The Pros and Cons of the New LinkedIn Endorsements Feature

The Pros and Cons of the New LinkedIn Endorsements Feature LinkedIn just introduced a new feature called LinkedIn Endorsements that allows users to endorse connections for a skill they’ve listed on their profile or recommend one they haven’t added yet. This is different than the Recommendations feature where users can request a written recommendation that can be posted on the users profile. Im on the fence about this new feature and Ive been pondering the pros and the cons for job seekers or anyone trying to manage their career. Here are my observations.The ProsA job seeker can quickly build their reputation for having skills relevant to their job function and industry without putting a great imposition on their contacts.Having skills endorsements may help with profile optimization and SEO making it easier for people to be found.Colleagues can recommend additional skills that may be added to a users profile. This is a nice way for people to help each other build a more digitally distinct presence and generate additional interest from rec ruiters and employers.Endorsements help job seekers by offering more regular prompting to examine the skills section, an area of the LinkedIn profile that has become increasingly more important over the past few months.The ConsEndorsements might not be viewed with the same street cred as recommendations. Someone willing to give you a recommendation is really taking the time to advocate for you and document specifically the value you bring to an organization. Someone offering an endorsement is basically checking a box.The endorsements feature may not be in synch with the LinkedIn culture. The feature in some ways mimics a Facebook Like. But on Facebook users like a company or product. This is consistent with the Facebook culture of sharing. But on LinkedIn you are liking a person. It just feels a bit contrived to me.Users may get bombarded with requests from people asking for endorsements since LinkedIn has made it so easy to keep clicking on user profiles to make requests. What used to require some effort on the part of the requester has been automated to the point that hundreds of requests could probably be sent out in minutes.Endorsements may actually erode the networking process rather than build it. Authentic relationships are built over time. You need to feel very confident in your relationship with someone in order to request a recommendation. I dont believe there is the same level of entry for requesting endorsements.Endorsements smack of a you scratch my back Ill scratch yours mentality. Just because someone gives you a recommendation it doesnt mean that it is appropriate to return the favor. But with endorsements those lines may be blurred.   Be prepared to see a lot of reciprocal endorsements on LinkedIn over the next few months.I guess the takeaway here is that LinkedIn Endorsements may be able to add value to a user profile but they need to be used intelligently and in conjunction with the Recommendations feature which remains   one of my favorite LinkedIn differentiators. You can click on the link to learn more about LinkedIn Endorsements. What are your thoughts?