It’s a valid question, as many legacy features lose their punch over time.
Short Answer: Yes, they absolutely still matter, but not as a primary screening tool. They function as powerful social proof and are often used as a tie-breaker between final candidates.
A useful way to think of a recommendation is as the most credible text-based content format on your entire profile.
First, a recommendation serves as third-party validation for all the other content you have written about yourself; your experience section is your claim, but a detailed recommendation is the evidence. Second, the quality of that text is what matters, not the quantity. A generic ‘Jane was great to work with’ is useless, but a recommendation that describes a specific project, the challenge you overcame, and the measurable result is the format that carries real weight. Third, while they may not be read by every initial screener, they are absolutely reviewed at the final consideration stage. When a hiring manager is deciding between two strong candidates, a profile with specific, glowing recommendations has a clear advantage because it reduces the perceived risk of making the hire.
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