommender’s voice and handle scheduling and approvals so you keep control while saving hours per month. For more, see our comparison of LinkedIn tools and automation.

FAQ

Do LinkedIn recommendations help with hiring decisions?

Yes. Recruiters and hiring managers often read recommendations for social proof. Specific outcomes and measurable results within recommendations increase credibility more than generic praise.

How long should a LinkedIn recommendation be?

Most effective recommendations are 3–5 short paragraphs (50–150 words). Short recommendations work for quick endorsements, but longer, story-backed recommendations perform better for senior hires.

Can I edit a recommendation I wrote after publishing?

Yes. Go to the recommendation on the recipient’s profile and click the three dots to edit or delete your recommendation. However, edits should maintain authenticity and accuracy.

Is it OK to offer a draft to the person you're recommending?

Offering a draft is acceptable and often helpful — many people are busy. Always be transparent and make clear they can edit freely. This increases the likelihood of a specific, timely recommendation.

Should I ask for recommendations from clients or managers?

Ask strategically. Recommendations from managers, clients, and cross-functional partners are high-value because they validate your impact from different perspectives. Prioritize quality over quantity.

Conclusion & Next Steps

Writing an effective LinkedIn recommendation is a high-leverage activity: it helps the recipient and strengthens your network and professional credibility. Use the 5-step framework, personalize templates with real outcomes, and avoid vague or overstated language. If you regularly write or manage recommendations, consider lightweight automation to draft personalized versions while keeping the final voice human and authentic.

Ready to save time and scale authentic LinkedIn activity? Try Linkesy free to generate drafts, maintain tone consistency, and automate approval workflows — all while keeping each recommendation personalized and genuine.

Related reading: LinkedIn Growth & Personal Branding, AI Content Automation, LinkedIn Content Strategy.

Author

Written by the Linkesy Team — experts in LinkedIn growth, AI content automation, and time-saving workflows for busy professionals.