Referential Treatment

Recommendations and endorsements are the currency of LinkedIn, the social network for professionals. A good recommendation can go a long ways, which is why it pays to be very selective when you’re asked to write one.

Here are a few things I picked up from my experiences.

If I’m asked to write a letter of recommendation for a candidate, and I’m not directly familiar with what he or she has done, I usually defer that person to someone else who’s more familiar with their work. If I am tangentially familiar with their work, I’ll ask the person to write me a few specifics on why they feel they merit a recommendation. The question I’m hoping my letter of recommendation will answer is: “Why is this person specifically unique and a viable candidate?”

Having additional background knowledge and insight into a person’s accomplishments helps me a great deal because it gives my recommendation more gravitas, compared to writing a generic version.

So…

How do you handle the delicate situation when you’re asked to write a recommendation for someone whose work you’re not familiar with? Have you ever been burnt by a supposed recommendation that was less than flattering? Sound off in the comments below!

(FYI, inks and colors will happen soon. In the meantime, please share the love.)

Finished ‘toon is now up!

-Krishna

Krishna July 2, 2011 HR comics, job endorsement comics, letter of recommendation comics, LinkedIn comics, recommendation comics, screening comics