Sharlyn J. Lauby's Blog, page 145

Don’t Frankenstein Your Technology – Friday Distraction

I know that Halloween was a few weeks ago, but Frankenstein has become more than a holiday icon. The Urban Dictionary says that a “Frankenstein” product is any product “made out of two or more components which, while apart, could have been disposed of or recycled, but now are a burden to the environment, so they can’t be separated.”

Scary indeed!

As our friends from Kronos humorously remind us in this Time Well Spent, technology can quickly become a monster if we don’t follow good selection and implementation procedures.

I know when it’s time to upgrade technology, the last thing a company wants to do is discard other systems, especially if they’re working. And there are some really fantastic technology solutions available. That being said, we have to at least stop and ask a few questions about the decisions we’re making:

Is the new technology we’re considering compatible with our existing systems?
How will the new technology impact our existing systems – both now and in the future?
If we decide to change or eliminate an existing system, will that impact this new technology?

It’s possible that the answer to all of these questions is “no worries, the technologies aren’t going to be in conflict.” You’ve asked the questions and can proceed accordingly. If you ask the questions and find out otherwise, then you can evaluate your options. It doesn’t mean you’re always going to change the decision, but you know the risks and rewards. There’s nothing worse than surprises where this is concerned.

Asking a few extra questions up front can save you from a daily nightmare.

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Sometimes It’s Important to Compromise

During this year’s Women in Technology event at the HR Technology Conference, one of the speakers made the statement, “I will not compromise my personal style.” I’ve been thinking about the comment for a while now. I get it, the spirit of the comment is that we should be our authentic selves. But, it also made me realize there are moments when we may need to compromise our style.

I have a tendency to think of style as part of our brand. It’s the impression that others have of us. Our personal brand needs to be consistent and align with our goals. It also must be able to evolve over time. The world is changing all around us; our personal brands must keep current with the times. Otherwise we could be sending the message that we’re inflexible and uncooperative.

It’s about understanding when to compromise. We might be asked, or simply want, to compromise in situations when we don’t have a strong opinion or stake in the outcome. Then again, there are moments when we must absolutely be firm about our position. They key is, when we’re asked to compromise, we should explain our point of view. For example, “I cannot compromise on this matter and here’s why…” or “I don’t have a preference in the decision, so I’m willing to flex with the group.”

It’s about knowing what to compromise. Let’s be clear. You shouldn’t compromise your ethics. But there might be other matters that aren’t ethical in nature that you can compromise. It’s possible that compromising our personal style can be a growth and learning opportunity for us. It allows us to expand our thoughts and consider different views.

Each of us must define our personal style. And being true to our style is important. It’s how we measure its effectiveness. But we must be open to change as well. It’s deciding when and what to compromise on that will ultimately strengthen our style.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Miami’s Wynwood District

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Technology: Cause or Solution to Employee Burnout

I wrote a post recently about technology and burnout. I believe burnout is a huge issue for individuals and organizations. It’s an issue we need to be cognizant of in our roles as human resources and business leaders. In today’s workplaces, we have an opportunity to use technology tools to help us reduce the effects of employee burnout.

But not everyone feels the same way. I saw a comment after the post that said, “I love technology but often times it’s contributing to the problem it’s trying to solve.” Let me say, I don’t disagree with the comment. I’m not writing today to say the comment is wrong or inappropriate. I ran across this article recently in Training Magazine titled “Avoid Technology as a Tool for Rudeness” that focused on the need to manage technology and not let it overtake our lives.

Which is why I’m following up today to say that technology shouldn’t be labeled as the sole cause of employee burnout. In fact, in some cases, technology isn’t a contributor at all. Yes, technology is a big part of our personal and professional lives. We need to understand technology so we use it effectively. We need to manage technology so it doesn’t manage us.

Organizations that rely on technology to accomplish their goals and ask employees to use technology in their work, should help employees understand effective ways to use their technology. While many devices and applications are incredibly intuitive, organizations should make sure employees know the tips and tricks to use the program effectively.

I’m reminded of the notion of how many keystrokes it takes to do something in a word processing application. For example, I might do something that takes 6 keystrokes. And it works just fine. But someone shows me a way to do the exact same thing in 3 keystrokes. That makes my work easier. And helps to make me more productive.

The challenge with saying that technology contributes to employee burnout is that implies the answer is to rid ourselves of technology. Yes, it’s true that managing the amount of time we spend on our devices is valuable. At my house, we don’t check our devices during dinner. But the benefits of technology warrant me learning how to use and manage it so it doesn’t become a contributor to stress.

Individuals should be free to embrace technology tools to make their life and work easier. Organizations and individuals need to learn how to properly use technology. Organizations need to place realistic expectations on employees when it comes to response times. And they need to effectively communicate those expectations throughout the workforce.

If we’re going to reduce employee burnout, it’s important to understand all of the causes. And take a holistic approach to creating processes, systems, and programs that will address the issue at every level.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby after speaking the KronosWorks 2016 in Orlando, FL

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Working With a Job Accommodation – Ask #HR Bartender

I’ve mentioned before that, years ago, I was involved in a major auto accident. And as a result, I spent years in recovery. I was fortunate to work for an employer who accommodated my situation. Not everyone gets those same opportunities. That’s what today’s reader note is about.

I received my first performance review after 22 months in my role. Two months later, I was forced into another job. I am not good at this job. Finally, I figured out why and contacted HR – I’m dyslexic and there was too much turning around, making me both slow and exhausted.

HR said they were going to send me some paperwork via certified mail, but it never came.  Meanwhile, I started getting the cold shoulder from my co-workers. After telling my manager that I was going to leave (because I was being ignored by HR and my co-workers), I was told to empty out my company vehicle and not return to work. I asked my manager if the company had considered assigning me to another role because of my dyslexia and they had not.  There was no effort for an accommodation. I have not received any contact from the company since. Have I been fired? Can I resign? I have not received anything related to severance including information about my health insurance. While I am dyslexic, I have a bachelor’s degree and am very good at what I do. Does noting the dyslexia on an application make me hire-able for the ‘disability’?

Now I do understand that my situation is different and it took place years ago. But job accommodations are a challenging subject – for both employees and employers. To offer some insights, I asked employment attorney Donna Ballman, author of the award-winning book “Stand Up for Yourself Without Getting Fired: Resolve Workplace Crises Before You Quit, Get Axed or Sue the Bastards.” Her blog on employee-side employment law issues, Screw You Guys, I’m Going Home, has been named one of the American Bar Association’s 100 best legal blogs for the past five years.

Donna has helped us before. She shared her knowledge with us when a reader asked “Can You Bring Your Mother to a Meeting With HR?” Please remember she does have a full-time job that I’m sure keeps her very busy. Donna’s comments should not be construed as legal advice or as pertaining to any specific factual situations. If you have detailed questions, they should be addressed directly with your friendly neighborhood labor attorney.

Donna, i s dyslexia a condition covered by any employment legislation? And if so, which legislation?

[Ballman] Dyslexia is a protected disability under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and under many similar state laws.

In general, do employees have an obligation to follow-up with HR regarding paperwork or forms they request? Why or why not?

[Ballman] If you are expecting paperwork from HR and it doesn’t show up, you should follow up with them. It could be lost in the mail/email. You may have specific deadlines to fill out the paperwork and, if you don’t tell them that it never came, they may assume you are no longer interested.

Are companies required to reassign employees to another role if they are having trouble in their current role? And if they’re not required, are there pros/cons to doing it anyway?

[Ballman] Reassignment is one possible accommodation under the ADA, but it is not required. In general, you have a protected disability if you are able to perform the duties of your job with a reasonable accommodation. If you are completely unable to perform your job, you may not be covered. EEOC gives the example of a person with dyslexia requesting the accommodation of having papers read to them. While that may be a reasonable accommodation for someone who rarely has to read at work, it is not a reasonable accommodation for the job of a proofreader.

As to reassignment, it may be a reasonable accommodation if there is a vacant position and if the employee is qualified for that vacant position. But the employer does not have to create a position to accommodate a disability. Here are the EEOC guidelines covering reassignment.

Why should an employee know whether they’ve been fired? And does it make any sense for them to ask to resign instead?

[Ballman] If you were told to empty out your desk and not return and they stopped paying you, that’s a pretty good indication you’ve been fired. If you’re suspended, then you’re not normally told to empty your desk. On the other hand, if they were talking about a reassignment then that could be something still in the works.

I’d suggest emailing HR and saying something like, “Pursuant to the Americans With Disabilities Act, I requested a reassignment to another position to accommodate my dyslexia. Since then, I was sent home without pay and without communication. Unless I hear otherwise within 72 hours from this email, I will assume that I have been fired for requesting an accommodation.” That ought to get their attention. If you don’t get a response, apply for unemployment and talk to an employment lawyer in your state.

Last question. If an employee has a disability or condition that could impact their work, when should they consider sharing that with a potential employer?

[Ballman] After you get a job offer, you should disclose any accommodations you may need for your position. You should not disclose a disability before getting an offer, nor should a potential employer ask. They may make a conditional offer subject to a fitness for duty exam or being able to perform the duties with an accommodation. If you discover you need an accommodation after you start, then get with your doctor to discuss what accommodations would allow you to perform all the essential duties of your job. Then contact HR and make a formal request for reasonable accommodations under the ADA in writing.

They then have to engage in the ‘interactive process’ with your doctor and you to determine what reasonable accommodations can be made. They don’t have to grant your ideal or requested accommodation if they can offer an alternative that allows you to perform your job. If they can prove that accommodating you is an undue hardship, they don’t have to grant the accommodation.

My thanks to Donna for sharing her knowledge with us. I hope you’ll check out her book and blog for more insights.

Organizations ask employees to do many things. At some point, employees might need accommodations. Often those accommodations cost very little and send the message that the company cares. Something to think about as recruiting gets tougher and engagement remains stagnant.

Image taken by Sharlyn Lauby after speaking at the SHRM Annual Conference in Washington, DC

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For #HR Career Success: Here Are the Ingredients

Regardless of your career, you need to know what it takes to be successful in that profession. Given the theme of this blog, let’s call it the recipe for success. Specifically, what are the ingredients?

For some professions, like human resources, the ingredients (aka competencies) are regularly under review. The business world is changing, so the competencies need to reflect what’s happening in the workplace today. The good news is that the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has developed a competency model for HR professionals. It’s our recipe for success.

If you’re wondering what it takes to be an HR pro, here are the ingredients – for more details, click through for my video on each competency:

Ethical Practice: It’s very easy to say that ethical practice is important. But ethics is hard. For HR success, if we don’t have ethics, what do we have?

Critical Evaluation: Human resource pros need analytical skills. But that’s just part of critical evaluation. Let’s discuss the value of data in decision making.

Communication and Business Acumen: As human resources professionals, we need to be heard in order to be effective. That takes being able to communicate using business acumen.

Relationship and Consultation: HR needs to be a business partner. The only way to build relationships is with proper communication and a consultative approach.

Leadership and Navigation: Many business pros debate the meaning of leadership. It doesn’t just come with a job title. Leadership can be found at every level.

Depending upon your industry and focus in HR (generalist or specialist), these competencies could mean different things. For example, ethics in one organization is different than in another. I’ve also worked for multiple hospitality firms that each had a different view towards critical evaluation. So in addition to developing competencies in an HR context, we need to develop them for our organization and industry.

I hope you enjoy checking out the posts and videos. Being an HR professional is a rewarding career. Please notice I didn’t say easy…because it’s difficult at times. But it can also be a tremendous amount of fun.

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Keeping Employee Records Secure – Ask #HR Bartender

Recent research by PwC suggests that three-quarters of large organizations suffered a staff-related security breach during 2015, with half of the worst cases caused by human error. Educating employees on best practices to keep sensitive data secure is something HR will need to focus on in the years to come. This doesn’t exclude employee records. That’s what today’s reader note is all about.

Hi, I recently began working in the HR department at a new company. I’ve noticed a lot of things that seem unorganized and strange. My biggest concern is personnel file compliance. Basically, I read a lot of online information dictating how they should be organized, but I’m curious about which of these details are “required” and which are “recommended.” For example:

The personnel, medical and termination files are all being filed separately. However, they are all in the SAME room.
The records room is simply in one of the main hallways, right in the front of the HR office. It is usually wide open and NONE of the file cabinets have locks.
In a personnel file, is it required to have no sensitive information (such as social security numbers) on any documents and/or other forms?

I just want to make sure we’re compliant. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

To help us understand our obligations, I asked a labor attorney to share his thoughts. Mark Neuberger is with the firm of Foley & Lardner. He’s has shared his knowledge with us before – this post about the proper way to terminate someone is one of my favorites.

I know I don’t have to remind you, but just in case, please remember that Mark has a regular full-time job and he’s doing this to give back to the profession. His comments should not be construed as legal advice or as pertaining to any specific factual situations. If you have detailed questions, you should address them directly with your friendly neighborhood labor attorney.

Mark, are there laws regarding how organizations should maintain employee records? And if so, are the laws federal, state or both?

[Neuberger] While there are a multitude of recordkeeping requirements in virtually every employment and tax law, generally there are no federal laws establishing what must be in a ‘personnel’ file and how they should be maintained. An exception is found in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which says employee medical records must be stored in a separate file. Similarly, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) requires medical and genetic information to be stored separately. There is no guidance on how far away the files must be.

What is a best practice when it comes to sensitive employee info (like social security numbers) on employee records?

[Neuberger] In today’s WikiLeaks world, everyone is becoming increasingly sensitive to privacy concerns. Every HR department in even the smallest company has a LOT of sensitive information. There can be liability to the company for leaks, hacks and inadvertent disclosures. There is no one ‘best practice” that I am aware of. How you store sensitive data (hard copy/ electronically) will dictate what you need to do. My experience tells me most HR departments and in fact most companies, are way behind the curve in ‘hardening their firewall.’ This requires specific expertise oftentimes not found within your company and will require spending money.

I think the lock question is an excellent one. Is it enough to have employee records in a locked room or do they need to be in a locked cabinet – or both? Is there a best practice HR should consider for during the work day when we’re constantly going in/out of the filing cabinets?

[Neuberger] Again, I know of no one best practice. Ask yourself, ‘Can anyone other than those with a need to know get at the good stuff?’ If the answer is ‘yes,’ then you need to fix it.

What about medical files? Should employee medical information be separate from the rest of their personnel file?

[Neuberger] As mentioned above the Americans with Disabilities Act requires it. There is additional guidance available on the EEOC’s website at www.eeoc.gov.

Lastly, the reader didn’t ask about employee records retention, but there are legal requirements on how long organizations must keep files. Where can readers find out records retention requirements?

[Neuberger] There are so many differing record retention requirements depending upon the federal state or even local law. Do not forget about the Internal Revenue Code and state tax laws because your payroll records are also tax records. Unfortunately, I know of no one reliable source that collects everything you need to know in one place.

(Editor’s Note: The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) offers a Records Retention Toolkit that can help you get started.)

My thanks to Mark for sharing his knowledge. If you want to learn more, check out Foley & Lardner’s Labor and Employment Law Perspectives blog.

As you can see, there’s no one rule to follow when it comes to personnel files. But one thing is apparent, HR departments must send the message to candidates and employees that the information they provide is secure.

Image taken by Sharlyn Lauby after speaking at the Healthcare Human Resources Association Conference in Stillwater, MN

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Quick Shots for #HR and #Business Pros – Payroll Edition

I received this note from an HR Bartender reader recently:

An employee’s home address is Texas. He works in North Dakota. He is being terminated. Should the guidelines for his final check be in accordance with Texas or North Dakota?

Good news! We’ve actually answered this question in a previous post. Attorney Andrea Paris spoke about it in “Employment Laws” Where Employees Work or Live.” The answer isn’t as straightforward as it seems. The question also reminded me that we’ve talked about employee pay, final paychecks, and giving notice a few times on HR Bartender.

Never Mess with an Employee’s Paycheck

The Do’s and Don’ts with Final Paychecks

Working Out Your Final Notice

Giving Notice to Your Employer

The Importance of Giving Notice

Give Proper Notice – Even if the Company Doesn’t Deserve It

I worked in organizations where HR and payroll were separate functions. And I’ve also worked in companies where I’ve been responsible for payroll. Regardless of the reporting relationship HR and payroll must work together successfully. Employees expect to be paid properly.

Employees also expect when mistakes are made – and they will be – that the organization will quickly remedy the situation. Employees should not have to go without because the company didn’t process payroll correctly.

If you’re looking for some payroll resources, check out the American Payroll Association website. Lots of resources and you can connect with them on social media.

Image courtesy of Sharlyn Lauby

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Measure Training Effectiveness by Results, Not Hours

Years ago, I attended a training session where the instructor said that he knew participants we’re “getting it” because they started asking questions. It made sense to me. Whether the questions happen during the actual training or after the session, questions can be an informal gauge of training interest.

Of course, that’s not the only training metric or measurement. I recently had an opportunity to attend a learning and development conference in India, where measuring training effectiveness was a topic of discussion. One of the speakers, Foo Chek Wee, human resources director at ZALORA Group based in Singapore, made the comment that organizations needed to stop measuring training by hours and start measuring by results.

You’ve probably seen the measuring training by hours approach at some point. Training must start at 8:30a and end at 4:30p. If you’re done at 4:00p, well…the facilitator needs to keep talking until 4:30p. Because training is measured by hours. Participants aren’t held accountable for the content. They’re held accountable for the number of hours they spent in training.

Okay, I get it. I’ve attended plenty of training programs where participants want to beat rush hour traffic home and figure if we skip all the breaks and take 15 minutes for lunch, then we can get out early. Trainers need to design content so participants can comfortably take breaks and not be worried about being stuck in traffic. It is possible to do both.

It’s also possible to comfortably deliver training, not compromise the content, and finish a few minutes early. You know how that happens? Questions. When participants are engaged with the content and they are asking questions, the time just seems to go faster. And you finish earlier. And participants understand the content.

Which is what you’re striving for all along – participants who retain the material.

Speaking of retaining material, if you’re trying to measure training effectiveness and outcomes, one of the most widely known models is Kirkpatrick’s Levels of Training Evaluation. In a nutshell, the model outlines four levels of training evaluation:

Level 1 (Reaction) – the degree to which participants enjoyed the training.

Level 2 (Learning) – the extent participants acquired the knowledge or skills conveyed in training.

Level 3 (Behavior) – this measures the degree participants apply what they learned in training.

Level 4 (Results) – this measures the outcomes that occur because of the training.

There is a relationship between the levels. As the level of difficulty to calculate the measurement increases, the value of the measurement increases. Some might infer that, because a Level 1 measurement is the easiest to calculate, it is the least valuable (of the four.) However, we all know that Level 1 evaluations do provide value, if constructed properly. On the other hand, a Level 4 evaluation is the most valuable, but it’s also very difficult to calculate. And some organizations might not have the resources to do so.

I’m sure some might disagree with me but, the important thing isn’t to always measure training effectiveness at a Level 4. The important thing is to measure training. And not to measure it by hours. Even if your only measurement is a Level 1, you have a sense of how participants enjoyed the session. Simply understanding that someone spent a full-day in training doesn’t tell you how they viewed the program.

Organizations make huge investments into employee training. It’s important to provide some measurements regarding the success of the program. And there are plenty of measurements that are more effective than hours.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while attending the Great Place to Work Conference in Austin, TX

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9 Indicators of An Innovative Culture

Many organizations talk about the need to innovate. But what does that mean exactly? How can we create an innovative culture?

At this year’s Great Place to Work Conference for small and medium workplaces, I had the chance to hear Ruth Yomtoubian, director at AT&T Foundry, talk about their innovative culture. We might have a tendency to think of AT&T in a more traditional business sense. Ruth described Foundry as a “culture within a culture.”

She also pointed out there’s a lot of “faux innovation” in the business world. If your organization is looking to infuse the qualities of innovation into your culture, Ruth shared these indicators to consider:

Open and flexible workspace. There is some conversation these days about the downsides to the open office concept. That doesn’t mean it should be eliminated. Office space needs to be flexible to meet the needs of all employees – including spaces for alone time and collaboration.


Employees who can handle both ambiguity and structure. I like this aspect of innovation. There’s that old saying, “Think Outside the Box.” Well, sometimes the best solutions come from “working within the institution.” It’s about knowing how and when to do both.


Employees who can be both collaborative and experimental. They can connect internal stakeholders with informed external users. Enough cannot be said about the value of connections and networks. We must be able to listen to our biggest fans and our loudest critics.


Speed is considered an organizational value. The business world moves way too fast. Employees and organizations must be able to manage change well. Careers and bottom-line results depend on it.


Employees can take action over striving for a perfect outcome. Ruth said that, at Foundry, “Innovation has a hall pass to perfection.” Employees are allowed to just let it go to market. This is a real paradigm shift in the business world. We see it regularly with technology.


The goal is to have work that is sustainable within the organization. It makes no business sense to create something the organization cannot maintain. It will only lead to disappointment from customers and employees.


Employees are trained to be “translators” and “guides.” Successful innovation involves connecting traditional, old school business with the disruptive, bootstrap start-up. With all the talk about disruption in the workplace, it’s nice to see that disruption isn’t being defined as anarchy.


The organization allocates resources to be a thought leader in their industry. Companies cannot take for granted that they’re a thought leader. They must demonstrate it every single day in their words and in their actions.


The organization is willing to build strategic alliances (even with competitors) to try new projects. This is one of the exciting parts about innovation. Companies are finding ways to partner and work together, where in the past this would have been forbidden. You’re not turning over company secrets. But new partnerships can lead to new products and services.

With any culture exercise, organizations have to add and adapt with their values. Not all of these will align with your business. But I did find that all of them could provide some creative inspiration to organizations that feel innovation will provide a competitive business advantage and are struggling to introduce those components to their culture.

One parting thought to consider in looking at this list. It’s not enough to just introduce these concepts. Employees will need tools, training, and resources to successfully embrace these ideas. For some organizations, they’ve never done anything like this before. Setting employees up for successful change management is essential. It’s probably the biggest innovation of all.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while attending the Great Place to Work Conference in Austin, TX

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LinkedIn Endorsements: User Profiles Receive 17 Times More Views

A few weeks ago, I shared an infographic from LinkedIn which basically said, “Everyone is looking for a new opportunity.”  If that’s true, and I have no reason to believe it’s not, then keeping your brand relevant is important. For example, your LinkedIn profile should always be current. That’s one of the ways recruiters and hiring managers can find you.

In case you missed it, LinkedIn announced some changes to their endorsements feature. We did a post here on HR Bartender a couple of years ago about endorsements – why they’re important and how to use them. It’s possible that endorsements might have fallen off your radar, so I asked Yolanda Yeh, product manager at LinkedIn, to give us an update on what’s happening with endorsements.

Yolanda, let’s start with a brief overview of endorsements – what are they, how many people use them, etc.?

[Yeh] The goal of endorsements is to provide a way for your LinkedIn connections to recognize you for your skills and expertise. Since 2012, more than 10 billion endorsements have been shared by LinkedIn members’ connections for skills that range from leadership to machine learning.

The skills and endorsements on your profile help others understand your strengths, and help you get discovered through search. People with at least five skills listed on their LinkedIn profile receive up to 17 times more profile views. When viewers (like hiring managers or recruiters) see that you’ve been endorsed for those skills, it helps you put your best foot forward.

Now that we’ve been using endorsements for a while, what has LinkedIn discovered? Are endorsements being used exactly the way LinkedIn anticipated? Any nice surprises that you didn’t think of?

[Yeh] The goal of endorsements has always been to help members validate their strengths and expertise, and we’ve seen strong traction on this front.

While many people on LinkedIn use endorsements, we realized that there was still more to do so we began to rethink the endorsements feature. Delivering endorsements that provide even more value required a blend of research, new machine learning models and re-architecting the backend infrastructure that both serves and recommends new endorsements. These changes to the “Skills & Endorsements” section means we can better surface the most relevant endorsements that help to validate your skills via “Featured Highlights,” and prompt endorsements based on how well a connection knows you and how well they know a skill.

We’ll continue to work on the endorsements feature to make it even more useful to our members in the future.

LinkedIn recently announced that, when recruiters view a candidate profile, they can view the endorsements of mutual connections. Two-part question here: First, if I’m a candidate, why is this new change important? And second, is there anything I should consider doing to my profile to take advantage of this change?

[Yeh] Being able to view the endorsements of mutual connections creates an immediate connection that helps you stand out: recruiters can see right away that people they know and trust have endorsed you for your work.

Which is why you should make sure your skills are up-to-date so that your connections can help you connect to opportunity. Also, check that your skills are listed in order of the strengths you want to highlight, so LinkedIn can help by targeting suggestions for those top skills.

The other new endorsement feature that LinkedIn rolled out is suggested endorsements. Tell us a little about it and how should I (as a LinkedIn user) look at these suggestions and use them appropriately?

[Yeh] We’ve improved targeting of suggestions to the people that best know the skill and person, so that the most relevant connections are giving endorsements. To best take advantage of this feature, members should list their skills in order of what they want to highlight, and continually refresh and update their skills as their role changes. We do the work of targeting endorsement suggestions for those skills.

My thanks to Yolanda for giving us the latest on LinkedIn endorsements. If you haven’t updated your profile lately, it might be time to make sure it reads the way you want it to. And if you want to stay up to date on using LinkedIn, be sure to read the LinkedIn blog.

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