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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Melbourne, Australia
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    Default LinkedIn Endorsements - do they have any value?

    You may have noticed that LinkedIn has made it a lot easier to "endorse" contacts for their "skills". Not only that, they are actually prompting users to endorse contacts with a no more effort than a mouse click.

    I have always felt that the LinkedIn endorsement system was a bit suss, because let's face it, if someone endorses you it's human nature to reciprocate, especially if the endorser is a friend or close colleague. If they are a customer you may almost feel obliged to endorse them.

    On the other hand, I went to write a "recommendation" recently, which IMO is much more meaningful than just ticking boxes, and the system wouldn't let me because I didn't feel I could qualify for any of the scenarios - you can only "recommend" one of the following;
    • a Colleague,
    • Service Provider (to you),
    • Business Partner (You've worked with them, but not as a client or colleague),
    • or a Student (you went to school or uni with them).


    Now that endorsements are so in your face and "super-easy with just a simple click" (LinkedIn's own words) I believe this devalues the endorsement system to the point that it is worthless.

    Is it just me or do other people feel the same way about LinkedIn endorsements? (I'm not expecting people with dozens of endorsements to agree )

  2. #2

    Default

    Depends completely on the integrity of the person giving them. From my perspective unless I have had a direct dealing with the person and I can safely endorse them then I don't. Linkedin to me is purely a way of networking with other professionals, and certainly shouldn't be used as a way of trying to get business for yourself.

  3. #3
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Qld IR Consultant View Post
    Linkedin to me is purely a way of networking with other professionals, and certainly shouldn't be used as a way of trying to get business for yourself.
    But LinkedIn is increasingly used as (and promoted as) a recruitment tool.

    I believe it was actually designed to be a recruitment tool from the outset.

  4. #4

    Default

    True. I certainly wouldn't rely on linkedin alone for recruitment though. I run specialist IR and Senior HR recruitment and whilst Linkedin provides a good pool of people to chose from, its about 10% of my process when finding candidates. Just MHO of course.......

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    196

    Default LinkedIn Endorsements

    Totally agree Moz.
    Only two days ago my former team had a reunion and discussed this in some depth. Turns out a bunch of people we all knew had endorsements which we, as a team, knew to be quite untrue. In fact, we joked about what idiots would ever rely on these for the reasons you state.

    When applying for a role recently, I found a question requesting my LinkedIn access or whatever it is called. You see, personally I don't believe in social networking so am not on LinkedIn (purely because I highly value my privacy) but I recall wondering with some concern, if that meant my application would be ditched?

    I share Qld IR's view that LinkedIn is a way of staying in touch with former colleagues - certainly my friends who are on it, regard it that way. I, for one, would never consider any social networking site as any kind of reference when checking a candidate for employment. I do think the lines have become quite blurred in recent times and in another example I am aware of one individual whose 'cv' on LinkedIn is untrue in terms of both qualifications and job titles, furthermore that profile has not been updated to reflect the individual is no longer employed by a certain Company (2 yrs ago!).

    Tiger

  6. #6
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    Jun 2013
    Location
    Sydney
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    Default

    LinkedIn has become confused as a job-board and a recruiter tool. It was actually developed on the back of some research carried out in the states which was trying to prove the accuracy of the six degrees of separation concept.

    Today however, it is littered with recruiters, who use it as their personal database. I personally get endorsed as an expert recruiter, but i cant stand doing the actual recruitment process and I am far from an expert. I asked a guy recently why he endorsed me as such and he said, well you are an expert in building and running recruitment companies, but that option doesn't come up so I endorsed you for the next best thing, recruitment. I then asked him why he felt strongly enough to endorse me, and he said, the box came up and I just clicked the button to get rid of the box.

    On the back of that, in my humble opinion, I think the endorsements are a waste of time.

    Steve

  7. #7
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    Apr 2012
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    196

    Default

    Good to know there is another who has the same view. Steve's comment does however remind me that at a function recently, this question came up and one influential guy, in a HR support business, immediately said a big NO to Facebook, Twitter, etc but gave a THUMBS up to LinkedIn.

    It's a bit scary that you end up labelled all due to getting rid of an onscreen box!!

    There will be people who ignore the pitfalls, the lies, the misrepresentations I know to be in some LinkedIn profiles but they'll do so at their peril when someone they hire turns out to be a dud and it proves to be a very expensive experience!

    Tiger

  8. #8
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    Jun 2013
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    Sydney
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tiger View Post
    Good to know there is another who has the same view. Steve's comment does however remind me that at a function recently, this question came up and one influential guy, in a HR support business, immediately said a big NO to Facebook, Twitter, etc but gave a THUMBS up to LinkedIn.
    This is what scares me. An influential guy in HR says no to Facebook, Twitter and yes to LinkedIn. What the?

    Here are my thoughts, all of these "social" mediums now provide an insight into peoples lives that we didn't have before. We used psych tests to find out their personality. No longer needed. Just go to their FB or Twitter and see what they are posting. You will get more from that than you will from any pysch test. I know, they shouldn't be used solely in the decision making, however they are certainly influencers into the type of person they are. Facebook is brilliant at showing the "real" side of a person (as opposed to the person we see in interviews) and as you say Tiger, for those who reject these new tools do so at their peril.

    Steve

  9. #9
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    Apr 2012
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    Default

    Ha!! That reminds me of a entry level young woman I hired several years ago - worst mistake of my life. Would never have picked it during recruitment and trial (she temped) but oh god how I wish I'd seen her facebook page beforehand. Ended up having to fire her - she will be subject of a whole chapter in my book of HR stories when/if I finally write it!!!
    Tiger

  10. #10
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    Melbourne, Australia
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tiger View Post
    how I wish I'd seen her facebook page beforehand.
    Just don't ever tell anyone you looked at their Facebook page beforehand

  11. #11
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    Aug 2013
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
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    Default

    I have done a little research on LinkedIn from a Marketing point of view. Endorsements are very good for both individuals and businesses. They give you credibility in your field of work and, put simply, make you look good.

    My profile has next to nothing on it. Its bland and doesn't stand out from the next guy. My Boss's endorsements make him seem an industry god and the comparisons between the two are quite imposing. Kind of scratching my head on how to fix mine up outside of having time take its effect.

  12. #12
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    Jun 2013
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    6

    Default

    Moz,

    I was having this conversation with a friend lately, and I agree entirely. I certainly wouldn't heed any skill endorsements and I expect others would not either. To this end, I wouldn't be surprised if this feature of Linked-In was soon phased out.

    Kam Radzikowski

  13. #13
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    Melbourne, Australia
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    Default

    I think it's getting worse, because LinkedIn regularly prompts users to endorse their contacts for specific skills.

    Also, I suspect LinkedIn is actually creating the skills they are prompting your contacts to endorse you for, based upon jobs that you have performed.

    The only positive thing they have done is they no longer add the endorsements to your profile automatically, but they give you the option to add them to your profile or delete them.

    I currently have 14 endorsements awaiting my approval to add to my profile for skills that I have never claimed to have! These are from people I know who would never have just thought up these skills. I have no doubt they have been prompted by LinkedIn to endorse me for these skills.

    Of course for those who are into self aggrandisement this is manna from heaven

    As an aside, I was talking to a HR Manager the other day whom I know socially and he said he attended a job interview recently where he was congratulated on his LinkedIn profile! That's scary.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Melbourne, Victoria
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    Default

    I don't hate the idea of endorsements as it can give some insight into a candidates skills. 20+ endorsements in one category is usually a reasonable indication that they have a solid skill set there.

    However as stated there are some pitfalls here. 'Endorsement for endorsement' is becoming the twitter version of 'follow for follow' or FB 'like for like', they're simply tools friends or colleagues use to try and gain a step up in the field. You can't hate them for trying but the reality is they're usually weeded out fairly quickly in the hiring process if these endorsements are in fact false.

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