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Do you ever wish your resume came with a reputation meter, like in Skyrim or Mass Effect?

Because honestly, that’s exactly what LinkedIn recommendations are.

They’re your reputation points IRL, and most job seekers are completely underusing them.

Today, I want to break down:

• Why recommendations matter more than you think

• How recruiters actually read them

• And how to “farm” them without feeling awkward or fake

⸻

Level 1: Why Recruiters Care (The Stat Check)

When a recruiter lands on your LinkedIn profile, they’re scanning for signals.

Think of it like a boss fight doing a stat check before the battle:

• Does this person look legit?

• Is there proof?

• Do other people vouch for them?

This is where recommendations come in.

They’re basically your guild members saying:

“Yeah, I’ve raided with this person. They’re solid—and here’s why.”

Without recommendations, you look like a solo player with no party. With them, you look like the MVP everyone wants on their team.

And hiring? It’s built on trust.

⸻

Level 2: Reputation = Access

Recommendations don’t always land you the job instantly.

But they open doors.

Just like having high reputation in Fallout or Oblivion unlocks new dialogue options, recommendations unlock:

• More recruiter interest

• More interviews

• More benefit-of-the-doubt moments

I’ve seen it firsthand.

I’ve been on the recruiter side for 10+ years, and I’ve watched tie-breakers happen where:

• Two candidates had the same skills

• Same experience

• Same resume quality

The one with strong recommendations won.

That’s social proof. And you? You’re the product being reviewed.

⸻

Level 3: How to Get Recommendations (The Farming System)

Let’s talk mechanics.

Here’s how to farm reputation points without being weird:

Step 1: Don’t cold-DM strangers That’s like asking a random NPC for legendary loot. It doesn’t work.

Start with people you’ve actually quested with:

• Managers

• Teammates

• Mentors

• Clients

• Professors (if you’re early career)

Step 2: Make it mutual Give one first. You often get one back. Think Pokémon trades—everybody wins.

Step 3: Be specific when you ask Don’t say:

“Can you recommend me?”

Say: “Could you highlight the project we worked on together and how I contributed?”

Now they know exactly what loot to drop.

Step 4: Keep it short and authentic The best recommendations are like boss fight recaps:

• Clear

• Focused

• Shows your clutch moments

Cheat Code: Give + Give + Give + Give + Ask = Everyone levels up

⸻

Level 4: Not All Loot Is Equal

Press Start on the video for this Cheat Code

⸻

Level 5: Advanced Strategy (Meta Builds)

Press Start on the video for this Cheat Code

⸻

Final Quest (Your Call to Action)

Here’s your mission:

1. Open LinkedIn

2. Make a list of 3–5 people you genuinely worked with

3. Send a short, authentic message, like you would on Discord

4. Make it about shared wins, not favors

Start farming your reputation points now.

Because when the next big boss fight (aka your next interview) shows up.

You’re going to want that XP boost from others.

Whether you're navigating in a video game or the job market, remember:

Preparation and strategy will lead to victory, always!

Thank you for being part of my journey.

Your support means the world to me.

That can be in the form of a like on my YouTube Channel, checking out my digital products, a donation, a comment on my LinkedIn posts, or even sharing any of my content.

I’m honored to help level up your job hunt, in some way.

It truly fills my cup to teach and share my knowledge with you in a fun way.

Always keep leveling up.

I will see you in the next issue.

Dellyn Lee Founder of Dellyn Digital