Connecting with other professionals on LinkedIn is key to expanding your network and access to opportunities. But if you‘re new to the platform, you may be wondering – what does 1st, 2nd, and 3rd connections mean on LinkedIn?
Understanding Connection Degrees
Your connections on LinkedIn fall into three categories:
1st-degree connections: These are people you are directly connected to on LinkedIn. You have either sent them an invite to connect, or they have sent you one which you accepted. You can easily message and share updates with your 1st-degree connections.
2nd-degree connections: These are people who are connected to your 1st-degree connections. You don‘t have a direct connection with them, but you share a mutual connection. You can ask your mutual connection to introduce you.
3rd-degree connections: These are people who are connected to your 2nd-degree connections. They are essentially friends of friends of friends within your network. You can still message them or ask for an introduction through mutual connections.
The more 1st-degree connections you have, the wider your immediate network will be. But 2nd and 3rd-degree connections still provide value in expanding your overall reach.
Connecting with the Right People
When sending connection requests, focus on quality over quantity. Connecting with professionals in your industry or people you already know allows for more meaningful interactions.
Personalize invitation messages to increase your chances of getting connected. Explain why you want to connect and how it would be mutually beneficial.
Join industry-related LinkedIn Groups to connect with like-minded professionals. Engage in group discussions to establish your expertise and get noticed.
Managing Connections
Be selective when accepting connection requests. It‘s better to connect with people you already know or can offer value to your network.
Utilize LinkedIn‘s relationship indicators like "worked at" or "went to school with" to determine if accepting a connection makes sense.
Remember, you can withdraw connection requests or remove existing connections at any time. So don‘t worry about initially accepting requests from people you don‘t end up interacting with.
Focus on building genuine relationships, not just expanding your connections list. The strength of your network comes from the value it provides, not the number of connections.
I hope this breakdown of what 1st, 2nd and 3rd-degree connections are demystifies LinkedIn‘s relationship structure. Let me know if you have any other questions!
