How to Ask for LinkedIn Recommendations (With 10 Templates)

LinkedIn recommendations provide critical social proof that validates the skills you list on your profile. A recruiter can read your SEO-optimized headline, but a glowing recommendation from a former manager proves that you actually deliver results. Having at least three high-quality recommendations significantly boosts your trust factor and can act as the deciding factor when a hiring manager is choosing between two equally qualified candidates.

The absolute best time to ask for a recommendation is immediately after a "win." If you just successfully launched a product, closed a major deal, or received praise in a performance review, your value is fresh in their mind. Do not wait until you are desperately looking for a job to ask. Build the habit of requesting one recommendation every six months so your profile reflects a continuous track record of success.

When asking your manager, you must make it as easy as possible for them to write the review. Managers are busy. Use this linkedin recommendation template: "Hi [Name], I am updating my LinkedIn profile and would love a recommendation from you regarding our work on [Project Name]. Specifically, if you could highlight my ability to [Skill 1] and [Skill 2], that would be amazing. I have drafted a quick bulleted list of my contributions below to save you time. Let me know if you are open to this!" Providing the talking points guarantees you get the specific keywords you need.

Asking a colleague or peer requires a slightly different approach. The best strategy is the "give and get." First, proactively write them a highly specific, genuine recommendation. Then, send a message: "Hi [Name], I really enjoyed collaborating on [Project], so I just wrote a recommendation for your profile! I am trying to build out my own profile as well—if you felt comfortable reciprocating with a recommendation focusing on my [Specific Skill], I would really appreciate it."

Client recommendations are incredibly valuable for freelancers and consultants. Wait until the contract is successfully completed and the client has expressed satisfaction. Use this template: "Hi [Client Name], it was a pleasure working with your team on [Project]. Since my business relies heavily on word-of-mouth, would you be willing to write a brief LinkedIn recommendation outlining the results we achieved together? Just 3-4 sentences about our process and the final outcome would be incredible." Keep it brief and focused on the ROI.