LinkedIn Connections: The More the Better?

It’s clear in today’s day and age that social media sites, like LinkedIn, can play a big role in your job search and career advancement.

But when it comes to your connections, is quality or quantity better?

In other words, is it better to be more selective about whom you choose to connect with – only accepting requests from those you know or those who work in your industry? Or is it more effective to connect with as many people as possible?

As one of Overland Park’s top employment agencies, Morgan Hunter knows there are certainly benefits of each approach – and really, the approach you do decide to take depends on your ultimate goal.

For instance, if are you looking to use LinkedIn to network and make connections in your industry, then taking a more selective approach to those you connect with makes sense.

However, if you’re a job seeker looking for your next full-time position, then you might be wise to toss out the selective approach and form as many connections as possible. Here’s why:

  • The more connections you have, the better your chances of connecting with someone who works within a hiring company. For instance, if you apply for a job via LinkedIn, you can see if anyone within your connections works at the company, giving you someone to reach out to and network with. This could give you a huge advantage in the competition for the job.
  • The more connections you have, the more people you have willing to help you. For instance, if you see one of your connections is connected to the hiring manager at a company you’d like to work for, then you can reach out to them and ask for an introduction. When you have more connections, you’ll also have more opportunities to network and ask for help.
  • It’s easy to delete connections on LinkedIn. Some people are hesitant to accept connections from strangers on LinkedIn out of fear they’ll receive a lot of spam or the unknown connection will be less than professional. But if you do receive spam or unwanted communications from a connection, you can simply delete them. On the flip side, that stranger you connected with last week could possibly be your ticket to a new job, so it’s worth the risk.

Want More Tips for Job Searching in the Digital Age?

If you’d like expert help in your job search process, contact Morgan Hunter today. As one of Overland Park’s top employment agencies, we work with some of the leading employers in the area – and can connect you with rewarding and exciting opportunities as a result! Contact Morgan Hunter today to learn more about how we can help you in your job search.