Ask HN: Are LinkedIn Recommendations/Skills sections useful when job hunting?

LinkedIn has a section of your profile called "Recommendations" wherein your colleagues can write little blubs about how great a coworker/employee/manager you were at a role.

"Skills" is a section on LinkedIn wherein one can add up to 50 skills they feel they used at previous roles, and their colleagues can "endorse" them at a skill, adding credibility to it.

Does having recommendations or skills on one's LinkedIn profile at all increase the chance of getting hired, or having recruiters reach out, or give any other advantage that might assist in the job application process? If so how, if not, why not?