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How to Handle Requests for Recommendations from Strangers (on Linkedin)

I think I speak for most people when I say that requests by strangers to "recommend" them are not only annoying, but offensive. If I know you and you impress me, I am happy to recommend you. I don't really mind if people ask me for a plug, but frankly do not ask if you are not willing to be turned down, I don't hand them out like Halloween candy.

So here are two forms of recommendations I will not do:

1. People I currently work with. This is my personal policy because I think it is really unprofessional when someone has a bunch of reciprocating recommendations from everyone in their office. Sometimes looking at the dates can make it look even worse: when someone is new to a company, their boss and the team all write a smarmy, generic "Bob is a great sales rep and we are proud to have him as a valuable member of the team!" What value does that add? Do you really think people do not see through that?

2. Unsolicited requests. I find these just insulting: "David, our only connection is that we are in the same linkedin network. Although you do not know me or the quality of my work, could you please write me a recommendation so that I can appear to be something I am not?".

The most important question I can ask myself before undertaking any action - whether it is accepting a job or responding to an email or writing a recommendation - the most important question is "who am I becoming?". Not "how will this make me look?" or "what will this get me?". Those are sometimes important questions, but they must never get in the way of the former.

So one day I decided to respond to one of those requests. I had very little to go on, but I worked with what I had:

It is so rare that I get a request for a recommendation from someone that I have never met that I feel compelled to respond and recommend Matt ******. Few people have the outright audacity to ask a total stranger to write something about their character, performance or talents. Since Matt and I have never met or worked directly together, there is only one quality to which I can testify. Matt has supreme moxy. His level of presumptuousness knows few limits and that makes him rare indeed. Should you find yourself in need of someone whose willingness to self promote knows no limit, then look no further.

I was actually hoping he would just approve it and put it up, but after 5 weeks, it remains unapproved.

I did bend my rule just a little and write a recommendation for someone I did not know well. I thought his profile was creative and funny and after a few email exchanges, I really liked the guy and felt compelled (he did not ask) to write a recommendation for "The King of Sausage" (besides, I love sausage):

Since the dawn of time, man has always looked to his betters for leadership and guidance. As civilization developed, some things became clear. A new order was emerging and the Magna Carta declared that no man is above the law, not even the king.

Now, in these modern times, one man has emerged as a clear leader, a true visionary that is bringing the nation of sausage eaters into a shining new age.

Abe Froman is that man. He is the King of Sausage.

Long may he reign!

OK it is not entirely serious (or even a little serious) but it was fun and Abe thought it was funny. It's not like having a monarch over an entire category of food is without a precedent or two.

Job Descriptions: Consistently Bland, Frequently Horrible

As a recruiter, you read a LOT of job postings. You see everything from the amazingly brilliant to the average to the depressingly...depressing.

For whatever reason, recruiters really like to use dating analogies. Trainers and speakers really like them a lot. We use them mostly because they work and I can say that I have yet to see them swerve into cheap smutty jokes even once which is truly remarkable.

So let me start with the inspiration for this post which is the following job order I found online today:

                           

City	Austin
State	Texas [TX]
Title	AIX SADM
Position Overview	The services to be provided include, but are not limited to the following: A. Responsible for all AIX OS administration tasks. B. Perform AIX installations, upgrades and apply vendor patches. C. Write and edit shell and Perl scripts as necessary. D. Provide documentation for all maintenance conducted. E. Diagnose and address UNIX alerts and issues during system restarts. F. Work with HHSC Enterprise IT, ESP staff to create, edit and delete user accounts and security profiles as needed. G. Work with ESP staff to ensure compliance with agency security policies. H. Work with ESP staff to address any network issues associated with UNIX environment I. Other reasonable services as necessary to ensure that the tasks listed above can be successfully performed.
Requirements	II. WORKER SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS A. Proficient with basic and advanced system administration tools and processes. B. Fundamental understanding of operating system including file system concepts. C. High level of skill with most UNIX operating system commands and utilities. D. Thorough understanding of AIX 5.2/5.3. E. Work experience performing AIX installations, upgrades and apply vendor patches. F. Ability to write and edit shell and Perl scripts. G. Ability to diagnose and address UNIX alerts and issues during system restarts. H. Experience with server performance and tuning. I. Specific experience with creation of NIM Master for AIX required. J. Experience with AIX SAN connectivity. K. Experience with Solaris 9/10 is preferred. L. Experience with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8/9 is preferred.

After I thought about it for a minute, I realized that the reason there is no context or story is because the person that wrote the description probably assumed that the mere existence of the job was what made it inherently worthwhile. This used to be true about most jobs and might still be true about some jobs but people, especially younger people, are demanding more out of work and their employer. The best and the brightest will not make it through the third line before they lose interest.

Still, another thought occurred to me. Imagine you are looking for a mate. You do what a lot of single people do: you use a service and post a profile. You post what you are (or at least what you think you are) and you post what you want (or again, what you think you want). Imagine the kind of results you would get if you went down the same road as the job description above and instead of focusing on the kind of person you wanted, you simple focused on what you wanted them to do:

                           

City	Austin
State	Texas [TX]
Title	Female Companion (Adult Human)
Position Overview	The services to be provided include, but are not limited to the following: A. Perform all standard girlfriend duties. B. Attend occasional social events as a couple or in a larger group. C. Express sincere emotions on a regular basis with minimal negativity. D. Prepare, provide or suggest acceptable meals on alternating weekends. E. Initiate DTR procedures at intervals not to exceed more than once every 180 days. F. Cooperate with and promote existing friendships and family relationships. G. Maintain facades and secrets to the degree allowed by law and your religion. H. Avoid all contact with previous Female Companions, I. Other reasonable services as necessary to ensure that the tasks listed above can be successfully performed. .
Requirements	II. COMPANION SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS A. Proficient with basic and advanced beauty products, techniques and service. B. Fundamental understanding of typical male operating procedures and concepts. C. Maintain personal health remain free of all communicable disease (exceptions include: cold/flu, etc). D. Thorough understanding of modern dental hygiene. E. Ability to maintain current wardrobe and personal sense of style. F. Ability to maintain a personal domicile and all applicable utilities. G. Ability to avoid intimate contact with other male humans without supervision. H. Experience with basic sports terminology. I. Maintain personal vehicle including spare tire and auto club membership. J. Experience in gift and card selection strongly desired but not required. K. Experience coping with male inhabited apartments. L. Ability to make companion feel like "The Man".

If you actually posted something like that and sincerely expected to find "good candidates" it would not be hilarious, it would be pathetic, perhaps tragic. What about the dream? what about long walks on the beach? Don't you want to know if they like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain?

Are you a homebody? do you like to party or are you a health nut? People want to know these things about you and they want to know a little bit about your company and the job and why it might make a compelling human adventure.

What will it take to stop the madness?

Updates Three

First, I was very saddened to see www.Belisarius.com go dark - it looks like they are probably not coming back. A lot of obscure but very interesting articles on Col. John Boyd, Sun Tzu and modern strategy.

Second, I mentioned our Bullhorn (www.Bullhorn.com) implementation back in January. Questions about recruiting software are one of the more common topics on recruiting forums. I am sure you can find lots of in-depth information, but the bottom line is that we love it. The software is excellent, performance is between acceptable and good and the support is the best I have ever seen on any product in any industry, ever.

Third, I am using Twitter. (twitter.com/davidrees). I would call my use experimental as I am not entirely sure what the value is beyond being "more connected". I am mostly just connecting with Austin people right now with a few exceptions (like Penelope Trunk). The one thing I have noticed - the more someone posts, the less likely I am to pay attention. Short, concise, interesting - thats what works. What is the point of being limited to 140 characters if you are just going to make 12 successive posts about the same subject? Still, I press on in the name of science.