LinkedIn Guide · 6 min read · Updated 2026

LinkedIn Endorsements: How to Get Them and Why They Matter

You've seen them — the little +1 numbers next to each skill on a LinkedIn profile. Those are endorsements, and while they seem trivial, they serve two important purposes: they add credibility to your skills when recruiters scan your profile, and they give LinkedIn's search algorithm a signal that your skills are validated by real people.

This guide covers how endorsements work, why they matter for recruiter search, and practical strategies for getting more of them — without being pushy. For the broader skills strategy, see our skills section best practices and our guide to the best skills to add on LinkedIn.

How LinkedIn endorsements work

An endorsement is a one-click vote from a first-degree connection confirming that you have a particular skill. When someone endorses you, a counter next to that skill increases by one. Anyone in your network can endorse you for any skill on your profile — they don't need to have worked with you (though endorsements from people who have carry more credibility).

You can manage endorsements by going to your profile, clicking the skills section, and using the edit tools to:

• Add or remove skills — only list skills you can genuinely speak to.
• Pin your top 3 skills — these appear most prominently and should be the ones you want recruiters to see first.
• Hide specific endorsements— if someone endorses you for a skill you don't want highlighted, you can hide that endorsement without removing the skill.

Why endorsements matter for recruiter search

Endorsements affect your search visibility in two ways:

• Algorithmic signal:LinkedIn's search algorithm factors in endorsement counts when ranking profiles for a given skill. All else being equal, a profile with 20 endorsements for "Project Management" ranks slightly higher than one with 2.
• Social proof:When a recruiter clicks into your profile from search results, endorsed skills look more credible than unendorsed ones. A skill with 15 endorsements says "multiple people confirm this person can do this." A skill with 0 says "self-reported, unverified."

Endorsements are a secondary ranking factor — your headline, skills list, and experience bullets matter more. But they're the easiest credibility boost on your profile, and they're free. For more on how the search algorithm works, see our guide to optimizing for recruiters.

How to get more LinkedIn endorsements

1. Endorse others first

The most reliable way to get endorsements is to give them. Endorse former colleagues, current coworkers, and connections for skills you've seen them demonstrate. Many will endorse you back — it's an unspoken social norm on LinkedIn. Go through your connections list and endorse 10–15 people for skills you can vouch for.

2. Ask colleagues directly

There's nothing wrong with asking a former coworker to endorse you for a skill they've seen you use. Keep it casual: "Hey, would you mind endorsing me for [skill] on LinkedIn? I'm updating my profile for my job search." Most people are happy to help — it takes 10 seconds.

3. Get recommendations, not just endorsements

When you ask for a LinkedIn recommendation, the person writing it will often endorse your skills at the same time. Recommendations carry more weight, and they naturally come with endorsements attached.

4. Keep your skills section up to date

LinkedIn prompts your connections to endorse you for skills they see on your profile. If your skills section is incomplete, people don't know what to endorse you for. Make sure your top 10–15 skills are listed and pinned.

5. Be active in your network

When you comment on posts, engage with your connections' updates, and share relevant content, your name stays visible. Active members get more profile views — and more endorsements — than inactive ones.

Endorsements vs. recommendations

People often confuse these two LinkedIn features. Here's the difference:

• Endorsement: A one-click +1 for a specific skill. Takes 2 seconds. Shows as a number. Low effort, low depth.
• Recommendation: A written testimonial from a colleague, manager, or client. Takes 10–15 minutes. Shows as a paragraph under your experience. High effort, high credibility.

You want both. Endorsements boost your skills' visibility; recommendations tell the story behind them. For templates on asking for recommendations, see our guide to asking for recommendations.

What to avoid with endorsements

• Endorsement exchange groups.Endorsing strangers in exchange for endorsements back is against LinkedIn's terms and can get your account flagged.
• Endorsing people for skills you haven't seen them demonstrate. It devalues the endorsement system and can reflect poorly on your judgment.
• Listing skills you can't speak to.Getting endorsements for a skill you don't have will hurt you in interviews, not help you in search.
• Ignoring your pinned skills.Pin the 3 skills most relevant to your target role — they're the most visible and should have the most endorsements.

For more on what to avoid on your profile overall, see our 10 common LinkedIn profile mistakes.

Want to know how your skills section stacks up against what recruiters are searching for? Get your free LinkedIn visibility score — it flags missing skills and gives you 3 paste-ready rewrites. For a full profile audit, see our 12-point audit checklist.