Unpopular opinion: I accept (almost) all LinkedIn connection requests.

Before I explain my reasons, I would first like to address the posts on the same topic that I have often read from other LinkedIn users, who seem to be of a completely different opinion.

Firstly, I keep reading from many LinkedIn users that they feel almost offended when someone wants to connect with them on LinkedIn. They even demand that the person who wants to connect describe their motivation for doing so, i.e., submit a kind of application. Is this person even worthy of a connection, a valuable contact? Which raises the question of what criteria are being applied here?

However, given the limited space in the field for connection requests, it is not really possible to share much information about oneself; to do so, one would have to view the profile, but do respondents do that? In any case, some remain steadfast: if they have not met the person in person before, they do not want to connect.

Secondly, they justify their rejection of such contact requests with the fear of being immediately spammed with advertising messages, etc. That may be the case, but to be honest, I haven’t received that many spam messages, and when I do, I either ignore them or block them if they become too annoying. One LinkedIn user said that this seems to reflect a certain Angst that someone—God forbid—might want to connect professionally.

So why do I accept almost all contact requests?

A) That is the purpose of this platform: to establish contacts with professionals and build a personal network. Even if you will never meet most of these people, chance never sleeps. Serendipity can only happen if you allow it to. I consider the opportunity that could arise from a connection to be greater than the risks. And if I never give the opportunity a chance, then it will never happen.

B) Contacts are both a source of information and an audience. I see posts from many different areas of life, but I also gain an audience for my own content. Yes, most contacts will never interact with my content, but occasionally someone will, and suddenly I have access to another person or information that I would have missed without them.

C) Maybe you find it annoying to be active on LinkedIn regularly and maintain your network because you have so much to do and perhaps feel too important. Or you think it’s enough to just stay in touch with people from your own company or industry. But the day may come when you suddenly find yourself looking for a job. Without a network that you have steadily built up over time, it will probably be more difficult to find a new job if you don’t have access to a broad network across companies and industries. And new job offers usually don’t come from first-degree contacts, but from second- or third-degree contacts. Every new first-degree contact allows you to establish a broader network of second- or third-degree contacts.

D) I work as an independent technology trend researcher, so it’s important for me to raise my voice and publicize my work in order to find new opportunities. Every contact request (and every new follower) gives me feedback that they find my work and my voice interesting enough to take this step and get in touch. It’s as if they are adding me to their bookmarks. So why shouldn’t I accept to connect with them?

My conclusion: Building a network and accepting everyone into my circle creates opportunities. Refusing to do so would be like cutting off the limbs that are ready to reach for new opportunities. However, I also understand that as a male LinkedIn user who is self-employed, I may be in a different position and that security and/or “strange” interactions may be more valuable to others than another connection.

What is your personal philosophy regarding connection requests on LinkedIn?