How I Handle LinkedIn Connection Requests — My Personal Approach

You logged in to your LinkedIn account and you find your inbos filled with invitations to connect to your network. Linkedin being aprofessional network its usual for all professionals but in my case i get mostly candidates who are looking for jobs or willing to swich from their existing jobs. Also from many recruitment vendors, HRMS consultants and many recruitment agencies. 

What do i do ?

1. Categorize Requests Before You Act

Just like you do, I also start by mentally grouping people:

• Job seekers / professionals exploring opportunities
• Recruitment consultants / HR vendors / service providers
• Peers from the industry
• Random or unclear profiles

This simple act of categorization reduces 70% of the mental load.

2. Job Seekers → Generally Accept

If someone is a job seeker, my default approach is similar to yours:

• They benefit from expanding their network.
• They may need guidance, visibility, or mentorship.
• They are not likely to spam or pitch services.

Accepting these requests creates goodwill and builds a reputation as someone approachable and helpful

3. Consultants / Agencies → Be Selective

This is where caution actually pays off. Before accepting, I check:

• What service are they offering?
• Is it relevant to my role or my company’s needs?
• Do they have a track record of creating value?
• Are they likely to pitch aggressively?

If they seem overly sales‑driven, outdated, or unrelated to my domain, I skip. This helps keep the inbox (and the feed) clean.

4. Check Activity Levels & Intent

Activity reveals intent.

• Active posters with meaningful insights → possible value.
• Overly promotional profiles → likely to pitch services.
• Dormant profiles → low value to your network.

This quick scan tells me why they might be reaching out.

5. A Clean Feed Is a Productive Feed

Accepting everyone dilutes the quality of what appears on your LinkedIn feed.
Being selective ensures:

• You get relevant content.
• You avoid spammy posts.
• You maintain a professional online environment.

6. My Personal Rule of Thumb

Here’s how I act:

• If the person adds value to my network → Accept
• If I can add value to them → Accept
• If neither applies → Politely ignore

This keeps the network purposeful instead of crowded

LinkedIn works best when connections are intentional, not random. It’s not about how many connections you have — it’s about how many meaningful ones you maintain.