It’s becoming more and more common for LinkedIn users to receive connection requests from people they don’t know. While some connection requests are sent in good faith from individuals who share common interests or want to build their professional network, others may be sent for questionable motives.
If you’ve noticed an influx of connection requests from strangers on LinkedIn, there are a few potential reasons why:
You have a robust LinkedIn profile
If you have a complete LinkedIn profile with detailed work experience, education, skills, recommendations, and more, it makes you an attractive connection. Your profile indicates that you’re a seasoned professional in your industry, so people you’ve never met want to connect with you to grow their own networks.
You work at a desirable company
Are you employed at a well-known firm with a strong reputation? Company name recognition can drive connection requests. People want to associate themselves with prestigious brands and tap into your company’s industry network.
You have lots of existing connections
The more LinkedIn connections you have, the more visible your profile becomes in search results and “People Also Viewed” sections. If you have 500+ connections, you’ll stand out as a well-connected individual. Others will send you requests in hopes of increasing their own connection count by association.
You’re active on LinkedIn
When you frequently post updates, comment on others’ posts, join LinkedIn Groups, and stay actively engaged on the platform, your profile gains visibility. People will take notice and want to connect.
You have rare skills or accomplishments
If you’re one of few people on LinkedIn with a highly specialized skillset or impressive accomplishments like patents, publications, speaking engagements, industry awards, etc., your unique profile will capture attention. People with similar skills or goals will want to link up.
You share alma maters or past employers
Fellow alumni and former colleagues often reach out on LinkedIn to reconnect and network. Common schools and companies provide an automatic affinity.
You’re in the same industries or interest groups
Those in your field will likely discover you through LinkedIn searches or Groups. Connecting allows you to share knowledge and opportunities related to your shared interests and professions.
You have desirable connections yourself
Some requesters may be more interested in gaining access to your own impressive network than actually connecting with you. By linking to you first, they can then approach your contacts and ask you for introductions.
Should you accept or ignore all the requests?
If your LinkedIn invitations are piling up, how should you handle them? It’s up to you whether to accept or ignore connection requests, but here are some best practices:
Accept requests selectively
Don’t accept every connection request. Review each requester’s profile and only accept if you have a shared connection, industry interests, college, or company. Use your best judgment on whether connecting could lead to a mutually beneficial professional relationship. It’s fine to ignore requests that seem spammy or solicitous.
Check for shared connections
Most legitimate requesters will have some common connections with you. See who you have in common. If it’s someone you know and trust, they can vouch for the requester. If you don’t have any shared connections, proceed with caution.
Assess their profile and motives
Glance at the requester’s profile. Do they share your alma mater or past employers? Are they in a related field? Or does their profile seem sparse or suspicious? Some spammers send vague requests from incomplete profiles. Consider motives before connecting.
Politely ask how you are connected
If you’re unsure about a requester, reply to their invitation asking how you are connected and suggesting a brief phone call. A trusted contact will happily fill you in. Spammers won’t have a good answer.
Block suspicious users
If a requester seems overtly solicitous without professional justification, feel empowered to block them. This will prevent unwanted invitations in the future. You can also report abusers to LinkedIn.
Limit your visible contacts
To reduce unsolicited requests, adjust your LinkedIn settings to limit viewing of your connections. Recruiters sometimes comb through people’s networks seeking contacts at target companies.
Personalize invitation responses
When accepting requests, send a customized message beyond LinkedIn’s default text. Personal touches build authentic connections. Briefly explain why you’d like to connect.
Follow up after connecting
Don’t let new connections languish. After accepting a request, follow up to start a constructive dialogue. Discuss shared goals and how you can collaborate.
What are people’s motivations for sending requests?
Those sending you unsolicited LinkedIn invitations may have a variety of motivations, both good and bad. Here are some of the most common:
Networking
Many people use LinkedIn to expand their professional networks. Connecting with seasoned individuals in their industry allows them to broaden their reach, seek advice, and be found by business contacts and recruiters.
Career opportunities
For job seekers, connecting to people at target companies, hiring managers, and recruiters can open doors to new opportunities. They hope to get noticed and considered for potential roles.
Business prospects
Entrepreneurs and salespeople often use LinkedIn invitations as a prospecting tactic. Connecting allows them to pitch their products or services through messaging.
Reconnecting
Former colleagues, classmates, and acquaintances send requests to get back in touch and nurture their bonds. Friendly face-to-face interactions convert to social media connections.
Research
Industry analysts, academics, journalists, and other researchers send requests to gain access to people’s profiles and views for reports, articles, and projects.
vanity metrics
Some people focus on accumulating connections as a superficial social status symbol, whether to boost their egos or appear more popular.
Spamming
By blasting generic requests, some shady operators use LinkedIn connections as a tactic to sell questionable products, spread malware, collect data, or lure people onto phishing sites.
Targeting influencers
Ambitious types may send unsolicited requests to prominent leaders, executives, founders, and industry influencers to build credibility by association.
Mining contacts
Overly opportunistic requesters aim to tap into other people’s networks to identify leads and contacts they can pitch for jobs, consulting gigs, or other business propositions.
Content distribution
Those promoting content, events, groups, or their own thought leadership may send invitations purely to enlarge their potential audience and share their updates.
How can you avoid or handle unwanted requests?
If bothersome LinkedIn requests become a nuisance, there are constructive ways to manage them without compromising your professional presence:
Fine tune your settings
Adjust your account visibility and notification preferences in Settings & Privacy. Limit which connections can view your full network. Mute request notifications.
Add info to customize requests
When members customize their invitation with a quick note on their profile or past interactions, it feels less canned. Personalize your settings.
Use filtering tools
Organize incoming requests with LinkedIn’s relationship filtering tabs: “Know Each Other,” “Worked Together,” “Went to School,” and “Other.” Review more relevant ones first.
Be selective
You’re under no obligation to accept every request. Check profiles carefully and only accept if there’s a clear professional fit. It’s fine to ignore irrelevant ones.
Ask for context
Politely reply to unclear requests asking the sender to jog your memory on where you met or worked together. Give them a chance to explain the relevance.
Reference common connections
View which connections you share with the requester. Ask those connections how they know the person to verify they’re legitimate.
Block or report suspicious behavior
Don’t hesitate to block or report suspicious accounts or activity like spamming, over-automation, and scraping. Help keep LinkedIn trusted and professional.
Organize your network
Use LinkedIn Groups to segment portions of your network by company, interest, location, discipline etc. This gives you more control over visibility and engagement.
Limit public profile views
In settings, you can limit who outside your network can view your full profile. This reduces visibility to unknown parties. But use judiciously.
Best practices for sending your own requests
When reaching out to new contacts, make sure you’re using LinkedIn’s connectivity powers for good:
Target selectively
Only send requests to those you know, have met in person, or share substantial professional interests with. No spamming strangers to inflate your numbers.
Personalize invitations
Skip LinkedIn’s form text. Write each request with a customized message highlighting your common bonds and interests.
Explain your intentions
Articulate why you’d value connecting, whether it’s to share industry insights, discuss potential opportunities, or build on past interactions.
Follow up after connecting
Connections are the beginning, not the end. Follow up with messages to have meaningful professional exchanges, not just a number in your network.
Add value
Look for ways to support your connections by endorsing their skills, recommending them, and sharing their relevant updates with your own network when appropriate.
Be patient
Not everyone will accept requests instantly. Allow time for responses before assuming rejection. Nurture relationships over the long-term.
Limit invitations
While it’s fine to methodically build your network, don’t overdo it. Mass-blasting invites to strangers looks desperate and insensitive.
Represent yourself accurately
Present an authentic professional persona on your profile. Don’t exaggerate accomplishments or mislead people you seek to network with.
Key takeaways
– A surge of LinkedIn requests from unfamiliar people is common as you build your professional profile and presence. Don’t panic. Take it as a compliment.
– Before accepting requests, carefully vet profiles. Only connect with those who advance your career aims through shared credentials or interests.
– Decline invitations that appear irrelevant or suspicious. But respond politely, referencing any common connections that could justify linking up.
– Monitor your visibility settings and notification preferences. Limit public access to your connections and profile. Mute unwelcome notifications.
– When reaching out yourself, personalize invitations, explain your purpose, and follow up meaningfully after connecting. Relationship-building takes ongoing nurturing.
Conclusion
Unfamiliar connection requests on LinkedIn are unavoidable as you gain visibility. But with prudent vetting and relationship management, you can filter out unhelpful contacts and build a quality network that serves your professional needs. Keep cultivating authentic relationships, not just contacts. Ultimately, it’s not the size of your network that matters most – it’s the substance.