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If they seem overly sales‑driven, outdated, or unrelated to my domain, I skip.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.

बुरे वक़्त

तेरे दिन अच्छे है तो मुझसे किनारा करले 

हम बुरे लोग हैं बुरे वक़्त मैं काम आते  हैं 

ବର୍ଷ ବିତିଗଲା, ଋଷିକୂଲ୍ୟା ନଦୀରେ ବହୁତ ପାଣି ବହିଗଲା, କିନ୍ତୁ ବାପାଙ୍କର ସ୍ନେହ, ତ୍ୟାଗ ଆଜି ବି ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ...

"ଜିତୁ ଦେଖେ ଏବେ ବି ଟାଇମ ଅଛି, ତୁ ଗ୍ରାଜୁଏସନ କରିଛୁ ପିଜି କି ଏମ୍ବିଏ କରିବୁ ବ୍ରହ୍ମପୁରରେ ନ ହେଲେ ପାଖାପାଖି କୋଠେ ହେଲେ. ଆଉ ତା ପରେ କୋ ହେଲେ କଲେଜେର ଲେକଚେର ହେଇପାରିବୁ ଦେଖେ ଗାଡି ଆସିଲାଣି, ହିଁ କହିଲେ ରାତି ଗାଡିରେ ପଳେଇବା ବରହମପୁର" 

ମୁଁ ତ ସେତେବେଳେ ଗୋଟେ ମରୀଚିକା ପଛରେ ପଡିଯାଇଥିଲି ଆଉ ମତେ ସେ ନିଶା ଭିତରେ ବାବାଙ୍କ ମନଟାକୁ ଆକଳନ  କରିବାକୁ ସମୟ ମିଳିଲାନି କି ତା ପଛରେ ଥିବା ବାପାର ସ୍ନେହ ଆଉ ଚିନ୍ତା ବି ଦିଶିଲାନି . ୨୦ ବର୍ଷ ବୟସରେ ମୁଁ ଜୀବନକୁ ଜାଣିଥିଲି ମାତ୍ର ଏତିକି ଯେ ସମାଜ ସାଥିରେ ତାଳ ଦେଇ ଆଗକୁ ବଢିବାକୁ ପଡିବ ଆଉ କିଛି କରିବାକୁ ପଡିବ. ତେଣୁ ମୁଁ ଆଗକୁ ବଢିଗଲି.

ଆଜି ବାବା ନାହାନ୍ତି ମାତ୍ର ମୋ ଜୀବନକୁ ସରସ କରି ଗଢ଼ିଥିବା ମଣିଷଟିକୁ ଆଉ ତାଙ୍କର ପ୍ରତିଟି କଥା କୁ ଭୁଲି ପାରୁନି ମୁଁ. ସତେ ଯେମିତି କାଲି ପରିକା ଲାଗୁଚି ମତେ ଯେମିତି ସେ ଫୋନେ କରିକି ପଚାରିବେ " ଜିତୁ, ଅଫିସରୁ ଆସିଲୁନି କି ରେ, ଏତେ ଲେଟ କଣ କରୁଛୁରେ, ଜଲଦି ବାହାରି ଯା" 

.

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ସତରେ ଆଉ ସେ ଫୋନ କଲ ଆସିବନି କେବେବି  

ଆଜି ୨୫ ବର୍ଷ ବିତି ଯାଇଛି. ଋଷିକୂଲ୍ୟା ନଦୀରେ ବି ବହୁତ ପାଣି ବହିଯାଇଛି, ରହିଯାଇଛି କହିଲେ ଖାଲି କିଛି ମନଛୁଆଁ ଅଭୁଲା ଅନୁଭବ. ଆଉ ସେ ସବୁକୁ ମୁ ସଜେଇ ରଖିଛି  ମୋ ମନରାଇଜରେ ସ୍ମୃତି ପରି. 

ଜୀବନ ଜଂଜାଳ ଭିତରେ ବୁଡିରହିଥିବା ମଣିଷ ମୁଁ ଚାହିଁଲେ ବି କିଛି ଫେରାଇ ଆଣିପାରିବି ନାହିଁ,  ମାତ୍ର ଯିଏ ମୋ ଜୀବନରେ ଏତେ ପରିବର୍ତନ କରି ମତେ ଗଢିବାରେ ନିଜର ସର୍ବସ୍ବ ସ୍ୱାହା କରିଦେଇଛି ତାଙ୍କୁ ଭୁଲିବାର ଅକ୍ଷମଣୀୟ ଅପରାଧ କରିପାରିବି ନାହିଁ.  

(ବାପାଙ୍କର ବୈକଲ୍ପିକ ଉଚ୍ଚଶିକ୍ଷା ଓ କାରିଆର ପାଇଁ ଦିଆ ସୁପରିଶକୁ ଏଡାଇ ଦେଇ ୨୦ ବର୍ଷ ବୟସରେ ସ୍ବପ୍ନ ପଛରେ ଦୌଡିଥିଲେ ଲେଖକ। ୨୫ ବର୍ଷ ପରେ, ବାପାଙ୍କୁ ହରେଇ ତାଙ୍କର ସ୍ମୃତି, ତ୍ୟାଗ ଓ କଥାଗୁଡିକୁ ଭୁଲିପାରୁନାହାନ୍ତି। ଜୀବନର ଜଂଜାଳ ମଧ୍ୟରେ କିଛି ଫେରାଇ ଆଣିପାରିବାରେ ଅସମର୍ଥ ଲେଖକ, ବାପାଙ୍କୁ ଭୁଲିବା ଅକ୍ଷମଣୀୟ ଅପରାଧ ବୋଲି ମନେ କରୁଛନ୍ତି।)

A Journey That Began in Delhi

Back in October 2001, during the rush hours at ITO Chowk in Delhi, I was with my Bada Mama to attend the Management Aptitude Test (MAT). Both of us were chasing our career aspirations and appeared for the exam together—and we cleared it too!

For him, after completing M.Com and LLB and being poised for a rewarding career, an MBA was the next step to accelerate his growth. For me, it was an exciting new experience—seeing the world through my own eyes and stepping into something completely new.

The following year, I secured admission to Guru Nanak Institute of Management for a two-year full-time Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management. This was the first time I stepped out of home and stayed in a hostel.

For a boy from a small village in Odisha, moving to the capital city of Delhi—and that too to a Sikh-dominated area like Punjabi Bagh—felt like entering a completely new world. Our batch had 60 students, most from Delhi, while around 20 of us came from different parts of the country—UP, Bihar, Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Himachal, Haryana, Assam, and more.

It was a journey of learning, adapting, and growing—personally, mentally, and most importantly, professionally.

Time flies. Even today, when I look back, I see myself in the middle of the roundabout near Gole Market in Connaught Place, trying to get down from a bus to attend CAT coaching at St. Columba’s School with IMS Learning. I still feel the butterflies in my stomach and the same level of excitement about life.

Twenty-five years have passed, yet my love for Delhi and the spirit of doing something meaningful in life remain unchanged. Looking forward to seeing you again, Delhi—the city that reformed me and taught me invaluable life lessons.

To Bada Mama and New Delhi—accept my heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for inspiring me and being there for me. Without you, I would not have been here

One from the old album.

 

खराब वक़्त मैं इज़्ज़त रखे संभाले हुए 

कभी ना रखे जेब मैं सिक्के उछाले हुए, 

डसा हुआ हूँ मगर इलाज़ जानता हूँ 

यह  सांप भी है तो मेरे आस्तीन के  पाले  हुए. 

                                - मशर अफरीदी 

Call from Unknown number ? Beware it may be a digital fraud.

Today i got a call from an unknown number (+1877776503345) and the IVR tells me that the call is from the Airport Authority of India and all the numbers linked to my number shall be deactivated immediately and if i need to stop that i need to press 1. So what I pressed, then the line connects to a man introducing him as the Sr. inspector and he tells me to confirm my mobile number and name to which swiftly did. Then he said that there are few flights booked on my name and cancelled, and I have filed for cancelled ticket refunding. This was an illegal activity and he shouted at me asking why I did so. Despite my denial he din't agree and pretended to be serious and warned me to lodge a case against me and transfer the case to the international court. I apprehended something wrong the way he handled the entire call then I handled it in a way that he had no other option but to drop the call. 

But think of any common man when he gets such a call from any govt. agency and hears of cases being filed, he would have been panicked and got into the trap.

this is called digital fraud and leads digital arrest.

What exactly is the Scam called ‘Digital Arrest’?

“Digital Arrest” is relatively new and increasingly common kind of online fraud. In this type of fraud artists poseing as police officers or someone from the government and commit the crime. 

Understanding the Scam

The “Digital Arrest” actually starts with a call or a video call from a man who pretends to be a police officer, official or even a judge. The caller warns the victim that he or she has been under investigation for a serious crime such as money laundering, human trafficking or drugs trafficking. In order to make the scam more believable, the fraudsters might present fake documents, use logos from police stations and make video calls while their colleagues dress in police uniforms.

How the Scam Works

1. Initial Contact: The victim gets a routine call or a video call from the scammers as a police officer. Scammer tells the victim that he is under investigation and that he has to cooperate in order not to be arrested.
2. Creating Urgency: These fraudsters design the appearance of the email in a way that makes the victim feel that their accounts are frozen and that they must unfreeze it immediately. It also can even intimidate the victim with the promise of immediate arrest if he or she does not conform.
3. Requesting Money: The perpetrator tricks the victim into sending money to their account by offering to clear their name or threatened with arrest. The fraudsters may supply a bank account number and identify as requiring secrecy; the victim should not tell anyone.
4. Continuous Communication: The scammers keep pestering the target, and put them under psychological pressure making them unable or unwilling to contact authorities or investigate the claims.
5. Extraction of Sensitive Information: Sometimes, the fraudsters may request other private details such as the account number, password or other related identifiers, in the name of formulating an investigation.

Prevention and Awareness

To protect oneself from falling victim to the "Digital Arrest" scam, it is crucial to be aware of the tactics used by fraudsters and take preventive measures:

• Verify the Caller: In any case you must try to identify the caller and then call the local police department or any other governmental institution.
• Do Not Share Personal Information: In regard to detail section and privacy, never provide any details related to personal or even financial character through the phone or targeted video number with unidentified person.
• Report Suspicious Calls: In case a person feels that it is a fake call they should promptly report it to the local police or cybercrime department.
• Stay Informed: Be familiar with the current scams and fraud practises that can be used by potential threats.

What to Do If You Ever get scammed?

In case you come across a digital scam, it is good to try and follow the steps below to minimize the losses and seek help:

1. Report the Scam: It is recommended that you contact your local police or cybercrime to make a complaint. You can report cyber-crime through National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal or through National Toll-free Helpline number 1930.
2. Notify Financial Institutions: Advice your bank or credit card Company about the scam. They can act to protect your accounts and stop more charges you did not authorize.
3. Seek Legal Advice: Inform yourself regarding your legal possibilities and ways in which you can salvation your losses with the help of the lawyer specialized in cybercrime.
4. Contact Consumer Protection Agencies: Contact the relevant consumer protection agencies for help.
5. Use Support Networks: Attach yourself to groups and relevant organizations that deal with the aftermath of being scammed. These networks may provide emotional support, legal aid and information on how to get back into the society.