LinkedIn recommendations have a 3,000 character maximum, but the ideal length is 150-300 words for maximum impact. Shorter, specific recommendations consistently outperform longer, generic ones because hiring managers and recruiters scan profiles quickly and value concrete examples over lengthy praise.

This guide covers LinkedIn’s character limits, optimal lengths for different situations, how to write compelling recommendations, and strategies for requesting them effectively.

Quick Reference: LinkedIn Recommendation Length

Understanding LinkedIn’s Character Limit

LinkedIn allows up to 3,000 characters for recommendations, which translates to roughly 500-600 words depending on your word choices. However, using the full limit rarely benefits either party.

What counts toward the limit:

• All letters, numbers, and spaces
• Punctuation marks
• Line breaks and paragraph spacing
• Special characters and emojis

The preview factor:

Only the first 200-250 characters appear before LinkedIn displays a “See more” link. This preview determines whether readers click to see your full recommendation. Front-load your strongest points to hook readers immediately.

Why shorter often works better:

Research from LinkedIn optimization experts at Vulse.co shows that recommendations between 150-300 words receive more engagement than longer ones. Readers appreciate concise, specific endorsements they can scan quickly rather than walls of text requiring significant time investment.

Ideal Length for Different Purposes

The optimal recommendation length varies based on the recipient’s career level, your relationship, and the recommendation’s purpose.

Entry-Level Professionals (100-200 words)

For recent graduates or early-career professionals, keep recommendations brief and focused. Highlight specific skills, work ethic, and potential rather than extensive accomplishments they haven’t had time to accumulate.

What to emphasize:

• Learning ability and adaptability
• Specific technical or soft skills demonstrated
• Attitude and collaboration style
• Concrete examples from projects or coursework

Mid-Career Professionals (150-300 words)

This sweet spot allows enough space to describe accomplishments while maintaining reader attention. Focus on measurable results and specific projects that demonstrate expertise.

Effective structure:

• Opening statement about your working relationship (1-2 sentences)
• Specific accomplishment or skill demonstration (2-3 sentences)
• Impact or results achieved (1-2 sentences)
• Strong closing endorsement (1 sentence)

Senior Executives and Leaders (200-400 words)

Executive recommendations warrant slightly more length to address leadership style, strategic thinking, and organizational impact. However, even at this level, specificity trumps volume.

Key elements to include:

• Leadership philosophy and approach
• Major initiatives or transformations led
• Team development and mentorship
• Industry recognition or thought leadership

Academic and Research Professionals (200-350 words)

Academic recommendations often require more context about research contributions, teaching effectiveness, or scholarly impact. Balance detail with readability.

Writing Effective Recommendations

Length matters less than content quality. A 150-word recommendation with specific examples outperforms a 500-word recommendation filled with generic praise every time.

Start Strong

Your opening sentence appears in the preview. Make it count by immediately establishing credibility and stating your endorsement clearly.

Weak opening: “I worked with Sarah for three years at ABC Company.”

Strong opening: “Sarah transformed our marketing department’s lead generation, increasing qualified prospects by 340% in her first year.”

Include Specific Examples

Generic praise like “great team player” or “excellent communicator” tells readers nothing. Replace vague adjectives with concrete situations.

Generic: “John is an excellent problem solver.”

Specific: “When our payment system crashed during Black Friday, John diagnosed the database bottleneck and implemented a fix within 90 minutes, saving an estimated $200,000 in lost sales.”

Quantify When Possible

Numbers create credibility and help readers understand scope. Include metrics for:

• Revenue or cost impact
• Team sizes managed
• Project timelines met
• Percentage improvements
• Client or customer numbers

Address the “So What” Factor

Every point should answer why it matters. Connect skills and accomplishments to business outcomes or value delivered.

Without context: “Maria managed our social media accounts.”

With impact: “Maria’s social media strategy grew our follower base from 5,000 to 85,000 and generated 30% of our new customer leads.”

End With a Clear Endorsement

Close with an unambiguous statement of recommendation. Avoid hedging or qualified praise that could raise doubts.

Effective closings:

• “I recommend Alex without reservation for any senior engineering role.”
• “Any organization would benefit from having Jessica on their team.”
• “I would hire David again in a heartbeat.”

Requesting Recommendations Effectively

Getting quality recommendations requires strategy. How you ask influences both the response rate and the content quality you receive.

Choose the Right People

Not everyone should write your recommendation. Prioritize:

Best recommenders:

• Direct supervisors who observed your daily work
• Clients or customers you served directly
• Colleagues on significant projects
• Mentors familiar with your growth

Avoid asking:

• People who barely know your work
• Connections you haven’t spoken to in years
• Anyone who might give lukewarm praise

Make It Easy to Say Yes

Busy professionals appreciate guidance. Provide context that helps them write a strong recommendation quickly.

Include in your request:

• Specific projects or accomplishments to mention
• Skills you’d like highlighted
• The role or opportunity you’re pursuing
• A reasonable timeline

Sample Request Template

“Hi [Name], I’m updating my LinkedIn profile as I explore [type of opportunity]. Would you be willing to write a brief recommendation highlighting our work on [specific project]? I’d especially appreciate if you could mention [specific skill or result]. A few sentences would be perfect, nothing lengthy needed. Happy to reciprocate if helpful.”

Follow Up Appropriately

If someone agrees but doesn’t deliver within two weeks, send a gentle reminder. People genuinely forget, and a polite nudge usually prompts action.

Reciprocate Thoughtfully

Offer to write recommendations in return. This reciprocity often motivates people to prioritize your request and put more effort into their writing.

What to Include in Every Recommendation

Regardless of length, effective recommendations share common elements that build credibility and provide value to readers.

Your Relationship Context

Briefly explain how you know the person. This establishes your credibility to comment on their work.

Essential details:

• How long you worked together
• Your relative positions (supervisor, peer, client)
• The context (company, project, organization)

Specific Skills or Qualities

Choose 2-3 key attributes to highlight rather than listing everything. Depth beats breadth for impact.

Concrete Evidence

Support every claim with an example, result, or situation. Specificity creates believability.

Professional Recommendation

State clearly that you recommend this person. Don’t assume readers will infer endorsement from positive comments alone.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even well-intentioned recommendations can fall flat. Watch for these frequent errors.

Writing Too Much

Hitting 3,000 characters doesn’t demonstrate thoroughness. It demonstrates inability to prioritize. Most readers won’t finish recommendations over 300 words.

Being Too Vague

“Great person to work with” tells readers nothing useful. Every sentence should convey specific information about skills, accomplishments, or character.

Focusing on Yourself

Recommendations highlighting your own accomplishments or using “I” excessively miss the point. Keep focus on the person you’re recommending.

Copying Templates Verbatim

Generic templates produce generic recommendations. Use structures as guides but personalize every element with specific details about this particular person.

Including Sensitive Information

Avoid mentioning salary details, reasons for leaving previous roles, personal struggles, or anything the recipient might prefer to keep private.

Burying the Lead

Don’t save your strongest endorsement for the end. Many readers won’t get there. Front-load your most compelling points.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the character limit for LinkedIn recommendations?

LinkedIn allows 3,000 characters maximum for recommendations. This includes all text, spaces, punctuation, and special characters. Most effective recommendations use only 750-1,500 characters (roughly 150-300 words).

How long should a LinkedIn recommendation be?

The ideal length is 150-300 words for most professional recommendations. Entry-level recommendations can be shorter (100-200 words), while executive recommendations might extend to 400 words. Quality and specificity matter more than length.

Can I edit a LinkedIn recommendation after posting?

Yes, but the person must request changes. As the writer, you can revise recommendations if the recipient asks. As the recipient, you can hide recommendations you don’t want displayed but cannot edit the text yourself.

How many recommendations should I have on LinkedIn?

Aim for 3-5 strong recommendations from diverse sources (supervisors, peers, clients). Quality matters more than quantity. Three specific, detailed recommendations outperform ten generic ones.

Should I write long recommendations to show effort?

No. Longer recommendations often receive less attention because readers scan rather than read thoroughly. A focused 150-word recommendation with specific examples demonstrates more effort than a rambling 500-word recommendation with vague praise.

What if someone writes me a weak recommendation?

You can hide recommendations from your profile without deleting them or notifying the writer. Alternatively, request revisions by explaining what specific details would strengthen the endorsement.

Key Takeaways

• LinkedIn allows 3,000 characters but 150-300 words works best for engagement
• Only 200-250 characters show before “See more,” so front-load your strongest points
• Specific examples with measurable results outperform generic praise at any length
• Match recommendation length to career level: shorter for entry-level, slightly longer for executives
• When requesting recommendations, provide specific projects and skills to highlight
• Every recommendation needs relationship context, specific evidence, and a clear endorsement

Conclusion

LinkedIn recommendation length matters less than recommendation quality. While the platform allows 3,000 characters, the most effective endorsements use 150-300 words packed with specific examples, measurable results, and clear statements of recommendation. Focus on concrete evidence of skills and accomplishments rather than filling space with generic praise.

Whether writing or requesting recommendations, remember that busy professionals scan quickly. Make every word count by front-loading your strongest points and supporting claims with specific situations and outcomes.

Try our free letter counter → to ensure your LinkedIn recommendations stay within the optimal range while maximizing impact.