Having a strong professional network is critical for career success in today’s interconnected world. LinkedIn has become the premier platform for establishing and maintaining professional connections online. But what are LinkedIn connections, and how can they benefit your career?
What Are LinkedIn Connections?
LinkedIn connections are links between your profile and the profiles of other LinkedIn members. When you connect with someone on LinkedIn, you are effectively adding them to your professional network on the platform.
Some key things to know about LinkedIn connections:
- Connections are two-way – When you connect with someone, they also connect with you.
- There are different levels of connections – 1st degree connections are people you directly connect with. 2nd and 3rd degree connections are people connected to your connections.
- The more connections you have, the larger your LinkedIn network will be.
- Having connections displays that you have an active network and are engaged on LinkedIn.
It’s important to note the difference between connections and followers on LinkedIn. Anyone can follow you without connecting, but connecting indicates an established professional relationship.
Why Are LinkedIn Connections Important?
There are several key benefits to having a strong base of LinkedIn connections:
Expand your professional network
The most obvious benefit is that connecting with more professionals allows you to vastly expand your overall professional network. Even if you don’t interact with every connection regularly, they become part of your sphere of networking contacts. You never know when one might become useful for career or business opportunities down the line.
Enhance your visibility and credibility
Having more connections makes you appear well-connected and gives you more credibility in the professional world. People are more likely to connect with you if you already have a sizable base of connections.
Access insights about companies and roles
Your connections work at a variety of companies and hold diverse roles. By connecting with them, you gain insider perspectives and insights about their organizations and roles. This intel can help enhance your industry and career knowledge.
Get introduced to contacts
Your connections can introduce you to new contacts that would be beneficial to your career. You unlock access to your 2nd and 3rd degree networks through your direct connections.
Find job and business opportunities
Connections may hear about job openings, new projects, or business opportunities that could be a great fit for you. Having more connections increases the chances that you will be top of mind for such opportunities.
How to Connect with People on LinkedIn
Here are some best practices for connecting with other professionals on LinkedIn:
Connect with people you know and trust
Connecting with people you have an existing professional relationship with – former colleagues, classmates, clients, etc. – should be your first priority. Only connect with those you know and trust.
Personalize connection requests
When sending a connection invitation, customize the request message rather than using LinkedIn’s default text. Personalizing requests improves the chances they will be accepted.
Provide value to your connections
Look for ways to provide value to your connections by liking/commenting on their posts, endorsing their skills, and sharing helpful content with them. Don’t just connect and then disappear.
Follow up after connecting
After connecting with someone new, follow up with a message introducing yourself and expressing why you’d like to connect with them.
Connect sparingly with people you don’t know
It’s okay to connect with a few key professionals you don’t know as long as you customize your request and follow up afterward. But focus more heavily on people who know you.
How Many LinkedIn Connections Should You Have?
How many LinkedIn connections should you aim to have? Here are some benchmarks to consider:
| Profile Level | Ideal Number of Connections |
|---|---|
| Student | 50-100 |
| Recent grad | 100-300 |
| Young professional | 300-500 |
| Established professional | 500-1,000 |
| Executive/Leader | 1,000+ |
The number of connections you need depends on where you are at in your career. Early-career professionals should aim for at least 500 connections once established in their role. Senior leaders and executives often have over 1,000 connections.
But it’s about quality, not just quantity. You mainly want to connect with professionals who are relevant to your industry and professional interests.
Don’t Make These LinkedIn Connection Mistakes
As you build your LinkedIn connections, be sure to avoid these common mistakes:
Connecting with Irrelevant Contacts
Only connect with professionals who are a fit based on your industry, interests, goals, etc. Avoid connecting with random contacts just to boost numbers.
Sending Generic Connection Requests
Personalize every connection invitation to improve the chances it will be accepted. Generic requests often get ignored.
Not Following Up After Connecting
Follow up with new connections to introduce yourself and start the relationship off right. Don’t just connect and forget them.
Abusing Your Connections
Don’t take advantage of your connections by constantly spamming sales pitches or requests from them. Provide value.
Connecting with Complete Strangers
While connecting with a few key professionals you don’t know can be beneficial, focus mainly on people who know you or share strong professional ties.
LinkedIn Connection Request Etiquette
To send effective LinkedIn connection requests that get accepted, keep these etiquette tips in mind:
- Only connect with professionals you have reason to connect with, not random strangers.
- Personalize the request message to show you actually read their profile.
- Remind them where they may know you from (if applicable) in the request.
- Send a follow-up message after connecting to start the relationship.
- Don’t take it personally if a connection request is rejected or expires.
- Wait at least 2-3 weeks before attempting to reconnect with someone who expired your request.
- Limit connection requests to a reasonable number per week.
- Thank someone when accepting their connection request.
Tips for Managing Your LinkedIn Connections
Here are some tips for maintaining your LinkedIn connections effectively once built:
Organize Your Connections
Categorize new connections with tags or by adding them to relevant LinkedIn Groups to keep them organized.
Nurture Relationships
Engage with your connections by liking and commenting on their posts, sharing content, and offering congratulations/support.
Follow Up Periodically
Check in periodically with connections by sending them messages to maintain the relationship.
Provide Value
Look for ways to give back to your connections by making thoughtful introductions, sharing opportunities, offering advice, etc.
Prune Inactive Connections
Consider removing connections who you no longer interact with or who provide little value to focus on more beneficial relationships.
Conclusion
Developing quality LinkedIn connections can have a significant impact on your professional success and career opportunities. Focus on connecting with professionals who are relevant and valuable to your goals and interests. Personalize connection requests, follow up after connecting, and nurture your relationships over time.
In today’s digital world, who you know often has a big influence on the jobs and opportunities you are exposed to. So take the time to thoughtfully build, manage and engage with your LinkedIn connections. By actively developing these crucial professional relationships, you will expand the possibilities for your career.