LinkedIn is a powerful professional networking platform that allows you to connect and engage with other professionals in your industry. With over 740 million members worldwide, LinkedIn provides ample opportunities to grow your network and make meaningful connections.
However, sometimes you may want to connect with someone on LinkedIn without viewing their full profile. There can be various reasons for this – you met them briefly at an event, a mutual connection recommended connecting, or you simply want to expand your network. Viewing someone’s complete profile before connecting can come across as snooping. So how do you send a connection request while maintaining privacy and etiquette?
Here are some tips on how to connect with someone on LinkedIn without viewing their profile:
1. Use the mobile app to send connection requests
The LinkedIn mobile app makes it easy to send connection requests without viewing profiles. Here’s how:
- Open the LinkedIn app on your phone.
- Tap on “My Network” at the bottom.
- Tap the “+” icon at the top right and select “Connect”.
- Type the person’s name in the search bar.
- Tap on their name when it pops up.
- Tap “Connect” to send the request.
This allows you to send a request without ever opening the person’s profile. The mobile app only shows limited profile details when searching for people to connect with.
2. Connect from the LinkedIn website using search
You can also connect with someone without viewing their profile using LinkedIn’s website. Here are the steps:
- Go to LinkedIn.com and log in.
- Click on the search bar at the top of your homepage.
- Type the person’s name and select them from the dropdown.
- On the right side, click “Connect”.
- A box will pop up allowing you to send a note. Select one of the pre-written notes or write your own.
- Click “Send” to send the connection request.
This approach only shows the person’s name, headline, company and profile photo – but not their full profile. It’s a quick way to connect without being perceived as snooping.
3. Export connections using LinkedIn Recruiter
If you have access to LinkedIn Recruiter through a premium account, you can export a list of connections in CSV format. Here’s how it works:
- Go to the Recruiter homepage and click on “My Network”.
- Use the filters on the left to narrow down your list of connections based on criteria like location, industry, profile language etc.
- Once you have your list, click the “Export” button at the top.
- Select “Export all search results” and pick CSV as the file format.
- Open the downloaded CSV file which will contain name, headline and profile URL for each connection.
- You can now connect with anyone on the list by importing their profile link into a browser in private/incognito mode. This prevents their profile from being recorded in your browsing history.
This method allows you to connect with many people easily without ever viewing their full profiles.
4. Turn off profile viewing notifications
LinkedIn shows notifications to users when you view their profile. To avoid this, you can turn off profile viewing notifications:
- Go to your Account Settings and open the Privacy tab.
- Uncheck the box – “Let others know when you’ve viewed their profile”.
- Click Save Changes.
This ensures the other person is unaware when you view their profile. Use this option judiciously keeping privacy in mind.
5. Use a browser extension to view profiles anonymously
There are browser extensions like Anonymous Browser for Chrome and Firefox that allow you to visit any LinkedIn profile anonymously. The extension removes cookies and browsing history tracks, so the visited profile owner does not get notified. This gives you a way to vet profiles before sending connection requests.
However, use this method thoughtfully keeping ethical standards in mind. Snooping on connections without consent is not encouraged.
Helpful tips for sending connection requests
When sending LinkedIn connection requests without viewing profiles, keep these tips in mind:
- Personalize the connection request with a friendly note so it does not come across as spam.
- Only connect with those you know directly or through a mutual connection.
- Aim to build relationships, not just expand your network size.
- Follow up after connecting – send a message or invite them for coffee/chat.
- Do not bombard people with invites. Be selective and relevant.
When is it acceptable to connect without viewing a full profile?
It is generally acceptable to connect without a full profile view when:
- You met them briefly at an event, conference or gathering
- A close contact recommended connecting with them
- They have a visible common background like university, employer, group etc.
- You have interacted with them casually but not in a formal professional context
- You want to expand your network’s reach into a company or industry
However, if you have no direct connection or their full profile would provide useful context, viewing their profile before connecting is advisable.
Conclusion
Connecting with professionals without excessive profile snooping maintains privacy while expanding your networking reach. Use the right tools and settings to connect meaningfully without crossing personal boundaries.
Focus on building relationships, adding value and having genuine conversations. Ethical standards are vital in today’s hyper-connected world.
With the right approach, you can connect with almost anyone on LinkedIn without viewing their full profile. The various techniques and tools discussed above should help you do this effectively while respecting social and professional etiquette norms.