How to Write an Effective Recommendation

While the person who receives the recommendation receives the most benefit, it also builds your credibility to recommend others. When writing a recommendation, write it in the order of what is most interesting.

• Traits that make that person hirable. "Smart. Timely. Attention to Detail."
• Why do you describe them that way? Tell a story or give an example of how they proved to you that they are or have the traits that you described them as having.

For most testimonials, that information is all you need. Here are some other ideas that you can also include:

• Why should the person reading the testimonial hire the person you wrote the testimonial for? You should talk to [Name] if . . .Or . . .If this is your problem, then [Name] is the person who can help you.
• How long have you known them? This carries weight if you have known the person for more years that you should probably admit, and have worked with them almost as long. Then it has the ability to show consistency in the person’s ability to do work.

Here are other ways that you can recommend someone:

• Share or invite someone to a Group that you find valuable.
• Share or invite someone to Like / Follow a business that you respect.
• Without being asked, do a LinkedIn introduction and explain why you feel two people should know each other.

So here is my challenge to you: go write an unprompted recommendation for someone (LinkedIn) and then one for a company (Facebook); share a Group that you belong to; and, share a company page of a company that you respect.