In September 2012, LinkedIn introduced their Skills Endorsement feature, which builds on the existing information in the Skills and Expertise section of a profile.
It is a quick and simple way to let the LI world know about your connections’ skills and abilities. As with recommendations, you are more likely to receive endorsements if you give endorsements.
It is very easy to do – it takes one click, which is a lot faster to do than writing a recommendation. For this reason alone, the use of this functionality will no doubt quickly spread. If you are interested in taking it further, you can create additional skills for your connection and endorse them. The connection can accept or reject an endorsement. Later, they can hide the endorsement if they choose.
If you are a job seekers, it adds credibility to the skills and expertise that you have listed on your profile. It is always better if someone in your target industry sector concurs with your assessment of your abilities. Additionally, this can only improve your keyword ranking, and it is a great way to build your on-line professional identity.
When you receive or give an endorsement, you could use the interaction to pave the way to asking for a recommendation, which carries more weight and are useful in decision-making in the hiring process.
For more information, check out LinkedIn’s blog, Introducing Endorsements: Give Kudos with Just One Click, and an informative and instructional video by Donna Serdula, a LinkedIn profile writer.
