Do you find yourself wondering whether to accept an invite to connect on LinkedIn?

Developing criteria to guide you in this decision-making process can help you to streamline the time you put into it.

 

Deciding Who to Connect with on LinkedIn

Everyone takes a slightly different approach regarding accepting LinkedIn invites. In general, I advise my clients to be selective about whom they connect with on LinkedIn.

Here are some examples of criteria you can apply to this process:

  • There’s a potential for a business relationship with this person. Or, if you are a job seeker, this person might be able to help you land your next job.
  • You and this person are part of the same professional, business or community organization.
  • This person is a current or former co-worker, business colleague, client, or vendor.
  • You met this person at a networking function and hit it off with them. Or maybe you know them from a Facebook group or other online experience.
  • You are genuinely interested in this person in terms of their business-related activities.

Just because someone meets one or more of these criteria doesn’t mean you should accept the invite. To me, the most important criteria are the potential for a business relationship and your genuine interest in them.

 

Options for Handling LinkedIn Connection Invites

  • Accept the invite. LinkedIn will prompt you to write a message to them via LinkedIn messaging. I suggest you do that to help foster this new LinkedIn relationship.
  • Ignore the invite. If you do so, LinkedIn doesn’t notify them.
  • If you’re not sure about connecting with the person, you can message them, saying something like “Thanks for the invite. What prompted you to reach out to me.” To create this message, click on “Manage” – just above Pending Invites. Or it might say “Select” (and the number of invites that are pending). Then click on the word “Message” just below their name.
  • Another option is to block the person. I use this option when the note with the person’s invite or their profile headline is super salesy or inappropriate. To block someone, go to their profile and click on the “More” button. Click on “Report/Block,” then click on “Block – the person’s first name,” and finally click on the “Block” button. LinkedIn doesn’t notify the person that you blocked them.

Also, keep in mind that unless you change your default setting, everyone who connects with you can see your connections. Be wary of casually accepting an invite to connect, because that person’s motivation may simply be to access your connections. They may not be genuinely interested in you.

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 55 and up, to be more effective using social media, with a special focus on LinkedIn. She works with business owners, business development professionals, business consultants, job seekers, and more – ranging from entrepreneurs to people in large corporations. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com