LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform with over 690 million users worldwide. With so many people on LinkedIn, it’s common to receive connection requests from people you don’t know personally.
Some connection requests come from recruiters, salespeople, or others looking to expand their networks. But should you accept LinkedIn connection requests from strangers? Here is a thorough look at the pros and cons to help you decide.
Pros of Accepting LinkedIn Connections from Strangers
There are some potential benefits to accepting LinkedIn invitations from people you don’t know:
Expand your network
Accepting connections from new people allows you to grow your LinkedIn network quickly. A wider network gives you access to more professionals, resources, and career opportunities. According to some estimates, 85% of jobs are filled via networking.
Gain new perspectives
Connecting with professionals outside your immediate circle can expose you to new ideas and ways of thinking. This diversity of perspectives can inspire you and enhance your worldview.
Increase your visibility
A larger network makes you more visible in LinkedIn search results. When people look at your profile, they may be more inclined to connect if you have 500+ connections rather than 50.
Get introduced to someone important
That random invitation could be from someone influential who could have a big impact on your career. You never know who you might meet on LinkedIn.
Help others
Accepting a connection request can be a nice way to help another professional who sees value in connecting with you. It’s a low-effort way to do someone a solid.
Be more approachable
Accepting invites from new connections might make you appear more open-minded and approachable on LinkedIn.
Cons of Accepting LinkedIn Connections from Strangers
On the other hand, there are also some potential downsides to connecting with people you don’t know on LinkedIn:
Get spammed
Some people send connection requests just to be able to message you later. Accepting these invites can expose you to more spam and unsolicited messages.
Appear desperate
Accepting every connection invite can look desperate or indiscriminate, rather than pragmatic and purposeful in growing your network.
Become a target
Scammers and bad actors on LinkedIn may see you as an easy target if you quickly accept requests without vetting people.
Damage your brand
Non-selective connection behavior may undermine your professional brand if you appear to connect with anyone and everyone.
Get stalked or harassed
In rare cases, accepting a connection from a stranger could make you vulnerable to online stalking or harassment if they have bad intentions.
Leak private information
By connecting to people you don’t know, you grant them access to some of your profile and network data by default on LinkedIn.
Spread yourself too thin
Saying yes to every connection invite can spread your time and attention too thin, making it harder to cultivate deeper relationships.
How to Evaluate LinkedIn Connection Requests
Rather than accepting or ignoring every invite, consider evaluating each request individually. Here are some factors to help you decide whether to connect on LinkedIn:
1. Check Your Shared Connections
See if you share any 1st-degree connections with the person. Mutual connections suggest the person is legitimate and worthwhile connecting with.
2. Assess Their Profile
Give their profile a close read. Look for red flags like a lack of details, few connections, no photo,etc. But having a sparse profile doesn’t necessarily mean the person isn’t worth connecting with.
3. Consider Who Sent the Request
Invites from someone you’ve met in person, people within your industry, or credible organizations warrant more consideration than random strangers.
4. Read Their Note
A personal note indicates the person actually looked at your profile and made an effort to connect. Mass-invitees rarely personalize connection notes.
5. Check for Common Interests
You may wish to connect if you have overlapping interests, college major, employers, etc. Common ground forms a basis for networking.
6. Assess Their Motives
Requests from recruiters, sales professionals, or marketers may have business motives for connecting. Whether that suits you depends on your own objectives.
7. Gauge Your Comfort Level
Your gut instinct matters. Decline invites if someone makes you uncomfortable or seems suspicious based on their profile or how you know them.
8. Consider Your Career Goals
Evaluate the person’s potential to help you meet your career growth, job seeking, or professional learning objectives by connecting.
Best Practices for Managing LinkedIn Connection Requests
Use these tips to thoughtfully manage LinkedIn connection requests:
Customize your notification settings
Adjust your settings so you’re notified when you receive requests. Promptly evaluating requests prevents you from forgetting about them.
Add senders to your “Maybe” list
If you’re unsure about a sender, add them to your Maybe list to reevaluate the request later when you have more time.
Look for common ground in your note
When accepting requests, briefly note any shared experiences, interests, connections, etc. Personalized responses build warmer relationships.
Connect sparingly
Be selective about who you connect with. Quality connections are more valuable than having an enormous network of strangers.
Group incoming requests
Use the filtering and tagging tools to categorize requests (i.e. sales, recruiting) so you can handle similar requests consistently.
Review your contacts regularly
Periodically reassess your connections. Prune contacts if needed to focus your network on truly valuable relationships.
Use anonymous browsing
Browse in anonymous mode if you want to assess someone’s profile without notifying them by appearing in their “Who’s Viewed Your Profile” list.
Customize profile visibility
Adjust your profile visibility settings as needed. For example, you can hide your connections list from people outside your network.
Should You Accept LinkedIn Requests from Strangers? The Verdict
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer – it depends on your career circumstances and objectives. However, being open to connecting with new people can significantly expand your professional network and possibilities.
The key is being selective. Thoughtfully evaluate each request based on the profile, shared connections, industry relevance, and your overall comfort level. Accept promising invites from credible professionals at your discretion. But feel empowered to ignore or decline requests that seem random, suspicious, or unhelpful.
With judicious connection management, you can populate your network with valuable new contacts while filtering out the spammers and bad actors. So go ahead and say yes – but be picky.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the risks of connecting with strangers on LinkedIn?
Potential risks include getting spammed with unsolicited messages, having private information exposed, damaging your professional brand, and rarely, being harassed or stalked.
Does accepting connections help your LinkedIn algorithm?
Yes, growing your network by accepting more connections can boost your profile’s visibility in LinkedIn’s algorithm. But it’s more valuable to nurture quality connections versus having an enormous network of strangers.
Should I accept connection requests without a message?
It’s better to get a personalized note, but some credible requests come without one. Look at other profile factors like shared connections to evaluate requests lacking messages.
Can connections see my full profile if we are not connected?
No, non-connections have limited profile access. Connecting allows them to see all profile details you’ve made visible to your network.
Is it safe to connect with a recruiter who messages you?
Typically yes, connecting with recruiters can expose you to new job opportunities. But look for suspicious red flags like asking for sensitive information upfront.
What is the limit on LinkedIn connections?
LinkedIn currently allows up to 30,000 connections on a free account and 60,000 connections on a premium paid account.
Should I reject connection requests if we have no shared connections?
Lacking mutual connections raises the risk the person is not who they claim to be, but you can still evaluate their profile carefully before deciding.
Conclusion
LinkedIn is meant for networking, so you shouldn’t automatically reject connection requests from strangers. But employ wise discretion based on shared connections, career relevance, and your comfort level. Vetting new contacts protects your reputation while allowing you to strategically expand your professional network.
With care, connecting on LinkedIn can lead to exciting new relationships, knowledge, and opportunities you might have otherwise missed. So don’t be afraid to accept invites from promising new contacts that can enrich your world.