How to Get Lots of Connections on LinkedIn

How to Get Lots of Connections on LinkedIn ShareShare2In last weeks post I explored the question, Whats a Good Number of LinkedIn Connections? and the benefits of having lots! This week Ill give some tips on how to easily build up to a large network that supports your goals for networking and professional visibility. Now maybe youre thinking, I want quality, not just quantity. Agreed. And on LinkedIn, quantity tends to lead to quality. Having a generously sized network makes it easier to find, connect with, and be noticed by those influential people, those company insiders, hiring managers or others, who can really make a difference in your career. First: dont get restricted! This part is crucial but easily handled. When you invite someone to connect, they have various options, including clicking Ignore, and according to LinkedIns Help file they can also click I dont know this person. Too many such I dont knowsalso known as IDKscan cause LinkedIn to restrict you from inviting other people to connect until you contact LinkedIn and promise to be more selective in future. But heres the thing: most people arent trigger-happy about giving IDKs. I cant even find the option on the page, despite LinkedIns claim that its there. (Maybe their Help file is out of date.) It helps a lot to include a nice note with your invitation pointing out interests and/or contacts you have in common. For example: Im building my network and I noticed that we have three connections in common, including Bob Parr. We also both belong to the Digital Marketing Managers group. Id be honored if you would join my network. Thanks! Get your invitations accepted. Lets say theres a key person youd like to connect to and youre not sure theyll accept your invitation. If you dont yet have connections in common with them, first join some LinkedIn groups they belong to, if any. Belonging to LinkedIn groups has other benefits as well, including networking opportunities and improved search rankings. If theyve posted anything lately, you might post an intelligent comment on it. Next, try connecting with other people theyre connected to.Then invite them with a note pointing what you have in common, mentioning explaining why youd like to connect with them and what they might get out of it. For most requests, you wont need to do all of that. For example, most of the people I connect to are folks with whom Ive already had some contact, so all it takes is a polite Id be honored if you would join my network. Thanks! Connect to almost everyone you know. There are very few categories of people I really dont advise connecting to, and theyre pretty obvious. Dont connect to people you really dont want to be associated with, such as someone who has harassed you, or an unethical co-worker. Dont accept invitations from fake profiles. And ignore connection requests that include a compliment about your looks. The compliment may be true, but the admirer is probably a fraudster working a fake profile. Should you avoid connecting with your current boss and others at work, in case they notice youre using LinkedIn to look for a new job? A much better choice is to exercise discretion in your privacy settings (e.g., whether your contacts are able to see who else youre connected to) and what you post. Its usually advisable to connect with: Most or all of your colleagues, current and past Past managers/supervisors People you encounter in your day-to-day work, e.g., prospective customers, vendors, consultants, etc. Nearly everyone youve communicated with in your job search, e.g., info interviewees, career coaches, etc. (but check those privacy settings!) Members of any professional associations or clubs you belong to Fellow college students/alumni, no matter how long ago you graduated Your professors, especially if youre a student or recent grad Other instructors Personal contacts such as your accountant, dentist, doctor, hair stylist, etc. Personal friends and acquaintances Neighbors Sports partners and fellow hobbyists Your spouse Family members LIONs My hair stylist? My parents? How is that going to help me? Why not? You never know whether at some time in the near futureor even nowwhether one of their connections might be useful to know. And remember, every connection builds your 1st, 2nd 3rd degree network, which is useful for all the reasons I discussed in last weeks post. And whats a LION? See below. Love those LIONS! Get thousands of 2nd and 3rd-degree connections almost instantly Ever heard of LinkedIn LIONs? The acronym stands for LinkedIn Open Networker and indicates someone who is willing to connect with anyone who invites them. To find them, click in the search field, then People, then All Filters, and then type LION into the Last name field and click Apply. You can also filter your search more specifically, for example to find LIONs who are recruiters, or who work in a company youre interested in. You can send up to 3,000 invitations! Dont use up all 3,000 now, okay? And you can connect with far more people than that. But how, if you can only invite 3,000? Actually you wont need to invite anywhere near that many people, because If you build it, they will come. As you build a larger network, more and more people will invite you to connect. If your goal is to have a big network, accept a lot of those invitations. Do you see now how easily you can get more LinkedIn connections? Build your network and reap the benefits of easier networking and greater visibility to prospective employers, customers and other people youll want to know. How to Get Lots of Connections on LinkedIn ShareShare2In last weeks post I explored the question, Whats a Good Number of LinkedIn Connections? and the benefits of having lots! This week Ill give some tips on how to easily build up to a large network that supports your goals for networking and professional visibility. Now maybe youre thinking, I want quality, not just quantity. Agreed. And on LinkedIn, quantity tends to lead to quality. Having a generously sized network makes it easier to find, connect with, and be noticed by those influential people, those company insiders, hiring managers or others, who can really make a difference in your career. First: dont get restricted! This part is crucial but easily handled. When you invite someone to connect, they have various options, including clicking Ignore, and according to LinkedIns Help file they can also click I dont know this person. Too many such I dont knowsalso known as IDKscan cause LinkedIn to restrict you from inviting other people to connect until you contact LinkedIn and promise to be more selective in future. But heres the thing: most people arent trigger-happy about giving IDKs. I cant even find the option on the page, despite LinkedIns claim that its there. (Maybe their Help file is out of date.) It helps a lot to include a nice note with your invitation pointing out interests and/or contacts you have in common. For example: Im building my network and I noticed that we have three connections in common, including Bob Parr. We also both belong to the Digital Marketing Managers group. Id be honored if you would join my network. Thanks! Get your invitations accepted. Lets say theres a key person youd like to connect to and youre not sure theyll accept your invitation. If you dont yet have connections in common with them, first join some LinkedIn groups they belong to, if any. Belonging to LinkedIn groups has other benefits as well, including networking opportunities and improved search rankings. If theyve posted anything lately, you might post an intelligent comment on it. Next, try connecting with other people theyre connected to.Then invite them with a note pointing what you have in common, mentioning explaining why youd like to connect with them and what they might get out of it. For most requests, you wont need to do all of that. For example, most of the people I connect to are folks with whom Ive already had some contact, so all it takes is a polite Id be honored if you would join my network. Thanks! Connect to almost everyone you know. There are very few categories of people I really dont advise connecting to, and theyre pretty obvious. Dont connect to people you really dont want to be associated with, such as someone who has harassed you, or an unethical co-worker. Dont accept invitations from fake profiles. And ignore connection requests that include a compliment about your looks. The compliment may be true, but the admirer is probably a fraudster working a fake profile. Should you avoid connecting with your current boss and others at work, in case they notice youre using LinkedIn to look for a new job? A much better choice is to exercise discretion in your privacy settings (e.g., whether your contacts are able to see who else youre connected to) and what you post. Its usually advisable to connect with: Most or all of your colleagues, current and past Past managers/supervisors People you encounter in your day-to-day work, e.g., prospective customers, vendors, consultants, etc. Nearly everyone youve communicated with in your job search, e.g., info interviewees, career coaches, etc. (but check those privacy settings!) Members of any professional associations or clubs you belong to Fellow college students/alumni, no matter how long ago you graduated Your professors, especially if youre a student or recent grad Other instructors Personal contacts such as your accountant, dentist, doctor, hair stylist, etc. Personal friends and acquaintances Neighbors Sports partners and fellow hobbyists Your spouse Family members LIONs My hair stylist? My parents? How is that going to help me? Why not? You never know whether at some time in the near futureor even nowwhether one of their connections might be useful to know. And remember, every connection builds your 1st, 2nd 3rd degree network, which is useful for all the reasons I discussed in last weeks post. And whats a LION? See below. Love those LIONS! Get thousands of 2nd and 3rd-degree connections almost instantly Ever heard of LinkedIn LIONs? The acronym stands for LinkedIn Open Networker and indicates someone who is willing to connect with anyone who invites them. To find them, click in the search field, then People, then All Filters, and then type LION into the Last name field and click Apply. You can also filter your search more specifically, for example to find LIONs who are recruiters, or who work in a company youre interested in. You can send up to 3,000 invitations! Dont use up all 3,000 now, okay? And you can connect with far more people than that. But how, if you can only invite 3,000? Actually you wont need to invite anywhere near that many people, because If you build it, they will come. As you build a larger network, more and more people will invite you to connect. If your goal is to have a big network, accept a lot of those invitations. Do you see now how easily you can get more LinkedIn connections? Build your network and reap the benefits of easier networking and greater visibility to prospective employers, customers and other people youll want to know. How to Get Lots of Connections on LinkedIn ShareShare2In last weeks post I explored the question, Whats a Good Number of LinkedIn Connections? and the benefits of having lots! This week Ill give some tips on how to easily build up to a large network that supports your goals for networking and professional visibility. Now maybe youre thinking, I want quality, not just quantity. Agreed. And on LinkedIn, quantity tends to lead to quality. Having a generously sized network makes it easier to find, connect with, and be noticed by those influential people, those company insiders, hiring managers or others, who can really make a difference in your career. First: dont get restricted! This part is crucial but easily handled. When you invite someone to connect, they have various options, including clicking Ignore, and according to LinkedIns Help file they can also click I dont know this person. Too many such I dont knowsalso known as IDKscan cause LinkedIn to restrict you from inviting other people to connect until you contact LinkedIn and promise to be more selective in future. But heres the thing: most people arent trigger-happy about giving IDKs. I cant even find the option on the page, despite LinkedIns claim that its there. (Maybe their Help file is out of date.) It helps a lot to include a nice note with your invitation pointing out interests and/or contacts you have in common. For example: Im building my network and I noticed that we have three connections in common, including Bob Parr. We also both belong to the Digital Marketing Managers group. Id be honored if you would join my network. Thanks! Get your invitations accepted. Lets say theres a key person youd like to connect to and youre not sure theyll accept your invitation. If you dont yet have connections in common with them, first join some LinkedIn groups they belong to, if any. Belonging to LinkedIn groups has other benefits as well, including networking opportunities and improved search rankings. If theyve posted anything lately, you might post an intelligent comment on it. Next, try connecting with other people theyre connected to.Then invite them with a note pointing what you have in common, mentioning explaining why youd like to connect with them and what they might get out of it. For most requests, you wont need to do all of that. For example, most of the people I connect to are folks with whom Ive already had some contact, so all it takes is a polite Id be honored if you would join my network. Thanks! Connect to almost everyone you know. There are very few categories of people I really dont advise connecting to, and theyre pretty obvious. Dont connect to people you really dont want to be associated with, such as someone who has harassed you, or an unethical co-worker. Dont accept invitations from fake profiles. And ignore connection requests that include a compliment about your looks. The compliment may be true, but the admirer is probably a fraudster working a fake profile. Should you avoid connecting with your current boss and others at work, in case they notice youre using LinkedIn to look for a new job? A much better choice is to exercise discretion in your privacy settings (e.g., whether your contacts are able to see who else youre connected to) and what you post. Its usually advisable to connect with: Most or all of your colleagues, current and past Past managers/supervisors People you encounter in your day-to-day work, e.g., prospective customers, vendors, consultants, etc. Nearly everyone youve communicated with in your job search, e.g., info interviewees, career coaches, etc. (but check those privacy settings!) Members of any professional associations or clubs you belong to Fellow college students/alumni, no matter how long ago you graduated Your professors, especially if youre a student or recent grad Other instructors Personal contacts such as your accountant, dentist, doctor, hair stylist, etc. Personal friends and acquaintances Neighbors Sports partners and fellow hobbyists Your spouse Family members LIONs My hair stylist? My parents? How is that going to help me? Why not? You never know whether at some time in the near futureor even nowwhether one of their connections might be useful to know. And remember, every connection builds your 1st, 2nd 3rd degree network, which is useful for all the reasons I discussed in last weeks post. And whats a LION? See below. Love those LIONS! Get thousands of 2nd and 3rd-degree connections almost instantly Ever heard of LinkedIn LIONs? The acronym stands for LinkedIn Open Networker and indicates someone who is willing to connect with anyone who invites them. To find them, click in the search field, then People, then All Filters, and then type LION into the Last name field and click Apply. You can also filter your search more specifically, for example to find LIONs who are recruiters, or who work in a company youre interested in. You can send up to 3,000 invitations! Dont use up all 3,000 now, okay? And you can connect with far more people than that. But how, if you can only invite 3,000? Actually you wont need to invite anywhere near that many people, because If you build it, they will come. As you build a larger network, more and more people will invite you to connect. If your goal is to have a big network, accept a lot of those invitations. Do you see now how easily you can get more LinkedIn connections? Build your network and reap the benefits of easier networking and greater visibility to prospective employers, customers and other people youll want to know.