In the hustle of Dubai’s job market, don’t overlook LinkedIn Recommendations—these little nuggets of social proof are your ticket to standing out among the crowd.
Whether you’re eyeing that next career move or looking to land your first job in Dubai, LinkedIn recommendations are your ace up the sleeve.
Let’s dive in and uncover the power that LinkedIn recommendations hold for your Dubai job search.
LinkedIn recommendations are a feature created by LinkedIn. This feature allows other LinkedIn users to write you a recommendation that is then visible on your profile. These recommendations are shown near the bottom of your profile but new features in LinkedIn Premium give you the option to also add recommendations to your 'featured' section underneath your 'About' summary.
LinkedIn recommendations should not be confused with the 'endorsement' feature where other users simply click to endorse that you possess a skill you have listed.
LinkedIn recommendations are far more powerful than endorsements as the act like user-generated reviews that testify to your career and professional accomplishments.
Think of them as online reputation boosters, testimonials from real people who have benefited from your fantastic skills and experience.
Written by a former boss, colleague or client, LinkedIn recommendations are there for the whole world to see. This is what makes them powerful!
Before a Dubai recruiter or potential hiring manager even speaks with you, they can read all the great things other people have to say about you.
Picture this: you’re on LinkedIn applying for jobs in Dubai and up against hundreds of other candidates. Wouldn’t you feel more confident knowing others vouch for your skills and expertise?
Or, you can see that recruiters and hiring managers in Dubai are looking at your LinkedIn profile, wouldn’t it be great if they saw a testimonial from a former manager who raved about how great you are?
That’s precisely what LinkedIn recommendations offer—the social proof that speaks volumes about your capabilities.
Hiring managers are much more likely to hire someone who left a great impression in their last company.
It’s the same reason that employers will ask for references before hiring in Dubai. It’s also the same reason that people will read reviews before they purchase a product online – other people’s opinions matter.
So, if you’re applying for jobs in Dubai, LinkedIn recommendations will help!
Quantity matters. One recommendation? Good. Ten, twenty, or more? Even better.
It’s like shopping on Amazon—would you trust a product with zero reviews? Exactly. The more recommendations you have, the stronger your credibility in the Dubai job market.
Firstly, you should never ask people that you haven't worked with or don’t have a professional relationship with.
Stick to those you’ve collaborated with professionally. Start with close contacts, then expand your network strategically.
This could be colleagues, managers, clients, people you have managed or individuals who have worked in the same team.
I suggest starting with the people that you feel most comfortable approaching for a recommendation.
Getting recommendations is a breeze. Simply visit the profile of the person you’re eyeing for a recommendation, click on ‘more…’ in their header section and then select ‘request a recommendation’.
It helps to explain why you are asking for a recommendation and what you’d like them to focus on. Maybe mention that you are looking for a job in Dubai and that their recommendation will help you achieve your goal.
Here are three templates that you can use to request LinkedIn recommendations.
Choose the template that suits you best and customise it with your personal information.
Remember to delete the text in the brackets and replace it with your own words
Hi [insert name]
I enjoyed working with you at [insert company name]
I am updating my LinkedIn profile for my Dubai job search and would appreciate it if you could write me a recommendation.
In particular, it would be useful if you could share your experience working with me on [insert project/task details]and how you found me as a colleague.
It would also be useful if you could mention [insert details of what skills you would like mentioned]
Of course, I’d be happy to return the favour and write a LinkedIn recommendation for you also.
Best Regards
Dear [insert name]
Thank you for all your support, it’s been great having you as a [mentor/teacher].
I’m currently looking for a new job in Dubai and it would help me if you could write a recommendation on my LinkedIn profile.
I’m specifically targeting [insert details] roles so if you could mention my skills in [insert details] it would be particularly useful.
I hope to keep in touch!
Dear [insert name]
Thank you for your recent business.
Could you please contribute a short recommendation to my LinkedIn profile?
Your feedback on the services that I provide, and what you enjoyed about working with me will help me to attract more great clients in the future.
I hope we have the opportunity to work together again soon.
Best Regards
LinkedIn Recommendations are a Dubai job seeker’s best friend. But don’t forget to optimise all of your LinkedIn profile.
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