Agents connecting on LinkedIn - what's the point?

[simes]

They connect to mine your connections.

I believe that to be the case.

And so, I only connect with people with whom I have actually worked. If the point of LinkedIn is to have a network of people who know you, can recommend you, can help you, then accepting any random request dilutes that pool and to my mind, misses the point.

So, when agents with whom I have not worked ask to connect, I just let them know the above. And integrity is maintained.

[PerfectStorm]

I believe that to be the case.

And so, I only connect with people with whom I have actually worked. If the point of LinkedIn is to have a network of people who know you, can recommend you, can help you, then accepting any random request dilutes that pool and to my mind, misses the point.

So, when agents with whom I have not worked ask to connect, I just let them know the above. And integrity is maintained.

This has been my position and I felt like I was the only one.

[KinooOrKinog]

I'm generally the same, although if I don't know them I'll usually have a quick scroll through their profile first. If they look about five & only left school three years ago but they're calling themselves an Oracle expert then they can definitely get in the bin.

I believe that to be the case.

And so, I only connect with people with whom I have actually worked. If the point of LinkedIn is to have a network of people who know you, can recommend you, can help you, then accepting any random request dilutes that pool and to my mind, misses the point.

So, when agents with whom I have not worked ask to connect, I just let them know the above. And integrity is maintained.

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[GhostofTarbera]

Its like junk mail. Or blokes sending d1ck pics. Only 4 in a thousand successful responses. So you create 1000 links and play the percentages game.

I could not do it personally. Shows how bad agents are. Though I think most of us know that already. Well 996 out of 1000 of us do - I am trying to reach AROUND the other 4....

FTFY


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[saptastic]

They connect to mine your connections.

You can hide your connections which I highly recommend

New consultant starts at agency and told
- connect to as many *developers* as possible
- fill your feed with job adverts (and agency incentives/night outs)
- mine their connections
- Repeat

[Cid]

its just another means of fishing...

[quackhandle]

its just another means of fishing...

+1, most are just fishing but if you set up linkedin correctly they won't be able to see much.

That said I very rarely connect with pimps unless I am working through them. Every 6 months I do a conscious-uncoupling with any that have sneaked in.

One thing I have noticed with LI, the pimp rarely looks at your profile, sends connection request. I say no. They then send a direct mail (and these have a small cost associated with them) about a role (mostly permie) totally against my skillset. I tell them, politely, no thanks check out my profile to see what I can offer. Have a nice day.

Had a few gigs from LI so it does have it's uses.

qh

[BigJohn]

They connect to mine your connections.

You can turn that off so your connections can’t go through and connect with them

[bondboy203]

You can turn that off so your connections can’t go through and connect with them

Even if you hide your connections when they search for profiles with Niche skills your connections will come up in the results as mutual connections which will give them option of choosing between the two and negotiate rates. I usually clean up my linkedin profile and remove recruiters every couple of months if I haven't worked with them directly. My view is that if they need me for a genuine role surely they will contact me whether we have mutual connections or not.

[edison]

The one area where I find it useful is getting an introduction to agents by a mutual connection. Some of the jobs I go for are handled by specialist interim providers so are never advertised. Many of these providers will carry out a detailed assessment and or formally interview you first before even considering putting you forward for a role. Hence a personal introduction carries quite a lot of weight.

Because of the roles I've had in recent years, I get a large number of connection requests every week from suppliers, recruiters and companies that organise networking events. Some are genuinely useful but I ask at the bottom of my profile that anyone who wants to connect tells me a bit about themselves. The vast majority can't even do that so they go in the bin. Some of the requests are truly laughable though as the person clearly has no idea what my end client even does.