We all know social media is more than just pictures of cats and funny memes.
Your presence on social media works like an expansive resume, allowing you to outline your professional history and feature your skillset. You have control over the way your colleagues and potential employers perceive your professional interests, career path, and ultimate goals.
When it comes to your career, LinkedIn is the quintessential online network for sharing your skills. One of LinkedIn’s most interesting features is the Skill Endorsements. They give you the chance to officially endorse your colleagues for specific skills they have, such as customer service, invoicing, management, sales, or essentially anything else. Your LinkedIn profile will rank your skills in order, with your most endorsed skill at the top. It gives a quick overview of the work you’ve done in the past and which elements of your skillset your network resonates with.
Some people think LinkedIn Skill Endorsements are pointless, suggesting that anyone can request them from their friends and family even if they aren’t proficient in those areas.
We disagree. Here at StarterNoise, we think Skill Endorsements are priceless. Here’s why:
They support your resume for potential employers.
It’s important to present yourself as trustworthy when you’re interacting with a potential employer. When your colleagues publicly vouch for your skillset on LinkedIn, a potential employer will feel more confident that you not only have proficiency in those areas, but that you’ve successfully put those skills into action in a professional environment.
They keep you in touch with colleagues.
When you endorse someone for a skill, they’re notified on their LinkedIn profile. This is a helpful way to keep in touch with colleagues you’d like to work with again. It also shows you remember them well and appreciate the skills they bring to the table. It’s an easy way to spark up old relationships and possibly discover new opportunities. Plus, there’s a bonus: if you endorse someone for a skill, they may just visit your profile and endorse you for something in return.
They can open up opportunities at your current job.
Even if you have a steady job, you should still take Skill Endorsements seriously. When your manager or other higher-ups look to assign leaders for upcoming projects, they could look to LinkedIn to explore potential candidates and discover which employees have the skills they’re looking for.
They can help companies find you.
According to Forbes, Endorsed LinkedIn Skills are like keywords. There is evidence that shows a relationship between the amount of Skill Endorsements you have on your profile and your ranking in LinkedIn search results. In other words, having more Skill Endorsements can rank you higher when potential employers are searching for professionals with specific skills. LinkedIn doesn’t share their algorithms, but this seems quite likely. Either way, we suggest you play it safe.
Digital networking may not have the personal touch of a face-to-face meeting, but it definitely offers a larger pool of possible colleagues. It also allows you to re-connect with people you’ve worked with and re-open the lines of communication. Although some doubt the importance of a Skill Endorsement, we consider it an innovative feature that helps validate the skills you’re choosing to present.
What’s your opinion? Are Skill Endorsements on LinkedIn totally pointless or potentially priceless? Tell us what you think on Twitter by sending your thoughts to @Starternoise.
