LinkedIn Endorsements: What They Are & How to Get More

LinkedIn endorsements are one-click skill validations from your connections that boost your profile visibility. According to Jobscan, endorsed profiles are 17x more likely to be discovered by recruiters. Profiles with 5+ skills get 17x more profile views, and reaching 99+ endorsements for a skill signals strong social proof.

Key Takeaways

• One-click validation: Endorsements are quick skill verifications from your connections
• 17x more visibility: Endorsed profiles appear more often in recruiter searches
• 99 is the maximum: LinkedIn caps endorsements at 99 per skill for display purposes
• Give to receive: Endorsing others first is the most effective way to get endorsements back
• Quality over quantity: Five endorsements from industry experts beat fifty from random connections

What Is an Endorsement on LinkedIn?

According to LinkedIn's official help page, a LinkedIn skill endorsement allows your connections to vouch for the skills and expertise mentioned in your profile. It's a public way of validating that you have specific abilities.

Think of endorsements as micro-validations—a simple click from a connection vouching for skills like "Project Management," "SEO," or "Sales Strategy."

Where Endorsements Appear

Endorsements show up in your Skills section. Each skill displays:

• The skill name
• Number of endorsements (up to 99+)
• Profile photos of people who endorsed you
• Their relationship level (e.g., "Good," "Very Good," "Highly Skilled")

Why Endorsements Matter

According to Teal, LinkedIn endorsements matter because they:

• Increase profile visibility in LinkedIn searches
• Add credibility to your claimed skills
• Help recruiters verify your expertise quickly
• Strengthen your professional brand
• Give you an edge over other candidates with similar backgrounds

Endorsements vs. Recommendations: Key Differences

Many LinkedIn users confuse endorsements with recommendations. Here's how they differ:

According to Careerflow, both are valuable but serve different purposes. Endorsements quickly validate skills, while recommendations provide deeper social proof with specific examples.

When Each Matters More

Endorsements matter most for:

• Search visibility (algorithm uses endorsed skills)
• Quick credibility signals
• Building initial social proof
• Validating technical skills

Recommendations matter most for:

• Job applications
• Building trust with prospects
• Showcasing soft skills
• Demonstrating work relationships

How to Endorse Someone on LinkedIn

According to SalesRobot, here's how to endorse someone:

Step-by-Step Process

1. Visit the profile of the person you want to endorse
2. Scroll down to the Skills & Endorsements section
3. Click the plus sign (+) next to the skill you want to endorse
4. Select your endorsement level: "Good," "Very Good," or "Highly Skilled"
5. Optionally, select your relationship to the person

Endorsement Limits

LinkedIn limits endorsements to 150 per 24 hours. This prevents spam and ensures endorsements carry meaning.

Best Practices for Endorsing Others

• Only endorse skills you've witnessed in action
• Be selective—endorsing everything dilutes credibility
• Prioritize close colleagues who can reciprocate meaningfully
• Endorse strategically for skills they want to be known for

How to Get More LinkedIn Endorsements

According to LinkedIn Helper, the most effective strategies include:

1. Endorse Others First (Reciprocity Works)

One of the most effective ways to get endorsements is to give them first. When you endorse someone, they often reciprocate—especially if you've worked together and your endorsement is genuine.

2. Ask After Successful Projects

The best time to ask for endorsements is immediately after completing a successful project together. The experience is fresh, and your colleague has direct evidence of your skills.

Sample message:

"Hey [Name], it was great working on [project] together. I learned a lot from your approach to [specific skill]. Would you mind endorsing me for [relevant skill]? I'd be happy to do the same for you!"

3. Keep Skills Section Updated

Ensure your Skills section includes:

• Current, relevant skills
• Skills you want to be known for
• Skills that appear in your target job descriptions

Remove outdated skills that no longer represent your expertise.

4. Build Authentic Relationships

According to Jobright, five meaningful endorsements from industry experts carry more weight than fifty random ones from distant connections.

Focus on:

• Former supervisors who've seen your work
• Team members from successful projects
• Clients who experienced your skills firsthand
• Industry peers who respect your expertise

5. Engage Consistently on LinkedIn

Active profiles attract more endorsements. When you:

• Post valuable content
• Comment thoughtfully on others' posts
• Share industry insights

You stay top-of-mind with your network, increasing the chance they'll endorse you.

Managing Your LinkedIn Endorsements

Reordering Skills

LinkedIn lets you prioritize which skills appear first. Drag your most important skills to the top—these get the most visibility.

Hiding Unwanted Endorsements

If someone endorses you for a skill you don't want to be known for, you can hide it:

1. Go to your profile
2. Click the pencil icon on your Skills section
3. Hide or delete specific endorsements

Hidden skills retain their endorsements if you decide to make them visible later.

Turning Off Endorsement Requests

If you're getting too many endorsement notifications, you can turn them off in your settings while still keeping endorsements enabled.

Do LinkedIn Endorsements Still Matter in 2026?

According to Neal Schaffer, endorsements remain valuable primarily for:

Search Visibility: LinkedIn's algorithm considers endorsed skills when determining search rankings. More endorsements = higher likelihood of appearing in recruiter searches.

Social Proof: When a recruiter or prospect scans your profile, 99+ endorsements signals credibility. It's a quick visual indicator that others validate your skills.

Algorithm Strength: Endorsements contribute to overall "profile strength," which LinkedIn uses to determine visibility in various features.

The Limitation of Endorsements

Endorsements can be given by anyone—even people who've never seen your work. This is why recommendations and actual demonstrated experience matter more for decision-makers doing due diligence.

Future of LinkedIn Endorsements (2026 Trends)

According to HyperClapper, AI will play a bigger role in endorsements:

• Smarter suggestions: Algorithms will suggest endorsements based on interactions and professional history
• Verified assessments: Endorsements may incorporate certifications or assessment scores
• Quality weighting: Endorsements from verified experts may carry more weight

This evolution means endorsements will become more meaningful and targeted over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an endorsement on LinkedIn?

A LinkedIn endorsement is a one-click validation where your connections vouch for your skills. When someone endorses you for "Project Management," they're publicly confirming you have that skill. Endorsements appear in your Skills section and contribute to your profile's search visibility.

How do I get more endorsements on LinkedIn?

The most effective strategy is endorsing others first—reciprocity is powerful. Also, ask colleagues after successful projects, keep your skills section updated with relevant abilities, and build authentic relationships with people who've witnessed your work firsthand. Quality connections who know your work give more valuable endorsements than random ones.

Are LinkedIn endorsements worth it?

Yes, for search visibility. Endorsed profiles are 17x more likely to appear in recruiter searches. While endorsements carry less weight than recommendations (since they're easier to give), they contribute to LinkedIn's algorithm determining your profile strength and search rankings. For job seekers, they're a useful credibility signal.

What's the difference between endorsements and recommendations?

Endorsements are one-click skill validations that take seconds. Recommendations are written testimonials describing your work, character, and achievements—they take 10-15 minutes to write and carry more weight. Both build social proof, but recommendations provide deeper credibility with specific examples.

Can you remove endorsements on LinkedIn?

Yes. Go to your profile, click the pencil icon on your Skills section, and you can hide specific endorsements or entire skills. Hidden skills retain their endorsements in case you want to restore them later. You can also turn off endorsement notifications in your settings.

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The Dark Side of Endorsements: When They Can Hurt Your Credibility

While endorsements are generally viewed as a positive aspect of LinkedIn, there are situations where they can actually hurt your credibility. For instance, if you have a large number of endorsements from connections who are not relevant to your industry or profession, it can raise eyebrows. Similarly, if you have endorsements for skills that are not relevant to your current role or expertise, it can make you appear unfocused or lacking in direction. Furthermore, if you have a disproportionate number of endorsements from connections who are not highly respected in their own right, it can dilute the value of those endorsements. In such cases, it's essential to be strategic about who you ask for endorsements and to ensure that they are relevant and meaningful. It's also important to regularly review your endorsements and remove any that are no longer relevant or that may be hurting your credibility. Ultimately, the goal is to have a set of endorsements that accurately reflects your skills and expertise, and that helps to establish you as a credible and trustworthy professional in your industry.

Advanced Endorsement Strategies for Thought Leaders

For advanced LinkedIn users, particularly thought leaders and industry experts, there are several strategies that can help to maximize the value of endorsements. One approach is to focus on building a small, high-quality network of connections who are highly respected in their own right. This can help to increase the value of endorsements, as they are coming from people who are widely recognized as experts in their field. Another approach is to use endorsements as a way to build relationships with other thought leaders and industry experts. By endorsing others, you can help to establish yourself as a peer and a colleague, and can begin to build a network of mutually supportive relationships. Additionally, thought leaders can use endorsements to help establish their authority and credibility on specific topics. By accumulating a large number of endorsements for a particular skill or area of expertise, you can help to establish yourself as a go-to expert in that area. Finally, advanced users can also use endorsements to help drive engagement and conversation on LinkedIn. By asking for endorsements and starting discussions around specific topics, you can help to build a community of like-minded professionals and establish yourself as a leader in your industry.

Myth vs Reality: The Truth About Endorsement Inflation

One common myth about LinkedIn endorsements is that they are subject to inflation, and that the more endorsements you have, the less valuable each individual endorsement becomes. However, this is not necessarily the case. While it's true that having a large number of endorsements can make each individual endorsement seem less valuable, the reality is that endorsements are still a highly effective way to establish credibility and build trust with potential clients or employers. In fact, research has shown that profiles with a large number of endorsements are still significantly more likely to be viewed and engaged with than those with fewer endorsements. Additionally, the value of endorsements is not solely determined by their quantity, but also by their quality. Endorsements from highly respected and influential connections are still highly valuable, regardless of the overall number of endorsements. Ultimately, the key to making the most of endorsements is to focus on building a high-quality network of connections, and to accumulate endorsements from people who are widely recognized as experts in their field.

The Endorsement Paradox: When Less Is More

In some cases, having fewer endorsements can actually be more beneficial than having a large number. This may seem counterintuitive, but it's based on the idea that quality is often more important than quantity. For instance, if you have a small number of endorsements from highly respected and influential connections, it can be more valuable than having a large number of endorsements from less respected connections. Additionally, having fewer endorsements can also help to avoid the perception of endorsement inflation, where it seems like you are trying too hard to accumulate endorsements. In such cases, it's better to focus on building a small, high-quality network of connections, and to accumulate endorsements from people who are widely recognized as experts in their field. This approach can help to establish you as a credible and trustworthy professional, and can ultimately be more effective than trying to accumulate a large number of endorsements. Ultimately, the key is to focus on quality over quantity, and to build a network of connections that are highly respected and influential in their own right.

Edge Cases: Endorsements in Unconventional Industries

While endorsements are widely used in traditional industries such as technology and finance, there are also several edge cases where endorsements can be highly effective in unconventional industries. For instance, in the arts and creative fields, endorsements can be used to establish credibility and build trust with potential clients or collaborators. Similarly, in non-profit and social impact fields, endorsements can be used to establish authority and credibility on specific topics, and to build relationships with other professionals and organizations. Additionally, in industries where traditional networking and marketing approaches may not be effective, such as in highly regulated or niche fields, endorsements can provide a unique opportunity to build visibility and establish credibility. In such cases, it's essential to be creative and strategic in your approach to endorsements, and to focus on building a network of connections that are highly respected and influential in their own right. By doing so, you can help to establish yourself as a credible and trustworthy professional, and can ultimately achieve your goals and objectives.