The Algorithm Won’t Remember You. People Will.

Why I Still Give LinkedIn Recommendations (And Why You Should Too)

by David Gallaher

It’s late. My coffee’s cold. The cursor blinks, waiting, daring me to put something real down. I sit here, blurry-eyed and bone-tired, thinking about the people I’ve worked with—the ones who showed up, who dug deep, who pulled greatness from the rubble of deadlines and doubt. The ones who mattered.

That’s why I do it. That’s why I still write these damn recommendations, long after the projects are over, long after the dust settles. Not for engagement. Not for metrics. For the people. Because careers aren’t built on algorithms. They’re built on sweat, on risk, on someone—just one person—standing up and saying, This one? Yeah, they’re the real deal.

A LinkedIn recommendation isn’t just a formality. It’s not some corporate handshake. It’s a battle cry. It’s throwing down the gauntlet and telling the world, You’d be a fool not to work with this person. It’s a torch in the dark, proof that what we do—who we are—doesn’t disappear when the job ends.

And if you haven’t done it in a while? If the last recommendation you gave was back when we still thought Twitter was fun and “synergy” wasn’t a dirty word? Maybe it’s time to go back. Look at those old connections, the ones who had your back in 2009, the ones who hustled alongside you before the world spun sideways.

People change.

They grow.

Maybe the words you wrote back then don’t capture who they’ve become. Maybe it’s time to refresh that. Reach out. Remind them they mattered—and still do.

Five Tips for Writing a Damn Good LinkedIn Recommendation

1. Don’t Write Like a Corporate Drone.

Nobody wants to read another cookie-cutter LinkedIn blurb stuffed with words like “results-oriented” and “strategic thinker.” Tell a damn story. What did this person actually do? What moment made you step back and go, Wow, I’m lucky to work with them? Start there.

2. Keep It Short, Keep It Punchy.

People scroll fast. Give them something that hits hard in the first sentence.

"I’ve worked with a lot of people in my career, but few have left an impact like [Name]."

"[Name] doesn’t just get the job done—they make the job worth doing."

Make them want to read the rest.

3. Make It Personal. Make It Real.

Forget the corporate nonsense. Talk about who they are, not just what they did.

"We were buried under impossible deadlines. Everyone was cracking. [Name] kept us moving—not just by working hard, but by making sure we all laughed through the chaos."

That’s the stuff that makes people stop and feel something.

4. Be Specific.

Saying someone is “great to work with” is meaningless. Saying they single-handedly pulled a project from the flames at 3 a.m.? That’s something. Give details. The moment, the impact, the thing only you can say about them.

5. Revisit. Refresh. Reconnect.

That recommendation you wrote a decade ago? The person who took a chance on you five jobs back? Go back. Look at it. Would you still write it the same way? Have they grown, leveled up, become something even better? Then update it. Reach out. Remind them that what they did still matters, that they’re still in your story. Because in the end, the work fades. The people don’t.

Final Thought: Why This Still Matters

I don’t care what LinkedIn’s algorithm says. I don’t care about profile engagement or how many people clicked “See More.” I care that the right person—just one person—sees a name, reads the words, and says, "Yeah.That’s who I need".

Because when the world is loud, when careers are messy, when jobs come and go, the people who stood beside you—the ones who built something with you—they deserve more than just a memory.

They deserve your words.