Recommendations are necessary in our social media driven work environment.

As a Baby Boomer, I was taught not to stand out and bring attention to myself. If I did a good job I would get recognized.

How did that work out for you?

In today’s world you need to ask for recommendations.

In the next few posts, I am going to write about recommendations and where they belong in your LinkedIn profile. Many of you are probably asking to your self where they belong in your LinkedIn profile? Many of you do not know that you can rearrange your profile in just about any order you want but that is for a latter post.

My philosophy is to ask for recommendations on LinkedIn by making the request via e-mail, in person or over the phone. Make it personal. I also believe in giving recommendations freely. I wrote last December about giving LinkedIn recommendations like gifts. You do not need a holiday or special occasion to give a gift neither to give a recommendation.

Recommendations and Keywords

Recommendations are a great place to gather keywords for your brand story. How do people describe you? Look for common phrases and vocabulary that people use in talking about you.

Do you have recommendation letters that former managers have written for you?  Scan them for common vocabulary and phrases.  Why you have those letters out please scan them into your computer. We will add those to your LinkedIn profile later.

If you are a small business owner, look at testimonials that customers have written.

One of the best ways of getting recommendations on LinkedIn is to write recommendations. Your recommendations should be well written and more importantly authentic.  Do not write recommendations expecting one back.

When I left my last corporate gig, I wrote recommendations for a number of colleagues who I knew would not write one back.  That is okay.  I write recommendations the same way I network, my task is to help you and expect nothing in return. Use that same philosophy in giving recommendations.

Go write some recommendations! Doing so is always uplifting for me.

Go read your recommendations. Besides looking for keywords, reading them will most likely make you feel good!

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The first iteration for the Cure for Career Insanity completed last week. Read what one of the first participants said

“This series helped me think about what it is that I want in a my next job and knowing that will help me narrow my search”

I am in the process of scheduling  the next round of the Cure for Career Insanity. The first people who sign up will help pick the actual dates for the next session. Go the the Cure for Career Insanity page or just click here to put your name on the list for the next session.

Like what you read? Click here to subscribe to this blog!

Please visit my Career Pivot FaceBook page daily for interesting articles.

Please check out my one on one coaching packages or the Cure for Career Insanity webinars

Marc Miller Career Design Specialist

It is interesting how certain posts will generate comments and conversations that get you thinking. My last post called Baby Boomers and your Brand Story did just that.

I am presenting at Network In Austin event on July 9th.  My talk will be called Creating a Professional Brand that People will Remember using LinkedIn. In a discussion with Scott Ingram, founder of Network in Austin, about his Personal Brand, Scott mentioned he hates writing his own bio for speaking events.

Carol Ross, who I referenced in the post, wrote in a comment that she gets her client to write the first draft and get an outside writer to complete.

I have worked with multiple clients on their brand story.  The result is it almost never gets completed.

Why do you think it never gets completed?

We do not see ourselves the way other people see us.

I sure do not.  I have worked a lot on self awareness in the last few years. In using the Birkman assessment it has become very clear that many of my clients do not see themselves as other people see them.

Do you see yourself the way other people see you?  Have you ever asked?

How can we overcome this?

Read what other people say about you.  This is the great thing about LinkedIn recommendations.  Go read them and look at the vocabulary people use to describe you.

If you are a small business owner, read your customer testimonials for vocabulary, feelings and intonation.

Write the first draft and then get someone else to write the rest.  It has to be someone who you trust.

It does not have to be a paid writer but ….. I prefer to pay people for excellent work.

How about coming and hear me speak at Network In Austin on July 9th? If you are a writer, photographer or image consultant please come and introduce yourself to me before hand.  It will be worth your while.

What is your deadline to complete your brand story?

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The first iteration for the Cure for Career Insanity completed on Tuesday. Read what one of the first participants said

I found this course to be very helpful in taking the first steps to identify what you are looking for in a new job or career.  I liked the variety of resources, such as the worksheets, private LinkedIn Group, and the recording of the sessions, which were available to the group members.  The most useful resource to me was the worksheets because they are full of notes and comments that I gathered during our discussions in the webinar sessions.  I plan to reference them from time to time during my career search.  I recommend this course to anyone who wants to make a job or career change and doesn’t know where to start because this course gives you the tools to start the process.

I am in the process of scheduling  the next round of the Cure for Career Insanity. The first people who sign up will help pick the actual dates for the next session. Go the the Cure for Career Insanity page or just click here to put your name on the list for the next session.

Like what you read? Click here to subscribe to this blog!

Please visit my Career Pivot FaceBook page daily for interesting articles.

Please check out my one on one coaching packages or the Cure for Career Insanity webinars

Marc Miller Career Design Specialist