If you’ve spent any amount of time on LinkedIn, you’ve probably been met by the Brady Bunch-style “Do You Endorse” grid of former teammates, co-workers, classmates, and other connections. In a little over a year since becoming a feature, it can be a reminder to update your own profile and list of skills, but it also can be a gentle reminder to be an active networker…

… which leads to the LinkedIn recommendation. Endorsing members of your network is as easy as a click, but the recommendation is something that should be treated with a little more reverence and effort.  This recent post on Mashable offers up five tips that should make it a speedy and meaningful composition.

Take the opportunity to brag – a recommendation has endless potential and might be the just right amount of karmic momentum to get 2014 rolling.