[FAQ]

Hi everyone,

A former colleague recently asked me to write a LinkedIn Recommendation for them, and I’m happy to do it. However, I want to make sure I write something that is genuinely helpful and professional, not just a generic “they were great to work with” comment.

What’s the best way to structure and write a recommendation in 2025? I’m looking for advice on what key things to include to make it truly valuable for the person who will have it on their profile.

Any tips on what makes a recommendation really stand out would be great. Thanks!

[Jeff Bullas]

Writing a good LinkedIn Recommendation is a valuable professional courtesy, and a well-structured, specific recommendation can be a significant asset for the recipient’s profile.

The most effective recommendations follow a clear and logical structure. First, you should start with a strong opening statement that immediately grabs the reader’s attention. This should be a concise, positive declaration of your recommendation and should also state your professional relationship to the person. For example, “I had the pleasure of managing David directly for three years at ABC Company, and he is without a doubt one of the most skilled project managers I have worked with.”

Second, you need to provide specific context about your working relationship. Briefly explain how you know the person and in what capacity you worked together. This gives your recommendation credibility and a foundation for the points you are about to make.

Third, and this is the most important part, you should highlight two or three specific skills or key strengths and provide a brief example for at least one of them. Do not just list generic qualities like “hard worker” or “team player.” Instead, show that quality in action. For instance, you could write, “Her ability to analyse complex data and present it clearly to stakeholders was instrumental in the success of our quarterly reporting. She has an exceptional eye for detail.” Using specific examples makes the recommendation far more powerful and believable.

Fourth, if appropriate, you can add a brief comment on their positive personality traits or work ethic. Mentioning that they were a reliable team member, had a great attitude, or were excellent at mentoring junior staff can add a valuable human element to the professional endorsement.

And fifth, you should conclude with a clear and confident closing statement. This should be a final, strong endorsement of the person. A good closing might be, “Any team would be lucky to have Sarah, and I would welcome the opportunity to work with her again,” or “I highly recommend Maria for any senior marketing role.”

A few general tips are to keep the recommendation concise and focused, typically around three to five well-written sentences. Be honest and genuine in your praise; only write a recommendation if you can do so positively and authentically. And finally, always proofread your text for any spelling or grammatical errors before you submit it.

In summary, a great recommendation has a clear opening, provides context, uses specific examples to highlight key strengths, and finishes with a strong, unambiguous endorsement.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Author]

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