AWESOMEPIMP YOUR LINKED-IN RECOMMENDATIONS

LIKE A PRO

YOU ARE TOTALLY

IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU THINK THEY’RE MALARKY

LINKED-IN RECOMMENDATIONS ARE

NOW CRITICAL TO CAREER PROFILES

RECOMMENDATION KEYWORDS IMPACT WHERE

PEOPLE SHOW UP IN SEARCH RESULTS

AND THEY’RE USED BY RECRUITERS & HR FOR PRE-

SCREENING

HERE ARE 7 WAYS TO PIMP THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU GIVE OTHERS

(OR TO ADVISE THOSE WHO RECOMMEND YOU)

BE SPECIFICUnspecific wording makes it sound as if you do not really know the candidate. This undermines your credibility.1BADBOB IS GREAT!

BETTERBOB IS A GREAT PROJECT MANAGER

STAY ON MESSAGEA recommendation is marketing. It helps a candidate sell herself. Talk with the candidate to determine 2 or 3 key messages. At minimum, review her profile & reverse engineer the messages.2 BAD

BOB IS A GREAT PROJECT MANAGER!

BETTERBOB’S ABILITY TO 1) UNDERSTAND REQUIREMENTS, 2) MANAGE THE MATRIX & 3) LEAD TEAMS MAKES HIM EFFECTIVE AS A PROJECT MANAGER

QUALIFY & QUANTIFYSupport every assertion by proof, and ideally with hard metrics. 3 ASSERTION

BOB’S ABILITY TO 1) UNDERSTAND REQUIREMENTS, 2) MANAGE THE MATRIX & 3) LEAD TEAMS MAKES HIM AN EFFECTIVE PROJECT MANAGER.

QUALIFY/QUANTIFYALONG WITH 23 DEVs & BAs, I WORKED WITH BOB DURING 2013 AND 2014 TO DELIVER PROJECT XYZ. DESPITE THE FACT THAT NONE OF US ACTUALLY REPORTED TO HIM, WE ALL ENDED UP THINKING OF BOB AS OUR DIRECT LINE MANAGER AND AS A SINGLE TEAM WITH CLEAR VISION & GOALS. IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH CLIENTS DURING AND SINCE, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE PROJECT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS AND HAS SAVED $15M SINCE COMPLETION.

TELL A STORYStart with a Hook. Next, argue your case. Finally, close.4 A GOOD HOOK• SURPRISES• INTRIGUES• FORESHADOWS

“IT’S VERY RARE TO MEET A PM WHO UNDERSTANDS PROJECT REQUIREMENTS, TEAM DYNAMICS, & PEOPLE – WELL, I’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO BOB!”

A GOOD CLOSE• SUMMARIZES• EXPLICITLY

RECOMMENDS

“BOB IS A UNIQUE & EFFECTIVE PM WHO CAN X,Y,Z. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND HIM FOR ANY FIRM GRAPPLING WITH LARGE, COMPLEX, INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS.”

EXPLAIN YOUR RELATIONSHIPMake clear to the reader how close, how long, and how related you actually are to the candidate.

A reader will be more impressed by long, deep relationships because it makes you a better character witness.5 EXPLANATION

I WORKED DIRECTLY FOR BOB AT COMPANY X FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS DURING WHICH I WAS THE LEAD BUSINESS ANALYST FOR PROJECT X, WHICH HE MANAGED. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE REMAINED IN CLOSE CONTACT AS HE HAS BECOME MY GO-TO MENTOR FOR ADVICE AROUND MY PROJECTS.

SELL YOURSELFRecommendation letters are forms of social proof. Thus, the more credible you are, the stronger the impact.

Make the reader feel that you, the writer, are serious, seasoned, respected, and trustworthy.

Explain why you are qualified to be a relevant recommender.6

HIGHLIGHT WHAT & HOWHow we accomplish things can be as impactful as What we accomplish.

If you complete a project, but burn all your bridges, you won’t complete the next project.7 WHAT

COMPLETED A PROJECT ON TIME, ON BUDGET, & TO SPECS

HOWLISTENED WELL, BUT WAS DECISIVE WHEN NEEDED, MANAGED WITH EMPATHY, & BUILT TRUST

TELL THE TRUTHDon’t lie. Don’t Exaggerate. ‘Nuff Said.8

BY WAY OF EXAMPLEIT’S VERY RARE TO MEET A PM WHO UNDERSTANDS PROJECT REQUIREMENTS, TEAM DYNAMICS, & PEOPLE – WELL, I’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO BOB!

BOB’S ABILITY TO 1) UNDERSTAND REQUIREMENTS, 2) MANAGE THE MATRIX & 3) LEAD TEAMS MAKES HIM AN EFFECTIVE PROJECT MANAGER.

I WORKED DIRECTLY FOR BOB AT COMPANY X FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS DURING WHICH I WAS THE LEAD BUSINESS ANALYST FOR PROJECT X, WHICH HE MANAGED. DESPITE THE FACT THAT NEITHER ME, NOR THE OTHER 23 MEMBERS OF THE PROJECT TEAM ACTUALLY REPORTED TO HIM, WE ALL ENDED UP THINKING OF BOB AS OUR DIRECT LINE MANAGER AND AS A SINGLE TEAM WITH CLEAR VISION & GOALS. IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH CLIENTS DURING AND SINCE, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE PROJECT WAS ALSO A GREAT SUCCESS, AND HAS SAVED THE FIRM $15M SINCE COMPLETION.

PART OF THE REASON BOB WAS ABLE TO DELVIER ON TIME, ON BUDGET, AND TO THE SPECS WAS THAT HE LISTENED WELL, BUT WAS DECISIVE WHEN NEEDED, MANAGED WITH EMPATHY, & BUILT TRUST.

SINCE FINISHING PROJECT XYZ, BOB AND I HAVE REMAINED IN CLOSE CONTACT AS HE HAS BECOME MY GO-TO MENTOR FOR ADVICE AROUND MY PROJECTS.

BOB IS A UNIQUE & EFFECTIVE PM WHO CAN X,Y,Z. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND HIM FOR ANY FIRM GRAPPLING WITH LARGE, COMPLEX, INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS.

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