Have You Found Success With LinkedIn's Endorsements Feature?

So when the new Endorsements feature rolled out a few months ago on LinkedIn, which calls itself "the social network for professionals," did you embrace it?

A story this week in MacWorld said now that LinkedIn users can add skills and expertise labels to their profiles, recruiters should be able to find you quickly and be able to review your skills, and you should be able find other LinkedIn members more easily who work in the same field.

First you can add your skills from an enormous list provided in your profile. Then, your contacts from the past and present can log in, see a blue endorsements box and click to confirm whether or not you possess those skills you claim. Each LinkedIn endorsement generates an email sent to your inbox.

You can add 50 skills total to your profile, with only a top 10 being listed as visible.

Apparently, the article says you can also hide endorsements from contacts you'd rather not keep public.

But, is it worth it? Do you use LinkedIn, and have you found career success already through this new Endorsements feature? Is this simplified method more effective than a traditional written endorsement?

Also, are you getting endorsements from contacts that aren't really familiar with your skillset?

Here's a sample of what Los Angeles Patch readers said on Facebook:

LG Taylor BIG BIG Fan of LinkedIn. I've had several business projects created through connections I've made on that network - both domestically and internationally. You have to know how to use it and what you want to gain from it. Interesting global discussions on numerous topics - and unique content. The personal endorsements don't hold much value but I salute any company who keeps trying new ideas. Some work - some don't.

James Latham I've been endorsed for things I've never done.