LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform with over 800 million members. As a professional, having a strong LinkedIn presence is important for building your personal brand and expanding your network. However, one common question people have is how to connect with someone on LinkedIn without viewing their full profile.
There are a few ways to send LinkedIn connection requests without looking at the full profile of the person you want to connect with.
Search for the Profile Within Your Network
The easiest way is to search for the person’s profile within your existing LinkedIn network. For example, if you know the person works at a certain company, you can search for their name under the People who work at [Company Name] section. This allows you to send a connection request directly from the limited preview available in the search results without opening the full profile.
Import Contacts
Another option is to import your email and phone contacts into LinkedIn and connect to those who already have LinkedIn profiles. Here’s how to do it:
- Go to the My Network tab
- Click on “Manage synced and imported contacts”
- Choose the option to sync your email contacts or contacts from your phone
- LinkedIn will match the contacts to existing member profiles
- You can then easily send connection requests to those matched profiles without viewing them
Shared Connections and Teammates
You can also go to someone’s profile you have a shared connection with and click “Connect” without viewing their full profile. The same goes for connecting with teammates and alumni of your university or company without looking at their full profiles.
LinkedIn Mobile App
The LinkedIn mobile app makes it easy to connect without profile views. Here’s how:
- Tap the My Network icon
- Tap the Invite icon in the top right
- Choose to invite by contacts, name, company, school, or groups
- Select the people you want to connect with
- A preview of their profile will appear with a Connect button
Turn Off Profile View Notifications
LinkedIn shows profile views in notifications to users. To avoid notifying someone when you view their profile, go to settings and turn off profile view notifications before connecting with them.
Use Anonymous Browsing
You can also use anonymous browsing when viewing someone’s profile you want to connect with. Here’s how to turn on anonymous browsing:
- Click on Me icon > Settings & Privacy
- Go to Privacy tab > How you appear to others
- Turn on Anonymous profile viewing
This will browse profiles anonymously without showing your identity to the user. You can then send a connection request without them being notified you viewed their profile.
Use a Private/Incognito Browser Window
Browsing LinkedIn in a private or incognito browser window prevents connections from seeing you viewed their profile. Here’s how:
- Chrome: New Incognito Window
- Safari: File > New Private Window
- Firefox: New Private Window
- Edge: InPrivate Window
This option disables tracking and cookies during the private session. Close the window after sending your invites to stay in stealth mode.
Conclusion
Connecting on LinkedIn without looking at someone’s full profile can be important for maintaining privacy or discreetly expanding your network. With the right settings and tools, you can send connection invites and grow your network without showing unwanted profile views.
The key options covered in this article include searching connections, importing contacts, using the mobile app, turning off notifications, anonymous browsing, and private browser windows. Using these best practices allows you to strategically connect with the right people on LinkedIn without revealing your activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does sending a LinkedIn invitation notify the recipient?
Yes, the recipient will receive an email and LinkedIn notification that you have invited them to connect. However, they will not receive any notification that you viewed their profile prior to sending the invitation using the methods described in this article.
Is there a limit on LinkedIn connection requests?
Yes, LinkedIn limits the number of connection invitations you can send in a given period to maintain quality. The exact limits are not disclosed, but avoid mass connection blasts to stay within reasonable usage.
Can I retract a sent LinkedIn invitation?
No, there is no way to retract a connection invitation after sending it. The recipient can either accept, ignore, or reject the request.
Does LinkedIn show who viewed my profile?
LinkedIn shows profile views in notifications and the Who’s Viewed Your Profile section. However, anonymous browsing prevents your identity from being shown. You can also turn off view notifications in Settings.
Can I browse anonymously on the LinkedIn mobile app?
No, anonymous browsing is currently only available on the desktop version of LinkedIn. However, using the mobile app prevents views from being shown in notifications.
Is there a way to see who viewed my profile?
LinkedIn Premium accounts have access to viewing data on who has looked at their profile. Free accounts can see aggregated data but not individual identities of profile viewers.
Tips for Connecting on LinkedIn
Here are some additional tips to keep in mind when connecting on LinkedIn:
- Personalize each connection request with a note – this increases acceptance rate.
- Focus on quality over quantity of connections.
- Leverage shared connections for introductions to expand your network.
- Participate in relevant industry groups and conversations.
- Provide value to your connections by engaging with their content.
Importance of LinkedIn Connections
Here are some of the key benefits of building your LinkedIn network:
- Stay up-to-date on industry trends and opportunities
- Discover new job openings and business leads
- Gain exposure for your own brand and expertise
- Access insights from connections’ content and posts
- Get introduced to decision makers and hiring managers
- Showcase credibility through recommendations
The wider and stronger your LinkedIn network, the more opportunities you create through relationships with influential professionals in your industry. Just remember to focus on quality over quantity of connections for the best results.
Table of Connection Request Limits
LinkedIn Account Type | Maximum Connection Requests per Week |
---|---|
Free Account | 100 |
Premium Business Account | 150 |
Premium Career Account | 600 |
Recruiter Accounts | InMail Dependent |
As shown in the table, LinkedIn places limits on how many connection requests you can send per week depending on your account type. Sending too many invites may get your account restricted, so maintain reasonable usage based on these limits.
Best Practices for Managing Your LinkedIn Network
Managing a healthy LinkedIn network requires some ongoing maintenance. Here are some top tips:
- Check your connection notifications regularly and accept or ignore promptly.
- Leverage tags and folders to organize connections (premium feature).
- Proactively reach out to key connections with personalized messages.
- Remove outdated connections that are no longer relevant.
- Participate in discussions and share useful content.
- Congratulate connections on work anniversaries and new roles.
- Monitor your network statistics for growth and engagement.
Actively managing your network ensures you get the most value from your LinkedIn connections for your career and business objectives.
Summary
Connecting on LinkedIn without viewing full profiles can be accomplished through search filters, contact imports, private browsing, the mobile app, and anonymous settings. This allows discreetly expanding your network without showing unwanted profile views.
Focus on quality connections, participate in discussions, share relevant content, and proactively maintain your network. LinkedIn’s massive professional community provides immense opportunities to showcase expertise, discover leads, and build relationships.