# Don't Connect with Me on LinkedIn By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2023-04-18 I get a lot of requests to connect with people on LinkedIn. It's not because I'm particularly good at "online social networking" and posting content that the algorithm loves. I mostly use it to monitor the job market and occasionally chat with former colleagues. Yet, I get endless connection requests because of my titles. Note that these titles are not verified in any way, so consumers beware. Nevertheless, connection requests pour in, and my general rule is I don't accept connections unless I know you. If we worked together at some point, I'll likely accept your connection. As a result of this rule, I decline many requests. Most often the requests are from recruiters who want the commission to find me a job or get one of their clients hired, authors who want their new books read, or graduate students who want to be hired. I used to get annoyed by all these requests and that LinkedIn was making money by selling my profile. However, I've recently become interested in the various creative tactics people use to get my attention and connect. So, I've added a new rule: I'll connect with you if it is clear that you put a lot of effort and creativity into the request. If you make me laugh, smile, or appreciate your work, I'll hit accept. For example, someone recently attempted to connect with me by saying that my Ph.D. dissertation was excellent and very helpful to them. While the rest of the message made it clear that they didn't actually read it, I went ahead and accepted the connection because it was original, and PhDs are suckers for compliments about their mostly derivative research that consumed years of their life. Unfortunately for this person and nearly everyone else connected to me, I have zero intention to ever engage with them in any way. It doesn't mean it won't happen, but I don't view LinkedIn and related sites as anything other than desperate and self-serving attention economy machines. I monitor it to stay "in the know" and run my little experiments. The trouble is others think it is more than this, and I shudder to think how much time and energy is wasted on it, how many hopes and dreams ride on it, and how many people are swindled by it. Beware of shortcuts, free lunches, and selling out - there is always a price to pay. #### Related Items [[Society]] [[Networking]] [[Selling Out]] [[Short Cuts]] [[Free Lunch]] [[Social Networks]]