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Is It OK To Connect With a Potential Employer on LinkedIn? 9 Things To Consider

Jan 21, 2021

Is It OK To Connect With a Potential Employer on LinkedIn? 9 Things To Consider

Is it OK to connect with a potential employer on LinkedIn? Why or why not?

Here are nine things to consider when connecting with a potential employer on LinkedIn:

  • Worst case scenario, you get ignored
  • Create a connection strategy
  • Is your LinkedIn profile up to date?
  • Always add a message 
  • Connecting is one of LinkedIn’s main purpose
  • Consider a thank you note
  • Know who you’re talking to
  • Explain your value and how you’re beneficial
  • Have you spent time cultivating your LinkedIn?

Worst case scenario, you get ignored

The worst-case scenario is the potential employer ignores your connection request. I don’t see a problem with making the connection request. Just know that when you press “Connect” and send the request, there’s a chance the request may be ignored. Try to avoid getting offended if that’s the case, as employers have hundreds of candidates applying to positions who may be doing the same thing. 

Carey Wilbur, Charter Capital

Create a connection strategy

It shows a keen interest in the company’s goals and puts you in a good position to stay in touch with them. It’s a good idea to carefully draft a connection strategy (beyond merely letting them know you’ve applied to an open job). You could engage with their posts, offer new ideas aligned with your career expertise, or like their updates. You can also follow companies on LinkedIn that interest you, which will be apparent to their hiring team if you apply to one of their posted openings on LinkedIn.

Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume

Is your LinkedIn profile up to date?

Extending a connection request on LinkedIn is like extending the job interview. Just like a candidate should be cognizant of their physical appearance in a job interview, candidates should accurately represent themselves through information on their profile. Before connecting, make sure that your profile contains a “summary” about yourself that reads like an objective statement on a resume. Make sure your headshot is professional, as you’ll be representing the company you’re applying to online. By taking the time to ensure your LinkedIn profile best represents you and your abilities, you’ll be able to continue to make a positive impression on your potential employer. 

Brett Farmiloe, Markitors

Always add a message 

Yes, you should connect with a future employer on LinkedIn! There are, however, a few caveats with that statement such as who you are connecting with, what you are saying, and the position. Only connect with someone who will be looking at your resume such as a recruiter or hiring manager. Additionally, when connecting always add a note. This can be as simple as, “Hi Katia, I have applied to your open recruitment role, and wanted to express my utmost interest and excitement. I would love to connect!”. Additional best practices for outreach includes reserving this only for roles you are truly excited about and that align with your career interests.

Katia Dillon, TechnologyAdvice

Connecting is one of LinkedIn’s main purposes

By all means yes! Remember, one of the main purposes of LinkedIn is to make new business connections. If you have targeted a company for hire and see that a Hiring Manager at that target company is advertising a role that you’re interested in then yes send a request to connect. If you do it in a professional (do not beg) manner then you could earn yourself a close look and possible interview. Certainly, make sure you use LinkedIn to its full potential in the job search!

Ronald Kubitz, Forms+Surfaces

Consider a thank you note

Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes for a second. She is interviewing not only you but many others, trying to determine who will be the best person for the job and the company. Connecting over LinkedIn before a decision has been made can come off as both pushy and over-confident—like you’re certain that you’ll be the one who’s working closely with the interviewer over all those other candidates. What should you do instead? Write the perfect thank you note. It’s still the best way to follow up and let the interviewer know how much you want the job. If you really want to grow your network on LinkedIn, it’s okay to request a connection with your interviewer, just wait until after a decision has been made.

Mark Christensen, People & Partnerships

Know who you’re talking to

It’s more than OK, that’s definitely a way to stand out from the crowd of resumes. I’m speaking here from the employer’s perspective and I hired many people that showed me the courage to approach me and talk to me. The most important thing is to show interest, know who and why you are speaking to. Personalize your message, show that you understand what the company does and how they can benefit from hiring you.

Tom Winter, Eye One

Explain your value and how you’re beneficial

Don’t connect with a potential employer on LinkedIn unless you have an irresistible offer to help the company. Otherwise, employers might get annoyed with you, which can lessen your chances of getting hired. Before connecting with a potential employer, create a proposal that is beneficial for the company. Doing so establishes your value right off the bat. If you connect with them without any concrete idea, you will be wasting your efforts since employers won’t even waste their limited time conversing with you.

Stephen Light, Nolah Mattress

Have you spent time cultivating your LinkedIn?

It is appropriate to connect with a potential employer on LinkedIn if you’ve spent time cultivating your LinkedIn content and brand and it gives insight to a potential future employer about your professional experience and approach to the position. It will give them access to your recommendations, digital resume, and your interactions and posts. If you’ve made it decently far into the recruiting process, I think it’s appropriate to connect. Also, even if you don’t receive the position, there’s value in keeping the dialogue going, because you never know what the connection will yield.

Eric Mochnacz, Red Clover

Terkel creates community-driven content featuring expert insights. Sign up at terkel.io to answer questions and get published. 

Markitors

Filed Under: Career Advice Blog Tagged With: LinkedIn advice, career advice, networking

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I own a Leadership Company, and have enjoyed attending the Career Connector events. With gratitude I listen to the speakers you line up… they offer phenominal and practical information. What has struck me each time has been the audience. My heart hurts for them. They are in a desperate place in their lives. I have had the opportunity speak with a few of the people in attendance, and they have shared their stories… I walk away thankful to God for the opportunity to meet these people and they … Read more
Bonnie M.
A good friend told me of her success using Career Connectors networking.  She landed an interview and later, a job in her field, after attending one networking event.  So, when it was my turn, I had to check it out. I was starting to get the blues about being unemployed but the speaker lifted me out of the dumps and put my life back in perspective. So many people were there to help and offer support!   Just by networking that day, I was given a job lead that has led to two interviews and a… Read more
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This was terrific! Very successful. I’m glad I came!
Maggie D.
Good news. I have landed. Thank you for your support throughout my job search journey. You and your organization has lots to offer besides the positive energy, uplifting of self confidence and immense networking opportunities. I am very appreciative of the efforts and time put forward by you and your team.
Kirtida A.
Thank you for all you do! I’ve been nine loooong months looking for a full-time position and Career Connectors was a real life-line. I was pretty discouraged by the time I found your organization on-line and first visited. The speaker provided some great information but most importantly, encouragement and hope. The panel discussion on resumes was incredibly helpful! Last month I had the opportunity to sit with Brenda and she suggested I really pare back all but the last 10 years of experience an… Read more
Robin C.
Career Connectors offered me a one-stop-shopping capability for all of the coaching, resources and connections I needed to perfect my job searching skills.  The package of services, and support I found while attending these workshops over the past 7 months was unique to, and more productive than any other networking venues I attended. I am thrilled to share that I’ve landed with B/E Aerospace in Tucson.  I recommend to all Job Seekers to find out what works for you, and exploit it for best r… Read more
Aidan F.
Navigating the world of career transition can be an overwhelming experience.  In addition to the mechanics of transition (updated resume, career search strategies), there is the deeper need to connect to people who are in the same situation as you are.   For me, all of this was answered by Career Connectors!  Had it not been for this organization, I might still be sitting in my house, wondering what to do next!  At just one Career Connectors meeting you can be inspired by great speakers, … Read more
Iris M.
I started a FT position back on June 3rd.   Thanks to you and your organization for helping me to stay motivated and focused during my job search.   Getting out weekly to your events was terrific.
George M.
Networking helps, especially when you do not directly know anyone at a target company. I have attended 4 of your meetings and at one of them a company representative and recruiter presented. I was already familiar with this company, but she also said some other things in the presentation that made me take notice and created more interest on my part. I spoke with the recruiter at your event and she followed up the next week and from there I went on several phone interviews and on site interview t… Read more
Todd S.
I am profoundly grateful for all of the support Career Connectors has provided during my recent job search – from the exceptional speakers to the participating employers, LinkedIn experts (Ted Robison is amazing with his individualized approach), resume experts, photographers, and of course the great opportunity to network! I felt like I had an army of support with me every single day. I appreciate all the time and effort invested by many and am particularly grateful for Jessica! You have a fi… Read more
Cindy G.
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