Every week I must get at least three “Connect on LinkedIn?” emails — I’m sure you get them too.
I used to get the occasional “If you joined LinkedIn you could hook up with your contact’s network” – presumably my colleagues/friends/contacts had given LinkedIn my email address either explicitly or it had taken a dump of their contacts to spam.
Anyway a few months ago the content of the emails changed and their volume increased. They now say:
I found you while I was searching my network at LinkedIn. Let’s connect directly, so we can help each other with referrals. If we connect, both of our networks will grow. To add me as your connection, just follow the link below.
– {person ‘s name}
PS: Here is the link:
https://www.linkedin.com/e/isd/…{rest of link}It is free to join and takes less than 60 seconds to sign up.
The two interesting points being the first and last lines that I’ve highlighted.
The emails now say that I am actually in LinkedIn (it appears I now have an entry that is discoverable) but they also say I have to sign up to use the service.
WTF!!?! How can I have an entry in a social network I haven’t signed up for?
I have no interest in being on LinkedIn (I’ll explain why in another post, perhaps) but of course my friends/colleagues/contacts think I am and understandably ‘add me to their network’ — regularly.
I then get yet another email (“Why don’t we connect on LinkedIn…”) and later on my friend/colleague/contact thinks I’ve rejected them when I essentially say “no, I won’t add you to my network”.
It’s all very annoying.