To accept or reject: Here’s how to handle LinkedIn requests from strangers

That happens to many of us. new LinkedIn Connection Request Pop up for no note, message or reason. Perhaps the person shares some Interconnectionsbut they are inherently strangers.

Some people are willing to accept every demand that comes into their way. But others are more wary and want to connect with people they know personally. But the question remains: whether you accepted or refused LinkedIn invitation from The unknown person?

As a career expert on employment platforms surelyPriya Rathod often receives this type of invitation.

“Personally, I get some requests when there’s no mutual connection or no notes. I’m wondering who this person is and why they want to connect with me,” she says. luck.

Career Experts luck We spoke about how we handled these invitations, saying there was no blanket. Instead, they emphasize that choices are personal. Some people may prefer a carefully curated network of experts, while others see strength in numbers. They added that while it is not strictly forbidden to send LinkedIn requests to strangers, there are some important rules that aspiring networkers should keep in mind.

“We’ve been working hard to get into the world,” said Gracie Sascargin, Associate Dean at the Career Management Center at Columbia Business School. “On the other hand, networking is about interacting with both people you know on your personal network and with the few deleted people, and those are the people who have proven to be the most valuable resources during your job search.”

To accept or reject?

There are two ways of thinking when it comes to receiving LinkedIn requests from strangers.

The first is that all requests are welcome. This is especially common among early career workers looking to build a professional network, and can be fascinating to accept all invitations to reach thresholds like 500 connections. Others may want a larger group of connections so that their posts have a greater impact.

“We’ll accept almost everyone,” says Tim Toterhi, Chro advisor, author and career coach. This comes with a brief explanation in the connection request for a recent alumni, colleague, or anyone who reads his latest book. He tries to avoid painting-free individuals and people with blank profiles as a way to eliminate bots and con artists, but Toterhi says he is willing to connect with most people as long as there is some intent behind it.

“Each of us has the right to determine what kind of network we are building and whether that network is intended for intimacy, influence, or influence,” says Arianny Mercedes, a former leader in talent management. American Expressand is currently the founder of Revamped, a global career and workplace consultant.

However, she added that the drawback of the “More Is More” approach to LinkedIn is an increasingly loud timeline. “Every time we accept a new connection, we allow another audio to the digital field,” she says.

The second idea is that you need to carefully consider your LinkedIn invitation. It means rejecting or ignoring requests from strangers.

“It’s not about rejection, it’s about relevance,” says Nirit Peled-Muntz, Chief Human Resources Officer at Hibob, HR Technology Company. “For me, it’s about treating people the way I want to be treated. That doesn’t mean accepting all the requests, but it means being as thoughtful and kind as possible.”

Recently, Michael Mandel, co-founder and CEO of Compstak, a commercial real estate data platform, has recently been Posted A list of his own criteria for rejecting LinkedIn invitations. Those who promote the number of connections they have, and describe themselves as “thinking leaders” and “foreigners,” or those who frequently use rocket ship emojis are all disqualified.

He even said he hopes to have an “AI agent that automatically rejects LinkedIn invitations” based on that standard.

The right way to send a blind invitation

It’s possible to take strangers with you on LinkedIn, career experts say, and sometimes even encourage them. You have to do it the right way.

“Sending a connection request is like walking to someone in person at a networking event, asking for a referral or doing it yourself,” says Rathod. “That’s fine, but there are some very important things that need to bear in mind.”

The main thing is to include short, well written mischief with the request. Career experts say that the number one differentiator is whether they are willing to accept requests from people they have never met before.

Also, LinkedIn members are much more likely to connect with those who interacted with the content, according to company internal data. Approximately 20% of users say that having mutual connection is one of the most important factors in determining who to connect with.

LinkedIn career expert Andrew McCaskill says he has over 30,000 followers on the platform but usually receives 10 direct connection requests per day and only knows one or two names. McCaskill is in a unique position in that he works for LinkedIn, but even so, he says he doesn’t accept connection requests from anyone. They must also share why they are reaching out to him.

“If you’re looking at the lines of people who are looking for direct connections, then I’ll look at the notes first. I just write a note and say I don’t just want a connection, but I’m saying you want to be my connection,” he says. luck.

Most experts don’t have time to “experience all the mental exercises” about whether they met the person they were told, he adds. If it takes too much effort, he often leaves it behind later. “If I get lost in that shuffle, I might not go back to it.”

When it comes to writing important notes to match connection requests, experts say it’s important to make sure it’s not too detailed. Instead, write a sentence or two about why you would like to contact someone.

“From the shared industry to similar goals and praise for work, it can make a huge difference in how requests are received,” says Rathod.

This story was originally introduced Fortune.com