• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Executive Resume Branding™

Differentiate and strategically position your unique ROI for today's executive job search.

  • Essential LinkedIn® Guide
  • Blog
  • About Meg
  • Products and Services
  • Contact Meg

By Meg Guiseppi

How to Customize LinkedIn Invitations to Connect

 

linkedin personal brandingWhen you’re proactively job-hunting, you need to keep a keen eye towards expanding your LinkedIn network to include people who can help you meet your career goals.

Considering that you may not know many of these people, you need to do your best to compel them to want to connect with you.

Without a second thought, most people quickly hit the “Connect” button on LinkedIn when they invite people to connect, and send off the invitation.

You know what happens next, because you probably receive many of these invitations yourself.

The recipient gets the following current default message:

“I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.”

Such an anemic message offers no real reason to connect with the person.

Maybe you aren’t aware that you can personalize your invitations to connect.

Imagine how much a thoughtful customized message will differentiate you, reinforce your personal brand and position you as someone of interest. The recipient will probably readily accept your invitation.

Let them know why they should, or may want to, connect with you. Let them know a little about you and your brand. Let them know if you belong to one or more of the same LI Groups or alumni groups . . . or participate in any other activities they do.

For ideas on how to write branded, personalized invitations, see How to Connect on LinkedIn with People You Don’t Know . . . and Get Action.

It takes a little bit more effort to write a short personalized message for each new connection, but that time is well spent.

How to Personalize LinkedIn Invitations to Connect

According to LinkedIn Help, in an article updated in January 2016, here’s how to personalize LinkedIn invitations to connect from your desktop. [Please note: LinkedIn can, and does, change functionality regularly and without notice, so this may not still work as described here.]:

  • Move your cursor over the Down arrow, next to the “Connect” button in the top section of someone’s profile (just under their name).
  • Select “Personalize invitation” from the dropdown menu.
  • If the above option doesn’t exist, you can personalize your message by clicking the “Connect” button in the top section of their profile.
  • A prompt will appear that contains a text box to personalize your invitation message.
  • Note: This prompt will only appear if you don’t have “Personalize invitation” in the dropdown menu.

More About LinkedIn for Executive Job Search

Get the Most Out of LinkedIn

Essential Checklist to Optimize LinkedIn For Executive Job Search

If All Else Fails in Executive Job Search, Read the Directions

 

Filed Under: Career Management Best Practices, Executive Job Search, LinkedIn, Networking, Personal Branding, Social Media Tagged With: executive job search, executive networking, LinkedIn, personal branding

Previous Post: « 7 Tips to Build Your Executive Job Search Target Companies List
Next Post: Is Your Executive Resume an Interesting Read? »

Primary Sidebar

Job Search Newsletter

Today’s job search is complicated. Get the help you need.

Sign up for my popular FREE weekly newsletter for advice about job search, personal branding, LinkedIn, networking, online presence, interviewing and so much more . . . and get a FREE ebook. Read all about the ebook here.

* indicates required

First Name *

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Essential LinkedIn Guide

The Essential LinkedIn® Guide for Today’s Executive Job Search – Get Branded. Get Found. Get Hired.

Job Search Worksheets

Get my proprietary personal branding and job search worksheets perfected over 20+ years working with job seekers.

CareerBrandVideos

CareerBrandVideos™ – award-winning customized video system for professionals and entrepreneurs

My Must-Have Guide to Personal Branding and Executive Job Search

LinkedIn executive job search

20 Little-Known, Insider Tips to Accelerate Your Executive Job Search. My ebook will help you land a great-fit new gig faster!

Recent Blog Posts

  • 4 Ways Common Courtesy Drives a Successful Executive Job Search
  • Smart Executive Job Search: How To Sail Through Salary and Compensation Negotiations
  • How To Get Executive Recruiters’ Attention With The Right Email Messages
  • Can I Land My Dream Executive Job Even If I’m Under-Qualified?
  • 15 Common Executive Job Interview Questions and How to Best Answer Them

Blog Topics

10 Personal Branding, Resume and Job Search Certifications including:

Footer

Meg Guiseppi, Personal Branding and Executive Job Search Strategist

Meg Guiseppi

Legal Stuff

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Meg on Twitter

Tweets by @MegGuiseppi

Copyright © 2022 · Executive Resume Branding (Resumes Plus LLC) · All Rights Reserved