Do you accept LinkedIn connection requests from strangers?

[Anonymous]

Title says it all. I get a lot of random requests. I do work in the government in a public facing position, so I assume that’s why I get so many requests. I usually just ignore them if I don’t know the person. But is that rude?

[Anonymous]

yes. thats the point of linked in. make connections. it's not facebook.

[Anonymous]

Strangers sure. Obvious sales people, no.
And if they reach out with a sales pitch immediately I de-connect.

[Anonymous]

Nope.

[Anonymous]

Nope. When I was job-hunting I'd accept requests from headhunters in my field though, or HR people at firms I wanted to work at.

[Anonymous]

No, why would i

[Anonymous]

Don't feel guilty. These people are just clicking on every suggested connection. They won't notice if you do or do not accept.

[Anonymous]

Nope.

[Anonymous]

Yes if it’s obvious why they connected - e.g. we are in the same field, have people in common. No if not, or if they are obviously going to pitch me like financial advisors, marketing people etc

[Anonymous]

9 out of 10 I receive are sales people who want to pitch me some software for work

[Anonymous]

No, if I don't have a connection with them, I don't connect with them on LinkedIn.

[Anonymous]

No, and I have been getting a lot of weird ones lately - a plumber in Wisconsin, a salesman in Idaho, etc... I work at a nonprofit in DC and have no connections to any of these people. I don't get how and why they are finding me to link into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes if it’s obvious why they connected - e.g. we are in the same field, have people in common. No if not, or if they are obviously going to pitch me like financial advisors, marketing people etc

+1

[Anonymous]

No.

[Anonymous]

Most of the time, they're sales people. Ignore. But occasionally, I'll have a stranger that reaches out will a note saying they're interested in my career or industry. If they take time to write a note - and they're not selling anything - I accept.