Outstanding Linkedln recommendation in 5 steps and 5 minutes

During our working lives, we come into contact with many people. Some colleagues, bosses or employees stand out due to their appreciative and friendly manner, their work attitude or creative ideas. We would love to give these people a great recommendation on Linkedln or a similar career platform.

No sooner said than done ... but it's often not that easy: how do I go about it correctly and what exactly should I write?

Thanks to the following 5 steps, it is possible to write a qualified and meaningful recommendation in just 5 minutes.

Schritt 1: Knock-out Phrase

In the very first phrase, you should describe the person as an outstanding employee/colleague/manager. It should be so powerful that the reader has no choice but to read the rest of the recommendation. Avoid phrases like "one of the best", but find a phrase that expresses the person's specialness without comparing them to others.

„It's rare to get to know such an outstanding talent as Markus" or "Outstanding willingness to work, cheerfulness and motivation are the words that first come to mind when I think of Thomas.“

Think carefully about this first statement, because the most important step in the recommendation has already been taken.

Step 2: Describe your relationship with this person

The readers of the recommendation are interested in knowing how suitable you are to make statements about the work qualities of this person. After all, it makes a considerable difference whether you have worked with him/her for a few months or several years.

„For more than two years I have had the pleasure of having Ines as my assistant.“

„After the first joint project in 2010, it was already clear to me that I would definitely hire Susanne for further projects.“

Make sure that you use positive wording here too.

„Although I had my doubts at first, Martin has since become my most committed colleague.“ is not an appropriate way to describe your relationship with your colleague.

Step 3: Describe the most outstanding feature(s)

Since we are making a recommendation for this person, we are obviously convinced of his great achievements and can name a list of positive qualities. But focus on picking out his two or three most outstanding quality(s) and describing them.

„Thanks to her warm and empathetic manner, Maria was able to build trust with the patients in no time at all, which significantly accelerated the success of the therapy.“

„I was always deeply impressed by Peter's organized way of working, which guaranteed that the projects ran smoothly.“

Do not overload your description with outstanding qualities, as this could quickly come across as arrogant and dubious.

Step 4: The personal touch

People instead of machines - it's not just the way you work and your willingness to perform that counts, but also your personality. It is a completely different kind of cooperation if you get on well with your boss or colleague on a personal level. So bring this into play when making a recommendation.

„After a particularly nerve-wracking customer meeting, Julia always had words of encouragement and a big smile to save my day.“

„No meeting was complete without coffee and fresh brownies - it's a pleasure to work with a boss as attentive as Oliver!“

Step 5: Finally, a big "thumbs-up"

End your recommendation with a solid, meaningful "thumbs up".

„I can fully recommend Markus as an employee.“

„Anna complements every team perfectly.“

With these five steps, you can make a suitable and meaningful recommendation for a valued employee or colleague in just a few minutes. Take advantage of this opportunity! You might even get a great recommendation back soon.