This ^^ is correct. It's viewed as worthless. Every time I go on (infrequent) it asks me to endorse a host of people and the more I do, the more names and photos that pop up.

It's an automated request that LinkedIn makes of people, probably so LinkedIn can increase page views or clicks or whatever they use to demonstrate their value. I think most people just click to make endorsements without really thinking about it. These endorsements mean almost nothing, IMO.

I don't get emails, but I have been prompted to endorse contacts when I add them, or sometimes when I log in.

I have received endorsements from people I don't work with (e.g., not in my field) or who I don't know well, and I've chosen not to let them appear on my profile. I wouldn't want to explain to a potential employer that the person endorsing my legal research skills is just a neighbor and not a former client.

I think you may be on to something. I just started getting these too. One person I still talk to frequently so I'll ask him the next time I see him. I wonder if LinkedIn is doing something when you click on any of the links in the "updates" they send you.

I wonder the same thing. Esp since my weird cousin started endorsing me for skills, I haven't spoken to her in years, and we're not in the same field or live near each other. Perhaps she's just an Internet stalker.

I am wondering if LinkedIn sends out emails to my contacts for endorsements. I was endorsed by three different people recently from whom I have not asked for any endorsement. I have actually not spoken to these people in a few years. Now, if I pick up the phone and ask them to be my reference, they will definitely do so and will give me very good references (two of these are actually my former bosses, which you cannot tell btw by just looking at their and my profiles on LinkedIn).

But at the same time, these are not the people who would go out of their way and click on my profile to endorse me. So what is going on here? Did they actually endorse me w/o any request on my part or LinkedIn did this for me? Thanks.