I’ve been getting connection requests on my linkedin profile with a new message now. It was, “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn” and now its changed to something like, “Since you are the person i trust, I would like to add you…”
I’m amazed how many LinkedIn requests are indiscriminately sent to acquaintances or strangers without even personalizing the generic invitation message: “Since you are person I trust…” I guess, the change in message was done to let people think whether they actually trust the person or not before they send a request; but behavior hasn’t change. It is no different from asking a man on the street to be friends with you. Many of these interactions start and end with that LinkedIn invitation. LinkedIn makes networking easier, but it can also make us lazy.
If you really feel the need to connect with that stranger, it’s highly recommended that you personalize the connection request.
I heard someone say recently that the difference between networking and not working is one letter. LinkedIn is a powerful tool. But it doesn’t replace networking. It enables it. Having a large network can give us a false sense of security. What’s far more important than the size of the network are the meaningful connections within the network.
What’s your opinion on the new linkedin default message!
