Assignment to a coaching client:
Get the best Recommendations you can from the colleagues who have seen your magic in action.
My advisory to the client:
Center the Rec around one or a couple of skills that you want to highlight. One thing that is especially important is to highlight those same (and associated skills) in your Headline, About and Experience sections.
Plan this out. Repeat similar skill-based themes in different contexts to ensure the reader sees this clearly because very few of us remember after reading once; it usually takes a few mentions to make a memory impact.
My answer:
What I normally say is something like this (adapt the italicized wording to your needs and throughout what’s below to your way of expressing yourself):
Hi (name),
I wanted to let you know that I am revamping my LinkedIn profile and one of the ways I am spotlighting my skillset is through Recommendations.
You may recall the time that {remind them of date/place/assignment/challenge) when (we worked together/I collaborated with you) to accomplish (remind them of odds and challenges that you overcame) using my skills in (specifically name one or two).
Your first-hand story will be perfect to demonstrate this.
Could I ask you to please write a Recommendation on LinkedIn for me to show others my prowess and ability in my skills as (name one or two) to accomplish complex tasks using my experience and your recollection of that time I rose above the problem, which will be a major theme in my profile?
Please send the draft Recommendation back to me via LinkedIn so I can review it.
I do appreciate your help in accomplishing my goals as my career progresses.
Key takeaways:
Think of each skill as an unpolished gemstone, with colleagues’ Skills Endorsements as polish adding to their luster, but Recommendations as the gemologist’s best cut to bring out the most light, sparkle, and value.
Manage the Recommender and offer them an outline, with guidelines you seek back, in the Rec they write for you.
This helps ensure you will get the best return and most useful Rec to post.