By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
This is a dilemma many weigh every day. Let me discuss a few variables and offer a suggestion.
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Hi, I’m Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter. And the question for today is, should you accept a LinkedIn connection request from a stranger? Now, let’s see how, first of all, a stranger finds you. They may have heard about you in some venue, for example, you’re a speaker somewhere.
You’ve been involved in an online group or an offline group. You’re a second-level connection of someone that they know. They’ve decided to reach out to you.
Now, for those, I don’t expect there are many celebrities watching this. I’ll simply say, if you are one, you know, follow what your agent is telling you to do. I simply say, for some of you, there’s an advantage and you open yourself up to lunatics.
I also remind you that if the person acts like a lunatic, you can block them and end it and sever the connection. So, I tend to encourage people to be freer. Now, for average Jane or Joe, I would say also accept the connection request.
Here’s why. The probability is this person notices you’re a member of a group that they’re a part of, or that you’re a second level connection to someone that they that they’re already connected with. So, what they’re trying to dhttps://thebiggamehunter.us/linkedin-posts-on-linkedin-and-algorithms-jobsearchtv-com/o is expand their network.
And, at the same time, you’re expanding your network. Now, I’m always reluctant to accept people with very few connection requests. Like I’ve been reached out to as the first connection request from someone on Facebook and on LinkedIn.
And often, those are spammers. You know, they’re trying to get access to me because I’ve got a pretty big network. And I’m fairly visible online.
So, I know what they’re trying to do is to post to my wall on LinkedIn. So, you know, they’re publicizing their crap. So, I tend not to accept from new connectors, or some of those people with the profile picture that’s done in aquamarine backgrounds, because those tend to be phony profiles.
There’s an exception every once in a while, but most of those are phony. I accept connection requests from people anywhere in the world, even though I’m in the US, and there are people throughout the world who reach out to me, I tend to accept those requests. Because, again, I can always disconnect pretty quickly if I catch that they’re a problem individual.
For me, for years, I tended not to connect with other recruiters in order to avoid my competition. I didn’t want my competition benefiting from my connections. I’ve changed that over the last six months, because what the heck, you know, it doesn’t really matter.
I don’t find jobs for everyone. I’m trying to help people. That’s my choice.
For you, I would say, if they work for a competitor of your companies, in a role where they can get access to information that you’re sharing, that’s not necessarily secret information, or that is secret information, you don’t want to connect with them. I don’t think you have any great secrets is the truth of it. But if you’re uncomfortable, don’t accept.
Don’t block. Don’t hide. Don’t, I don’t know the person.
Just don’t accept for now. Give yourself time to consider and just keep it as an unanswered request in your inbox. You can accept it a month later where they’ve forgotten about the request and then be able to observe what they’re like online.
When all is said and done, your advantage in accepting connection requests comes from broadening your network. So if you’re trying to reach out to people on LinkedIn, LinkedIn is only letting you message people who are first level connections, second level by using an email and through groups. Groups, I believe, is still free for messaging.
And they’re tracking your behavior. And if you’re not getting a lot of responses, they penalize you. Better be connected with people than not connected so that you’re not using emails to reach out to them.
You can direct message people. It’s far better to do that. And by accepting connection requests, you get access to those networks, as well.
So, generally, I give the idea . . . sorry, I give the idea thumbs up, do it with a couple of those caveats. And the big one is, if you don’t like the individual, not long after you connect, you can always disconnect. Hope you found this helpful and hope you have a great day.
Take care
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ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS Career Advice globally because he makes many things in peoples’ career easier. Those things
can involve job search, hiring more effectively, managing and leading better, career transition, as well as advice about resolving workplace issues.
Schedule a discovery call at my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us
You will also find great info and job search coaching to help with your job search at JobSearch.Community You can get free copies of 25 Interview Questions and Answers, How to Craft a Compelling Elevator Pitch in 20 Seconds or Less, Get Ready for the Job Jungle, Diagnosing Your Job Search Problems, No BS Resume Advice, and Prove Your Worth First, Then Negotiate. Receive free weekly suggestions and more.
He is the producer and former host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 3000 episodes.
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