LinkedIn Endorsements… Fact or fiction?

Let me first start by saying that I love LinkedIn, it is by far my favourite social media site, and that list includes Facebook and Twitter. Yes I call LinkedIn a social site, it’s the Facebook of Business.

Now LinkedIn has added the equivalent of “Likes” to its site by adding a feature called “Endorsements.”
OK it might not be as obvious as Likes… but it might as well be, it’s a forum for people, and I use the word “people” because it can be ANY connection that can endorse you, it does not have to be a colleague or someone that knows you well, just a connection, to endorse you for a skill listed on your profile, even though that person may never have witnessed you displaying that skill.

Now having said that, if someone “Endorses” you, based on knowing you are proficient at that skill… fantastic, BUT how can that be differentiated from someone’s endorsement for that same skill if they don’t really know you or have worked with you.

For the purpose of this blog I added a skill that I “source for” but do not actually have. I was surprised (ok maybe surprised is not the right word, because I was actually anticipating it) that people were giving me endorsements for a skill I have no right putting on my profile.

I would like to see an “opt out” for the endorsement feature or better yet the ability to allow the endorsement visible on your profile similar to recommendations.

I’d like to hear your opinion on this….