LinkedIn Invitation Etiquette
Lately I have noticed a flurry of LinkedIn invitation
activity. What bothers me is not the amount of invitations being
sent or received but how users are going about the invitation
process. So I've put together this brief blurb on LinkedIn
invitation etiquette.
I do not mind receiving invitations from people I have never
met (even though LinkedIn says you should really only accept
invites from people you know.) If I feel that a connection would be
mutually beneficial, in most cases I will accept. However, what
irks me is when I receive inmail from someone I have never met
requesting that I send them an invitation. I know you only receive
a certain number of invitations from LinkedIn and it is NOT OK to
request that I use one of mine to connect with you if: I've never
met you before, have no clue who you are, and you have already used
all your invitations. This is just poor form and will promptly get
your message deleted.
If we don't know each other, do not send a blanket invitation
request. If you just send the standard invitation I won't know who
you are or why you want to connect. When I want to connect with
someone I do not personally know I find a common link and then tell
them about it. For example, I have not met all the other great
professional resume writers out there but I want to make
connections and learn and grow. So if I find someone's blog that I
really enjoy reading I'll request to connect and tell them. I'll
say I really loved your blog, it's very informative and I would
really like to connect. In almost all cases the other person has
accepted my invitation.
I have also connected with tons of recruiters. I connect with
them because we have a career path that runs along the same track.
We're both trying to help job seekers, we just help them in two
different ways. It is always a good idea to connect with people in
similar industries who you could potentially partner with later
down the road.
Don't waste invitations on people that could really have no
value to your job search or career. (Especially if you do not know
them.) If you are in one part of the world and they are in the
other, both in completely different industries, and the chances of
either of you being beneficial to each other is slim to none - do
not waste your invitation. Remember, you only get so many and when
that one great connection comes along that you just HAVE to make -
you want to make sure you have an invitation to send.
Scout out the right people and ensure you make connections
'with a purpose'. Don't just frivolously throw invitations away to
connect on a whim.
Remember proper etiquette when sending invitations, let the
'invited' know WHY you want to connect and even what you can bring
to the connection. The idea is that connections will be mutual
beneficial and not just a one way street.
