Most of us have worked with colleagues we could easily recommend on LinkedIn.

The problem is writing the actual recommendation.

It always takes more time than we thought.

How can you write a recommendation that stands out and comes from the heart?

The hard task of writing a LinkedIn recommendation can be simplified and shorten.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a template for your LinkedIn recommendation that you could tweak?

Next time you’re asked to recommend someone, follow this template created by the Muse:

[Descriptive phrase] is the phrase that comes to mind when I think about [name]. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing [name] for [length of time], during which [description of your working relationship]. Above all, I was impressed with [name]’s ability to [description of what makes person really stand out]. And, of course, his/her [personality trait]. [Name] would be a true asset for any positions requiring [1-2 skills needed for position] and comes with my heartfelt recommendation.

Why is the template so handy?

The template is so helpful because it provides you with 10 areas to fill out or 5 key sections.

Let’s go deeper into the 5 key areas of this template and why it is so helpful to have when writing a LinkedIn recommendation.

Section 1: A compelling start

The first line is always so important when it comes to writing compelling copy. It should grab you into your story and encourage your audience to read on.

To stand out, your recommendation needs to have a reason why you are spending time writing about this person.

Section 2: How do you know them? 

It is important to tell others how you know the person, how you worked together, how long you have know each other and what kind of relationship did you have while working together.

You don’t have to get every details but it is critical to the leaders know what kind of relationship you had and why can speak about that person’s qualifications, skills and personality.

Section 3: What makes them different and unique?

When you have agreed to recommend someone it is because they have a lot of traits you like about them.

You can’t list every skill and reason so you need to state at a high-level why you think he or she is smart and talented.

What makes this person so enjoyable to work with that you want others to know?

Section 4: Why did you like working with them?

People want to hire superstars or rockstars that are great to work with but everything needs context.

What did you like about working with them? What kind of personality did they have?

What story can you tell that gives insight into that person and why they are such a good employee.

Section 5: End strong by bringing it all together

Most people remember the beginning and the end of something so it is critical to make sure you closing line sums everything up.

Why are you giving that person a recommendation?

It should bring everything together in one nice sentence.

Use the template the next time you write a LinkedIn recommendation

The next time you are writing a LinkedIn recommendation, you should remember to use this template.

It will make your life easier and you can write more recommendations.

[Descriptive phrase] is the phrase that comes to mind when I think about [name]. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing [name] for [length of time], during which [description of your working relationship]. Above all, I was impressed with [name]’s ability to [description of what makes person really stand out]. And, of course, his/her [personality trait]. [Name] would be a true asset for any positions requiring [1-2 skills needed for position] and comes with my heartfelt recommendation.

This template paragraph will make sure your LinkedIn recommendation stands out and the person you are recommending will love you!