Writing a LinkedIn recommendation is one of those tasks that sounds easy until you're staring at the blinking cursor. Most people just default to "John is a hard worker and a great guy." Honestly? That’s useless. It’s filler. It’s the digital equivalent of a participation trophy. If you want to know how to write a LinkedIn recommendation that actually moves the needle for a former colleague or a freelancer you hired, you have to stop thinking like a cheerleader and start thinking like a hiring manager.
Recruiters are exhausted. They skim. They are looking for specific evidence of "soft skills" translated into "hard results." When you write a recommendation, you are putting your own professional reputation on the line to vouch for someone else. Do it poorly, and you look like you have low standards. Do it right, and you become a kingmaker.
Why Most LinkedIn Recommendations Fail
The biggest mistake is being too broad. "Sarah is a great communicator." What does that even mean? Did she lead 50-person town halls? Did she navigate a crisis with a disgruntled client? Or does she just send nice emails? Specificity is the only currency that matters on LinkedIn. Without it, you're just adding noise to an already loud platform.
Another issue is the "Wall of Text" syndrome. People think a long recommendation is a better recommendation. It isn't. If I see six paragraphs of flowery prose, I’m skipping it. You need a hook, a specific story, and a punchy closing. You want to make the reader feel like they are missing out by not hiring this person right this second.
The Power of the "Before and After"
Think of a recommendation like a weight-loss commercial, but for productivity. You need to show what the "before" looked like. Maybe the team was disorganized. Maybe the codebase was a mess. Then, enter your colleague. What changed? This creates a narrative arc. People remember stories; they forget adjectives.
I remember seeing a recommendation for a Project Manager where the writer said, "Before Mike joined, our sprints were always two weeks late. Within three months, Mike didn't just get us on track—he predicted a bottleneck in our QA process that saved us $20k in rework." That is a recommendation that gets someone an interview. It provides a tangible Return on Investment (ROI).
The 4-Part Framework for a Killer Recommendation
Forget those weirdly symmetrical templates you see on career blogs. You don't need five bullet points and a summary. You need a flow.
1. The "Relationship Hook"
Start by explaining how you know them. But don't be boring. Instead of "I worked with Jane at X Corp," try "I had the pleasure of managing Jane during one of the most chaotic product launches in our company's history." It sets the stage. It adds stakes.
2. The One Thing
Don't try to list every skill they have. Pick one. Are they a technical wizard? A culture carrier? A ruthless negotiator? Focus the entire recommendation around this one "superpower." If you try to say they are good at everything, the reader will believe they are great at nothing.
3. The "Evidence" (The Most Important Part)
This is where you drop the proof. Use numbers if you have them. Use "impact verbs." If you're struggling to find a story, ask yourself: What is one thing this person did that no one else could have done? 4. The "Personal Touch"
Skills can be taught. Personality is baked in. Mention what it's actually like to sit next to them at 4:00 PM on a Friday when a deadline is looming. Are they calm? Do they crack jokes? Are they the person who brings everyone coffee? This makes them human.
How to Write a LinkedIn Recommendation for Different Roles
A recommendation for a junior designer shouldn't sound like one for a Senior VP. The goals are different.
For a Manager or Leader
Focus on their ability to shield their team. A good manager isn't just a taskmaster; they are a multiplier. Talk about how they developed talent. Did they mentor someone who got promoted? Did they keep the team's morale high during a layoff? These are the things other leaders want to hear about.
For a Junior Employee or Intern
Focus on "Trajectory" and "Coachability." No one expects an intern to know everything. They want to know if the intern learns fast and takes initiative. Use phrases like "steep learning curve" or "proactive problem solver." Mention a time they took a task off your plate without being asked.
For a Freelancer or Consultant
Focus on reliability and ROI. When I hire a freelancer, I care about two things: Did they do what they said they’d do, and did it make me money/save me time? If you’re writing for a freelance copywriter, don’t just say they write well. Say their landing page copy increased your conversion rate by 15%. That is the gold standard for how to write a LinkedIn recommendation in the gig economy.
The Etiquette of Asking and Giving
There’s a weird "social contract" on LinkedIn. Sometimes people will send you a recommendation out of the blue, hoping you’ll return the favor. This is called "reciprocal fluff," and recruiters see right through it. If you’re going to give a recommendation, do it because they earned it.
If you're the one asking for a recommendation, give the person an "out." Say something like, "Hey, I'm trying to beef up my profile for [Specific Role]. If you have five minutes to write a brief recommendation focusing on [Specific Project], I’d appreciate it. If you’re too busy, no worries at all!"
Even better? Offer to write a draft for them. People are busy. If you send them a 3-sentence draft they can edit and post, you are 90% more likely to get that recommendation live.
Dealing with the "Meh" Colleague
What if someone asks for a recommendation but they were... just okay? You don't have to lie. Honestly, you shouldn't. If you can't genuinely rave about them, it's okay to decline or keep it very brief and focused on a single, indisputable fact (e.g., "They never missed a deadline"). But usually, it's better to just politely decline. A lukewarm recommendation can actually hurt more than having none at all.
Real-World Examples (Illustrative)
Let's look at the difference between a "Standard" recommendation and an "Expert" one.
The Standard Version:
"I worked with Dave for two years. He is a very hardworking software engineer and a great team player. He knows Python and Java very well. I highly recommend him for any dev role."
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Why this sucks: It’s generic. It’s dry. It tells me nothing about Dave's actual impact.
The Expert Version:
"Most engineers can write code, but Dave can solve business problems. While we were scaling our backend infrastructure, Dave identified a redundancy in our API calls that cut our latency by 40% overnight. He has this rare ability to explain complex technical debt to our non-technical stakeholders without sounding condescending. Beyond his technical chops, he was the cultural heartbeat of our dev team. If you have the chance to hire him, do it before someone else does."
Why this works: It highlights a specific achievement (latency reduction). It mentions a soft skill (explaining tech to non-tech people). It ends with a strong "call to action."
Why Recommendations Still Matter in 2026
In an era of AI-generated resumes and "optimized" profiles, human testimony is more valuable than ever. Recruiters know that anyone can use a tool to write a perfect "About" section. But they also know that it’s much harder to fake a glowing, specific recommendation from a real human being with a verified profile.
It’s about social proof. If five people from different companies all say that you are the "go-to person for fixing broken sales pipelines," a hiring manager is going to believe it. It creates a "thematic" profile.
Actionable Steps to Perfect Your Recommendations
- Audit your "Given" list: Go to your LinkedIn profile and look at the recommendations you’ve written for others. If they are all "Great person, highly recommend," go back and edit them. Add a specific project or a "superpower."
- The 3-Sentence Rule: If you’re short on time, use this structure:
- Context (How you worked together).
- The "Wow" moment (Specific achievement).
- The "Why hire" (The personality trait that makes them unique).
- Use "Impact Verbs": Replace "helped with" with "orchestrated," "revitalized," "pioneered," or "negotiated."
- Check the Skills: Look at the "Skills" section on the person's profile. If they are trying to pivot into "Product Management," make sure your recommendation uses that keyword and talks about their product mindset.
- Be Spontaneous: Don't wait for someone to ask. If a colleague does something awesome today, write them a recommendation tonight. It’s the best way to build professional capital.
Writing these doesn't have to be a chore. Think of it as a brief, high-impact story about a time someone made your professional life easier. By focusing on results and specific behaviors, you'll provide a service that truly helps your network—and makes you look like a discerning, thoughtful leader in the process.