How to Write a LinkedIn Recommendation (2026 Guide)

Most LinkedIn recommendations are useless. They're a string of adjectives — "hardworking," "team player," "great communicator" — that say nothing a recruiter can act on. Hiring managers scroll past them in seconds.

A well-written recommendation is different. It tells a specific story about a specific person and gives the reader a reason to trust the claim you're making. It takes 15 minutes to write and can make a real difference in someone's job search.

Here's exactly how to do it.

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What Makes a LinkedIn Recommendation Actually Useful

Recruiters and hiring managers read LinkedIn recommendations for one thing: evidence. Adjectives without context are noise. What they want to see is:

• Your relationship — how do you know this person, and in what context?
• A specific skill or quality in action — not "great communicator" but "ran our weekly client calls solo while I was on leave, and clients asked to keep her on the account"
• An outcome — what happened as a result of what they did?
• A direct endorsement — would you work with them again? Hire them yourself?

A recommendation that includes all four of these in 100–200 words will outperform a 400-word collection of adjectives every time.

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The 4-Part Structure

Part 1 — Context (1–2 sentences) State how you know the person and for how long. Include your role and their role so the reader understands the relationship. Don't pad this section — just establish credibility.

Part 2 — The specific skill or quality (2–3 sentences) Choose one thing to focus on. Pick the thing that would matter most to the type of job they're pursuing. Use a concrete example that illustrates it — a project, a situation, a result.

Part 3 — The outcome (1–2 sentences) What did their contribution lead to? Quantify if you can. If you can't attach a number, describe the impact: the team improved, the client stayed, the project shipped.

Part 4 — The endorsement (1 sentence) A clean, direct statement. "I would hire [Name] again without hesitation." "I recommend [Name] for any role that requires [skill]." No hedging. No qualifications.

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Template 1: For a Colleague or Direct Report

I worked with [Name] for [X years] at [Company], where they were [their role] and I was [your role]. During that time, I saw firsthand how [Name] handled [specific type of challenge — e.g., "managing high-pressure client escalations"].

One example that stands out: [brief story — 2-3 sentences about a specific situation and what they did]. The result was [outcome — quantified if possible, e.g., "the account renewed for a second year" or "we hit the Q3 deadline with a day to spare"].

[Name] is the kind of person you want in [type of situation]. I would work with them again without hesitation and recommend them strongly for any [type of role or function].

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Template 2: For a Manager or Senior Leader

I reported to [Name] for [X years] at [Company], and they were one of the best managers I've had. [Name] [specific leadership behavior — e.g., "gave direct feedback and always followed up with concrete steps, not just criticism"].

The clearest example of this: [specific story — a project, a tough moment, a decision they made and why it mattered]. [Outcome or impact].

If you're looking for a [type of leader — e.g., "strategic operator who can manage ambiguity" or "people manager who builds teams that stay"], [Name] is the real thing. I would join their team again in a heartbeat.

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What to Cut

Generic adjectives with no context. "She's incredibly dedicated" means nothing. "She rewrote our entire onboarding documentation in two weeks, unprompted, because she noticed new hires were struggling" means something.

Multiple things at once. Pick one focus. A recommendation that tries to cover five strengths ends up proving none of them.

Filler openers. Don't start with "It is my pleasure to recommend…" or "I am delighted to write this recommendation for…" Get to the point in sentence one.

Overly long paragraphs. LinkedIn recommendations are read on mobile. Short paragraphs. Short sentences. 150–200 words total is ideal.

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Before You Write: Ask the Person What to Emphasize

The most useful thing you can do before writing a recommendation is a 5-minute conversation (or a brief message) asking:

• What type of roles are you applying for?
• Is there a specific project or skill you'd like me to focus on?
• Is there anything you'd like me to avoid mentioning?

This ensures your recommendation lands on the strengths most relevant to their current search. If they share their LinkedIn profile or a job description with you, skim it — it tells you what to emphasize.

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How This Connects to the Rest of a LinkedIn Profile

A recommendation is one piece of a strong LinkedIn presence. The other pieces that matter most are the summary (About section) and the experience descriptions. If you're working on your own profile, see the guide to writing a LinkedIn summary that gets recruiter attention and the comparison of what your LinkedIn profile and resume each need to do.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a LinkedIn recommendation be? 150 to 200 words is the sweet spot. Long enough to include a specific example and outcome, short enough to be read in full. Anything over 300 words usually has filler that can be cut.

What should I include in a LinkedIn recommendation? Four things: your relationship context, one specific skill or quality with a concrete example, the outcome or impact of their work, and a direct endorsement. Leave out generic adjectives and unsupported claims.

Is it OK to ask someone what to include in their recommendation? Yes, and it's actually recommended. Asking the person which projects or skills to highlight ensures your recommendation is relevant to the roles they're currently pursuing. Most people will appreciate the effort.

Can I write a recommendation for someone I didn't work closely with? You can, but be honest about the nature of the relationship. "I worked alongside [Name] on a cross-functional project" is fine as long as you can speak to something specific. Don't overstate your familiarity.

Should I ask for a recommendation in return when I write one? Not at the same time. Write the recommendation because it's useful to the person, not as a transaction. If they offer one in return, great — but making it conditional can feel transactional and tends to produce lower-quality recommendations.

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Build the Full Profile, Not Just One Section

A strong LinkedIn profile — recommendations, summary, and experience — works together. If you're job hunting and want to make sure every part of your search is as sharp as it can be, the Career Toolkit and Career Bundle at Resume Genesis include ATS-optimized resume templates and cover letter packs you can download instantly and put to work in your first 24 hours.