How to Write LinkedIn Recommendations That Stand Out

The Recommendation Nobody Remembers

"Sarah is a great team player who consistently delivers high-quality work. She's passionate, dedicated, and a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend her."

Sound familiar? That's the recommendation Sarah received from a former manager—and it's utterly forgettable. No specifics. No stories. No measurable impact. Just a string of generic adjectives that could apply to anyone.

Now compare it to this:

"Sarah led our Q3 product launch that brought in $2M in first-month revenue—30% above projections. When our timeline got compressed by 6 weeks, she reorganized the entire roadmap, coordinated across 4 teams, and still shipped on time. Her ability to stay calm under pressure while making smart trade-offs is why our CEO now involves her in every strategic launch."

See the difference? The second recommendation tells a story, provides evidence, and shows why Sarah is exceptional. That's what makes a recommendation powerful.

Here's the truth: writing a great LinkedIn recommendation isn't about being nice—it's about being specific, memorable, and useful. And when you write linkedin recommendation thoughtfully, you don't just help the recipient—you build goodwill, strengthen relationships, and position yourself as someone who recognizes and celebrates great work.

Why Well-Written Recommendations Matter

LinkedIn recommendations serve as third-party validation—proof that you're not just claiming to be good at something, but that others have witnessed and benefited from your work. For the person receiving your recommendation, a well-crafted testimonial can:

• Differentiate them from competitors: Specific examples and quantified results stand out in a sea of generic endorsements
• Provide proof for their claims: If their About section says they "drive revenue growth," your recommendation showing they increased sales by 40% validates it
• Influence hiring decisions: Recruiters and hiring managers read recommendations to verify culture fit and past performance
• Build trust with potential clients: Service providers use recommendations as testimonials to demonstrate value

For you as the recommender, writing thoughtful testimonials builds your reputation as a generous, detail-oriented professional who invests in relationships. It's also a great way to reconnect with former colleagues and clients.

The 4-Part Recommendation Structure

The most impactful recommendations follow a clear structure that builds credibility and tells a story:

Part 1: Context & Relationship (1-2 sentences)

Start by establishing your relationship and how long/in what capacity you worked together. This gives the reader context for evaluating your perspective.

Examples:

• "I worked with Marcus for 3 years while he led product development at [Company], where I reported to him as a senior designer."
• "Jessica was my client for 18 months while I provided marketing consulting services to her e-commerce business."
• "I had the privilege of managing Aisha as she grew from junior developer to tech lead over 4 years at [Company]."

Part 2: Specific Example or Story (2-4 sentences)

This is the heart of your recommendation. Choose one specific project, challenge, or situation where the person demonstrated their skills. Avoid vague statements—tell a mini-story with details.

Weak example: "Marcus was a great problem-solver."

Strong example: "When our biggest client threatened to leave due to a critical bug, Marcus stayed up all night debugging the issue, coordinated with 3 different teams to implement a fix, and personally called the client the next morning to walk them through the solution. We not only saved the account but expanded it by 40% the following quarter."

Pro Tip: Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your example. What was the challenge? What did they do? What was the outcome? This framework naturally leads to specific, memorable stories.

Part 3: Impact & Results (1-2 sentences)

Quantify the impact whenever possible. Numbers make recommendations concrete and credible.

Examples:

• "Her redesign increased conversion rates by 32% and generated an additional $500K in annual revenue."
• "His mentorship helped me transition from mid-level to senior role in 14 months—half the typical timeline."
• "She reduced customer churn from 12% to 4% within 6 months through her new onboarding program."

Part 4: Clear Endorsement (1 sentence)

Close with a strong, specific endorsement that aligns with the person's goals.

Examples:

• "Any company looking for a strategic, execution-focused product leader would be lucky to have Marcus."
• "If you need a marketing consultant who actually moves the needle on revenue, Jessica is your person."
• "Aisha is ready for a CTO or VP Engineering role—she has the technical skills, leadership ability, and strategic thinking to excel."

What Makes Recommendations Memorable

The difference between forgettable and exceptional recommendations comes down to these key elements:

Specificity Beats Generalities

Generic adjectives like "hardworking," "passionate," and "team player" are meaningless. Everyone uses them. Instead, show how the person demonstrated these qualities through specific actions and outcomes.

Instead of: "David is a great communicator."
Say: "David facilitated our weekly stakeholder meetings with 12 department heads, translating complex technical requirements into clear business priorities. His meeting summaries were so good that the CEO started forwarding them company-wide."

Focus on Outcomes, Not Just Activities

Don't just describe what someone did—describe what changed because they did it.

Instead of: "Rachel managed our social media accounts."
Say: "Rachel transformed our social media from an afterthought into our #1 lead source, growing followers from 2K to 50K in 10 months and generating 300+ qualified leads per month."

Tailor to Their Goals

Consider what the person is trying to achieve with their LinkedIn profile. Are they job hunting? Building a consulting practice? Positioning for a promotion? When you write linkedin recommendation, frame your testimonial to support their goals.

If they're looking for leadership roles, emphasize leadership skills. If they're building a freelance business, highlight client results and ease of working with them. When someone lands on their profile looking to hire or recruit them, make sure they understand exactly how their About section and your recommendation align to tell a cohesive story.

5 Complete Examples by Relationship Type

Example 1: Recommendation from Manager to Direct Report

"I had the privilege of managing Keisha for 2 years as she grew from marketing coordinator to senior marketing manager at [Company]. When I asked her to take ownership of our struggling email program, she didn't just improve open rates—she rebuilt the entire strategy from scratch. She segmented our list into 8 personas, created personalized nurture flows for each, and implemented A/B testing protocols that increased our email-driven revenue from $50K/month to $320K/month within 9 months. Keisha combines analytical rigor with creative execution better than anyone I've worked with. Any marketing team would be lucky to have her as a leader."

Example 2: Recommendation from Peer Colleague

"I worked alongside Tom for 4 years on the engineering team at [Company], where we tackled some of the most complex backend challenges I've ever seen. Tom has this rare ability to simplify the complicated—he once explained our entire microservices architecture to our non-technical CEO using a Starbucks analogy, which became the reference point for all future technical discussions. When we faced a critical production outage that was costing us $10K/hour, Tom diagnosed the issue in 20 minutes, implemented a fix, and then wrote the clearest post-mortem I've read that prevented similar issues company-wide. If you need a backend engineer who can think strategically and execute flawlessly under pressure, Tom is your person."

Example 3: Recommendation from Service Provider to Client

"Nicole hired me to redesign her e-commerce site, and working with her was a masterclass in client partnership. She came prepared to every meeting with clear priorities, thoughtful feedback, and creative ideas. When we discovered midway through the project that our original site architecture wouldn't support her vision, Nicole didn't panic—she rallied her internal team, adjusted timelines, and collaborated with us to find a better solution. The result: a site that increased her conversion rate by 47% and won a Webby Award. Any agency or consultant would be fortunate to work with a client as strategic, decisive, and collaborative as Nicole."

Example 4: Recommendation from Direct Report to Manager

"Alex was my manager for 3 years at [Company], and he's the reason I stayed and grew in my career. When I was struggling with imposter syndrome as a new senior designer, Alex didn't just give me generic encouragement—he showed me a retrospective of my work over 6 months, highlighting 12 specific instances where I'd solved problems the team couldn't crack. He also connected me with a mentor and championed me for a leadership training program I didn't think I was ready for. Under Alex's leadership, I went from doubting my abilities to leading a team of 5 designers. If you want a manager who invests in people and builds high-performing, loyal teams, Alex is exceptional."

Example 5: Recommendation from Client to Service Provider

"We hired Priya to help us with LinkedIn strategy after 6 months of getting zero results from our content efforts. Within 3 weeks, she'd audited our profiles, rebuilt our content calendar, and coached our team on engagement tactics. Within 3 months, our CEO's profile views increased 400%, we generated 50+ qualified leads directly from LinkedIn, and we closed our biggest client to date—a $200K contract that came entirely through LinkedIn outreach. Priya doesn't just give advice—she rolls up her sleeves, gets results, and teaches you how to sustain them. If you need a LinkedIn strategist who actually delivers ROI, hire Priya immediately."

Avoiding Generic Phrases That Dilute Impact

These phrases appear in 90% of recommendations—and they say almost nothing:

• "Great team player" → Show how they collaborated on a specific project
• "Passionate about their work" → Describe what they achieved because of that passion
• "Excellent communicator" → Give an example of communication that drove results
• "Always goes above and beyond" → Cite a specific instance of going above and beyond
• "Pleasure to work with" → Explain why working with them was valuable

Every generic phrase is an opportunity to say something specific and memorable instead. For more on strengthening your LinkedIn presence strategically, explore our complete SEO guide to ensure all profile elements work together.

How ANDI Helps You Write Better Recommendations

Sitting down to write linkedin recommendation can feel daunting—how do you capture someone's impact in 5 sentences? How do you structure it? What details matter? ANDI helps you:

• Recall specific projects and contributions by brainstorming what you remember about working with the person
• Frame your recommendation using the 4-part structure (context, example, impact, endorsement)
• Generate impact-focused language that emphasizes outcomes over activities
• Adapt tone based on your relationship (manager, peer, client) and the recipient's goals
• Refine drafts to eliminate generic phrases and strengthen specificity

Instead of staring at a blank text box or falling back on generic praise, you'll have a thoughtful, specific, memorable recommendation that actually helps the person you're endorsing. And for broader networking strategies, check out how to build authentic relationships on LinkedIn.

Recommendations That Actually Help

When Sarah asked her manager to revise that generic recommendation, he used the 4-part structure to rewrite it. The new version told the story of her Q3 product launch, quantified her impact ($2M in revenue), and positioned her as a strategic product leader ready for VP-level roles.

Three weeks later, Sarah received an interview request for her dream job—and the recruiter specifically mentioned her recommendations as evidence of her leadership capabilities.

That's the power of a well-written recommendation. It's not just a nice gesture—it's proof. It's credibility. It's a story that helps someone stand out in a sea of generic profiles.

When you write linkedin recommendation thoughtfully, you give someone a competitive advantage. You validate their work. You strengthen your relationship. And you build your own reputation as someone who recognizes and celebrates excellence.

Next time you're asked to write a recommendation—or when you want to surprise a colleague, client, or former team member—remember: specificity, stories, and outcomes make all the difference. Don't just say they're great. Show why they're great. That's what people remember.

Next step: Take control of your LinkedIn relationships — Try ANDI Free.