How many LinkedIn connections are enough?
The number of LinkedIn connections you have will depend upon your industry and how long you have been working. A recent graduate will have a fraction of the number of connections that a 10-year sales veteran has acquired over their career.
If you are fresh out of school, recruiters are not going to pass on you as a candidate if you only have 20 or 40 connections. This single data point will NOT result in you being declined. That being said, we are sure you have 40 friends, family friends, fellow students, etc. you can add to your network. We highly recommend you add family friends that are in professions that rely on networking. Dentists, ministers, doctors, and our children’s coaches are all highly networked. Your family insurance agent and real estate agent have an extensive network.
Professionals with experience have more connections
Professional sales candidates with 10 years of experience will be passed up if they have less than “500+” connections. After 10 years in sales, we should have a Rolodex of thousands of relationships. A salesperson without a network isn’t a salesperson.
If you are in marketing, you should absolutely have a following on Twitter and LinkedIn. You should absolutely be in involved in social media. If you are looking for a job, you should be on LinkedIn. Period. Don’t fight it. We can’t beat em. Join em!
Key Takeaway: Short post with a simple point: leverage the appropriate networks for your profession, and make sure one of them is LinkedIn. You won’t be noticed if you are not where folks are looking.
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