Some people (undefined process) are given an endorsed skill (eg. Python). They can now endorse anyone in their network for python. But they cannot endorse anyone who claims a skill in 'goat herding'.
Now they have meaning as you can only endorse someone for a skill you have also been endorsed for.
My former boss had added 'Oracle' as a skill. I didn't know until LinkedIn asked me to endorse it. He's not even a technical guy, so I've no idea why he had added it but he's actually been endorsed for it by other business owners.
I believe LinkedIn automatically define these skills by crawling for keywords in your profile. I've never added a skills section yet every now and then I get emails stating I've been endorsed for a specific skill.
I believe users can also suggest them? I've got a couple on my LinkedIn profile that I didn't add, and weren't there earlier but I got a notification I was endorsed for that skill anyway.
I've had former colleagues offended that I did not endorse them for skills (that I had not witnessed them using, though I knew they used them at that company.)
Some people (undefined process) are given an endorsed skill (eg. Python). They can now endorse anyone in their network for python. But they cannot endorse anyone who claims a skill in 'goat herding'.
Now they have meaning as you can only endorse someone for a skill you have also been endorsed for.
My former boss had added 'Oracle' as a skill. I didn't know until LinkedIn asked me to endorse it. He's not even a technical guy, so I've no idea why he had added it but he's actually been endorsed for it by other business owners.