Send Me a Request and Tell me Why: The Three-Point Technique on How To Network The Right Way

I have 309 pending LinkedIn connection request. This is the count after accepting those I recognize. So, who are these strangers wanting to befriend me? What brought them to my profile? Why do they wish to connect? The mystery deepens...

More often than not, people tend to use LinkedIn as any other social networking site. Let me clarify here, it is NOT the same. LinkedIn is a platform to build professional networks. This makes it important to mention the context or link.

Let me confess – I've been guilty of sending random networking requests to people. These were people whose work I admired or whose company I wished I could associate with. But, I've understood that this random association never begets anything. Some people were kind enough to accept my enthusiastic request. And they never knew why I wanted to connect with them.

If you don't want to repeat my mistake or remain on someone's list of unaccepted requests, this is what you do. Here's a simple strategy of three steps to network the right way, using LinkedIn:

Build

No one will accept you into his or her network if he or she doesn't know who you are or what you do. There are plenty of fake profiles out there and people would rather keep their network clean. Build your profile - add the latest photograph (NOT your childhood snap where you have a 100-watt smile. Cute for Facebook, not for LinkedIn) for visual recognition – not all people are good with names. Now, add your educational and professional qualifications, experience and other career milestones. You are good to go!

Please feel free to go through my profile. Everything I have ever done in my professional life finds mention on it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments.

Contextualize

It is good practice to attach a small note to your connection request. This note should state why you wish to network with this person or how you know them. If X is someone you met at a conference on sustainability recently, you could send this message:

"Hi X,

We met at the Global Sustainability Conference in January at Mumbai. Wanted to stay in touch for future collaborations and discussions.

Regards,

Y"

This is not difficult, as you can see. It is good manners. If the person you want to connect with is a stranger, hit them up with a similar note:

"Hi A,

I am a freelance content strategist who has admired the work you do at G Inc. I'd love to connect with you to understand your work better and get some advice on applying to G Inc in the future.

Regards,

B"

Communicate

If A accepts your connection, communicate with A and sustain the conversation. This portrays focus, curiosity and willingness to learn. These are three great qualities people look for in any new hire. The key is not to be over-enthusiastic. You'd scare people away if you send creepy "hi"s or "good morning, good mid-week" and the like. This is not WhatsApp. In fact, no one should send these even on WhatsApp! Be professional and succinct. E.g.:

"Hi A,

Thank you for accepting my request to connect!

I am curious to understand your approach to content strategy for G Inc in the past ten years. How do you keep yourself motivated in the role and what sources do you draw from for inspiration? As a beginner in the field, this answer would help me understand the career path and its challenges.

I'd be much obliged if you could respond to this when you find the time.

Regards,

B"

If they reply, nothing like it. If they don't, you could send one reminder after a week.

"Hi A,

I had sent a question about your content strategy practices at G Inc. It'd be great if you could share your thoughts when you find the time. I am looking to learn from your experience.

Regards,

B"

If you still don't get an answer, assume they are very busy and move on in life. There's nothing else one can do!

The above three points are only reinstating the standard rules of communication. State who you are, why you seek to communicate and what you need. If we remember this every time we hit the 'connect' button, we can make LinkedIn a more organized space.

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This is the sixth article in the series on jobs and work life, called 'Jobscapes'. Read the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh articles for the whole picture.