You can toot your own horn as much as you like, but having others do it for you is much more valuable. This is as true on LinkedIn as anywhere. You can tell everyone what skills you have, but having clients/customers and colleagues endorse those skills confirms to others that you really can do what you say you can do.
Why are Skills Important on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn allows you to list up to 50 skills in your profile. Without stretching the truth, you’ll want to publicize as many abilities and talents as possible. Make sure to order them from most to least relevant.
Listed skills tell potential employers and clients what you, as an employee or service provider, can do for them. This display of expertise can help you rank higher for searches within LinkedIn, especially if it’s endorsed.
How do You Get Your Skills Endorsed?
Once you’ve listed your abilities, how do you go about getting your connections to endorse them for you? Simply follow these tips:
1. Start With Those You Know
Find your colleagues in LinkedIn and endorse their skills, in particular ones that match yours. Chances are they’ll return the favor.
2. Broaden Your Horizons
After you’ve endorsed all those you know well, branch out and find people in your larger circle — think acquaintances — and recommend them for their skills. Again, the hope is that they’ll do the same for you.
3. Harness the Power of Other Platforms
Make sure to utilize other outlets, like your blog or website and social media channels to advertise your skills. This will educate people in your network, for whom LinkedIn isn’t their main source of online info, about what you excel at. As a consequence, they’ll have more confidence to endorse your skills on LinkedIn.
4. Ask for Endorsements
There’s no shame in asking. Everyone — or most of us, anyway — is in the same boat. Let people you’ve worked with or for know that you’d appreciate the gesture. You can even suggest or remind them of which skills you demonstrated to them. And, if you like and it’s appropriate, offer to do the same for them.
Follow the above steps and before you know it, you’ll have a plentitude of endorsements for your entire professional skillset.