Understanding Connections
People in your LinkedIn network are connections, ranging between 1st - 3rd degree connections.
1st Degree:
People you're directly connected to because you have accepted their invitation to connect or they have accepted yours.
2nd Degree:
People who are connected to your 1st-degree connections. You can send them an invitation by clicking Connect, or contact them through an InMail message or an introduction.
3rd Degree:
People who are connected to your 2nd-degree connections.
- If their full first and last names are displayed, you will be able to send them an invitation by clicking Connect.
- If only the first letter of their last name is displayed, clicking Connect is not an option but you can still contact them through an InMail message or an introduction.
Sending a Connection Request
You can ask someone to join your professional network by sending them an invitation to connect. If they accept your invitation, they become a 1st-degree connection.
We recommend that you only send invitations to people you know well and trust. Your network is a reflection of your brand.
Your 1st-degree connections are allowed to see the primary email address on your account, and can view all of your connections (if you choose to make them visible to others).
Step 1: Find the profile of someone you want to connect with. Click Connect.
Step 2: Personalize your request to connect by following these tips:
- Include a salutation
- Remind the recipient how you know them
- Reference something personal about them or their business
Step 3: Click Send Invitation.
Receiving Connection Requests
As the recipient of a connection request, don’t feel obligated to accept every request. You have three options to respond to a request: Accept, Ignore, and Reply.
Choose Reply to request more information: “Thank you for reaching out. Please remind me – how do we know each other?”
When you click Ignore, you can additionally choose I Don’t Know [sender’s name] or Report as Spam.