Most companies prefer hiring employees recommended by current friends and co-workers. However, in today’s increasingly digital world, LinkedIn is fast replacing in-person referrals. Many people have LinkedIn recommendations on their profiles, but how do you tell which ones are truly worthwhile?
A relatively new item, the LinkedIn recommendations feature lets members endorse friends and co-workers for skills and experience. Unfortunately for recruiters, LinkedIn references aren’t always completely honest. After all, people who are asked to provide online recommendations are just as likely to give glowing reports as phone references are, even if candidates don’t necessarily deserve them.
Are Recommendations Accurate?
When it comes to LinkedIn recommendations, not all references are created equal. Generally, hiring managers give the most weight to recommendations by former supervisors and managers followed by colleagues and business partners. Recommendations by friends and family members are generally regarded as least helpful.
Still, the tendency of references to stretch the truth doesn’t mean that LinkedIn recommendations are useless. On the contrary, these testimonials can serve as a useful tool for recruitment and provide more expansive information on the candidate in question. Pay close attention to the details that a reference mentions and make sure they align with what the job seeker has said in interviews. If a candidate claims to have spent the last several years working in social media, but the reference only mentions sales experience, someone may be stretching the truth.
When in doubt, recruiters can feel free to contact recommendations for more information about prospective employees. In some cases, a candidate may be a poor choice for the position to which he applied, but well suited for another job at the company.
Trust Here’s Help to Help with Your Employee Search
Not all employee referrals and recommendations are useful. However, there is some value in considering LinkedIn recommendations. At Here’s Help, we work side-by-side with Hudson Valley businesses to help them evaluate candidates from LinkedIn and other sources. For more tips on your recruitment needs, call now or contact us to schedule your staffing appointment online.
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