Personalization is a key component to get someone to respond to you on LinkedIn. Whether you are a job seeker trying to reach a prospective employer or a recruiter attempting to find a quality candidate for your organization, you need to take a little extra time to compose a well-thought-out invitation when connecting with someone.

Many LinkedIn users overlook the opportunity to use a connection request to its full advantage. Although the invitation is limited to 300 characters, it can still be utilized to make a strong first impression. Instead of just sending the generic invite, you have the chance to truly stand out and increase your chances of making that connection stick.

The Components of a Successful LinkedIn Connection Request

Different types of LinkedIn invitations can be used depending on the reason for the request, but successful messages contain the following factors:

Explain how you know the person

Make a quick introduction of how you know the person. Did you meet at a networking event or conference? Did you go to the same college? Do you work at the same organization? Briefly mention the way you know the person so they are able to recognize you.

If you don’t know them personally, explain the reason to connect

There are going to be people you want to connect with that you haven’t necessarily met in person. In that case, you need to create a reason for them to connect with you. Are you in the same industry? Do you have a mutual connection? Do they work at an organization you want to apply to? Whatever the reason may be, explain what the main reason is to connect with you and how it benefits you both.

Make it as personalized as possible

As you are writing your message, you need to find ways to customize it for the person with whom you want to connect. Take a look at their profile and mention something from it, such as where they’re from, where they went to school, a specific skill set they have, or a recent blog they wrote.

Sound excited to make the connection

It’s important to show a bit of enthusiasm when crafting your invitation. The person on the other end will be more intrigued to accept the invite if you sound excited about their background, skillset, or organization.

End with a thank you

It’s always gracious to express gratitude when ending your invite message. A simple thank you can go a long way when making new connections.

After taking these factors into account, here are examples to utilize in a variety of situations when connecting with others on LinkedIn:

For someone you met at a networking event:

Hi Mark,

It was great to meet you at the career networking event in Boston last week! I enjoyed talking to you about possible job opportunities at your organization. Hoping to keep in touch!

Thank you,
Erin

For someone who works in your industry:

Hi Jane,

I was reading your latest blog post on creating video content and thought it had some very helpful tips! If you have any other ideas on the topic, I’d love to connect here and continue the conversation.

Thanks,
Erin

For job seekers connecting with a prospective employer:

Hi Tom,

My name is Erin Bazinet and I see that you work at XYZ Company. I’ve heard exciting things about your company’s culture and have applied to your sales position. It’d be great to connect here and then discuss my background further, is there a time that works best for you?

Thanks,
Erin

For job seekers reaching out to a recruiter:

Hi Heather,

My name is Erin Bazinet and I see that you’re a recruiter hiring for legal positions. I have over 5 years of experience in the legal field and would love to connect and discuss potential opportunities. Is there a day that would work best for you?

Thank you!
Erin

For a recruiter trying to work with a potential candidate:

Hi Amanda,

I’m very impressed with your background in the financial industry! We’re looking for a skilled Financial Analyst to join our growing team, and think you would be a great fit. Let’s connect here and set up a time to discuss further. When would work best for you?

Thanks!
Erin

For a recruiter reaching out to a possible client organization:

Hi Brad,

I was exploring your company’s career page and saw that you have several tech openings. At XYZ Company, we specialize in hiring for a variety of tech roles and think we can offer you a lot of value here. I have some candidates in mind- could we set up time to discuss further?

Thanks,
Erin

Think of the connect requests you’ve received recently, have any of them been truly personalized to you? Taking those few extra minutes to craft a customized invitation will not only increase your chances of making a connection but will also make more of an impression within your network.

 

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