LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that allows you to connect with other professionals in your industry. One of the main benefits of LinkedIn is expanding your network, so inviting new connections is an important part of getting the most out of LinkedIn.
What are the requirements to invite someone to connect on LinkedIn?
There are a few requirements in order to send an invite to connect on LinkedIn:
- You must have a LinkedIn account
- The person you want to invite must have a LinkedIn account
- You must be at least a 2nd-degree connection (meaning you have a shared connection) or know their email address or be a 1st degree connection.
As long as you meet those requirements, you can invite anyone on LinkedIn to connect. However, it’s best to only invite people you know and trust, rather than spamming strangers with connection requests.
How do I find people to invite to connect on LinkedIn?
Here are some tips for finding people to invite to your LinkedIn network:
- Search for co-workers, classmates, friends, family members, and other contacts you know who have LinkedIn accounts.
- Use the “People You May Know” section – LinkedIn will recommend connections for you based on shared networks, schools, companies, etc.
- Search for and follow companies you’re interested in. You can then invite employees of those companies to connect.
- Join LinkedIn groups related to your industry or interests. Engage with group members and invite those you connect with to join your network.
- Use advanced search to find people based on location, company, job title, skills, shared groups, and more.
- Attend in-person networking and industry events. Connect with new people and invite them to connect on LinkedIn after meeting them.
Focus on quality over quantity – invite people you have an existing relationship with or those you would like to build a relationship with based on shared interests and backgrounds.
How do I send an invitation to connect on LinkedIn?
Sending an invite to connect on LinkedIn is easy:
- Go to the profile of the person you want to connect with
- Click “Connect” near the top of their profile (on desktop) or “Connect” under their name (on mobile)
- A window will pop up – customize the pre-filled message or write your own note. Explain who you are and why you’d like to connect.
- Click “Send” to send the invitation
Here are some tips for sending effective connection invitations:
- Personalize each invitation with a note, don’t just send generic invites.
- Remind them where they know you from if it’s not obvious from your profile.
- Mention any shared connections you have in common.
- Highlight why connecting would be mutually beneficial.
- Use a warm and friendly tone.
What happens after I send a LinkedIn connection invitation?
After sending a connection invitation, here is what happens:
- The recipient will receive a notification that you want to connect.
- They can choose to accept or ignore the invitation.
- If they accept, you will become 1st degree connections on LinkedIn.
- If they ignore the invitation, you can re-send the invite after a few weeks or months.
- If they reject the invitation, you will not be able to send another invitation.
Don’t take it personally if someone ignores or declines an invitation – they may want to limit their network or simply didn’t find your invitation compelling enough. Focus on cultivating the connections who do accept your invitations.
How do I accept a LinkedIn connection invitation?
Accepting a LinkedIn connection invitation is easy:
- When you receive an invitation, click on the notification bell icon at the top of your LinkedIn homepage.
- This will show you all your pending invitations. Click “Accept” on any you want to approve.
- You’ll also receive an email notification when you get an invitation. Simply click the “Accept” button in the email to confirm.
- After accepting, the sender will be added to your LinkedIn network as a 1st degree connection.
Before accepting an invitation, make sure it’s from someone you know and want to connect with. You can also review their profile to see if you have any shared connections or experiences.
It’s networking etiquette to try to accept invitations promptly if you want to connect. Ignoring invitations for too long may signal disinterest to the sender.
How do I politely decline a LinkedIn connection invitation?
If you receive an invitation from someone you don’t know or don’t wish to connect with, you can politely decline the invitation:
- From the notification or email invitation, click “Ignore” rather than “Accept.” The sender will not be notified.
- Alternatively, you can click “Reject” to decline the invitation outright. The sender will be notified you rejected their request.
- If necessary, you can also report or block unwanted invitations from strangers or suspicious accounts.
Some tips for politely rejecting invitations:
- Use the “Ignore” option if you don’t know the sender and want to avoid an awkward interaction.
- Only reject invitations outright if needed, for example if the sender is harassing you.
- Consider adding a polite note explaining why you are declining if it’s someone you know but don’t wish to connect with on LinkedIn.
Don’t feel pressured to accept every invitation – curate your network based on existing relationships and those you wish to build.
Can I cancel a sent LinkedIn invitation?
If you’ve sent an invitation but the recipient has not accepted yet, you can easily cancel the invitation:
- Go to your LinkedIn homepage and click “My Network” at the top.
- Click “Invitations” to see sent invitations that are still pending.
- Find the invitation you want to cancel and click “Withdraw invitation.”
- Confirm withdrawing the invitation. It will be removed and the recipient will no longer see it.
Reasons you may want to cancel an invitation:
- You realized you don’t actually know the person or misidentified them.
- You no longer wish to connect with that person.
- You discovered something concerning about the recipient’s profile.
- You sent the invitation by mistake.
Once an invitation has been accepted, there is no way to directly “un-connect” on LinkedIn. However, you can remove a connection from your network or block them if needed.
Can I re-send a LinkedIn invitation that was ignored?
If someone ignores a connection invitation you sent them, you can re-send an invitation after a certain waiting period:
- If they ignored your 1st invitation, wait 3-6 months before sending another invite.
- If they ignored a 2nd invitation, wait at least a year before reaching out again.
- Personalize your invitation note to acknowledge you have connected before and explain why you’d like to try connecting again.
- Consider if you have new shared connections or experiences to mention in your updated invite.
- If they ignore a 3rd invitation, it’s best not to send additional requests unless you develop a new reason to connect.
Keep in mind they may continue ignoring further requests if they are not interested in connecting for whatever reason. Focus on cultivating the many other potential connections on LinkedIn rather than fixating on one person who has not reciprocated interest.
Can I automatically re-send pending LinkedIn invitations?
LinkedIn does not have an automated option to re-send pending invitations that have been ignored after a certain period of time.
Each invitation must be manually re-sent by you as the sender. This allows you to customize your message appropriately for a follow-up attempt, rather than spamming the recipient with repeated generic invitations.
It also prevents excessive automation of invitations on the platform. Automatically re-sending invitations could be considered harassment if repeatedly sent to someone who has not responded.
Some automation tools claim to automatically re-send your pending LinkedIn invitations. However, this violates LinkedIn’s Terms of Service and could get your account flagged or banned.
Instead, focus on sending thoughtful, personalized invitations to new potential connections. If an existing invitation goes ignored, you can manually choose to reconnect in the future if appropriate.
What are LinkedIn’s restrictions on sending invitations?
LinkedIn limits the number of invitations you can send to avoid spamming behavior. Here are the main restrictions:
- With a free account, you can only send a maximum of 300 invitations every month.
- Paid Premium accounts have higher connection limits based on their level.
- You must have at least 4 shared connections or know the recipient’s email address to invite someone you’re not already connected to.
- Only individuals can send invitations – companies cannot connect directly.
If you try to exceed the monthly cap, you will get an error notification that you have reached the limit.
Sending too many invitations without personalization or to recipients outside your network may get your account flagged for spam-like activity. Make sure to only invite those you know and have a genuine interest in connecting with.
Can I import contacts to send LinkedIn invitations?
Yes, you can import contacts from your email or other networks to invite them to connect on LinkedIn. Here’s how:
- Go to your LinkedIn homepage and click “My Network.”
- Select “Contacts” and then “Manage contacts.”
- Choose the option to import contacts from your email (Gmail, Outlook, etc).
- Check the contacts you want to import to LinkedIn.
- LinkedIn will match any imported contacts who already have accounts.
- For contacts without LinkedIn, you can now invite them to join.
You can also sync contacts directly from your phone, import contacts from a CSV file, or connect LinkedIn with other networks like Twitter to expand your connections.
Just be sure not to spam all your imported contacts with mass invites. Take the time to personalize connection requests, especially to those who don’t actively use LinkedIn already.
Can I automate sending LinkedIn invitations with tools or scripts?
Automating connection invitations using third-party tools or scripts is strictly prohibited under LinkedIn’s Terms of Service.
Examples of automation that violate LinkedIn’s policies include:
- Auto-connect apps or browser extensions.
- Scripts or bots that send automated invites.
- Services that offer to automatically send invites or connect your account.
- Tools that auto-resend ignored invitations repeatedly.
The risks of using automation include:
- Getting your account permanently restricted or banned.
- Ruining your reputation by spamming recipients.
- Reduced reach, since automated invitations are down-ranked in search results.
- Missing out on organic growth and engagement.
Instead, focus on thoughtfully cultivating your network over time with manual, personalized outreach. This will lead to higher quality connections and a better experience on LinkedIn.
Conclusion
Sending and accepting invitations to connect on LinkedIn is a key way to grow your professional network. Use personalized notes to invite those you know and want to build relationships with. Accept invitations promptly from those you wish to connect with. Politely ignore or reject unwanted invitations to thoughtfully curate your connections. Follow LinkedIn’s guidelines to avoid spam behavior and make the most of your networking relationships.