Adding people you interviewed with on Linkedin Forum

[Anonymous User]

Would this hurt my chances at getting the job? I mainly want to do this to send them a thank you message along with the invitation..

[NinerFan]

Send a handwritten card or an email. Sending the thank-you via Linkedin is, IMO, odd.

[Anonymous User]

Send a handwritten card or an email. Sending the thank-you via Linkedin is, IMO, odd.

I know. It's an in-house dept. and their emails are impossible to find. Because they didnt give me their business cards, I didnt ask the HR person for their emails. Instead, I thanked the HR person and asked her to forward my thank yous to the individuals.

Probably not a big deal to not send them a personal thank you mail right?

[NinerFan]

In my experience, people have cared very little about receiving thank you's. It's always best to do so, but unless they're really old-fashioned, they're likely not waiting with baited breath.

[LawIdiot86]

This would feel excruciatingly awkward to me as an interviewer. I interviewed you because my boss/firm made me do it. I didn't want to be friends with you and, even if I give you a callback, it's a remote chance we'll ever work together in a big firm/corp/agency. Why do you want to be my connection/friend so quickly?

[2LsAPlenty]

Thank you notes are very important with smaller firms, less so with big firms particularly on the coast. I would not think LinkedIn would be the best way to send a note unless you follow it up with a hand written note.

[r6_philly]

This would feel excruciatingly awkward to me as an interviewer. I interviewed you because my boss/firm made me do it. I didn't want to be friends with you and, even if I give you a callback, it's a remote chance we'll ever work together in a big firm/corp/agency. Why do you want to be my connection/friend so quickly?

Professional connection != friend. That's not the point of LinkedIn.

Although I don't think that one should jump at the chance to adding everyone when you just interviewed. I probably would after a decision has been made though.

[EMZE]

This would feel excruciatingly awkward to me as an interviewer. I interviewed you because my boss/firm made me do it. I didn't want to be friends with you and, even if I give you a callback, it's a remote chance we'll ever work together in a big firm/corp/agency. Why do you want to be my connection/friend so quickly?

Professional connection != friend. That's not the point of LinkedIn.

Although I don't think that one should jump at the chance to adding everyone when you just interviewed. I probably would after a decision has been made though.

While LinkedIn isn't about personal connections with friends, I hate it when people try to add me after a limited interaction unless we specifically spoke on the topic of staying connected in the interest of future work/projects. It is still a form of social media, and I would personally never use it as resource to communicate after an interview, much less to send a thank you note.

Also, the age of whoever you are dealing with might be a factor. I personally hate all forms of electronic interaction in professional situations short of to relay large amounts of information. Whether it is true or not, I always assume it to be a result of the lack of maturity on part of the person contacting me.

[LawIdiot86]

This would feel excruciatingly awkward to me as an interviewer. I interviewed you because my boss/firm made me do it. I didn't want to be friends with you and, even if I give you a callback, it's a remote chance we'll ever work together in a big firm/corp/agency. Why do you want to be my connection/friend so quickly?

Professional connection != friend. That's not the point of LinkedIn.

Although I don't think that one should jump at the chance to adding everyone when you just interviewed. I probably would after a decision has been made though.

I agree a professional connection has a lower threshold than a friend, but I still don't see it in the interview context. Meeting someone at a networking event and getting their business card would be fine. But an interview is such an unnatural setting with such a high degree of falseness. They're seeing 20+ people that day and I'm a random piece of paper to them. This feels like the same thing as if a lawyer connected on LinkedIn to every judge he appeared before or if everyone who came into a law clinic, connected to the student lawyer they were assigned.

[r6_philly]

This would feel excruciatingly awkward to me as an interviewer. I interviewed you because my boss/firm made me do it. I didn't want to be friends with you and, even if I give you a callback, it's a remote chance we'll ever work together in a big firm/corp/agency. Why do you want to be my connection/friend so quickly?

Professional connection != friend. That's not the point of LinkedIn.

Although I don't think that one should jump at the chance to adding everyone when you just interviewed. I probably would after a decision has been made though.

While LinkedIn isn't about personal connections with friends, I hate it when people try to add me after a limited interaction unless we specifically spoke on the topic of staying connected in the interest of future work/projects. It is still a form of social media, and I would personally never use it as resource to communicate after an interview, much less to send a thank you note.

That's why I would add them after the hiring decision (if the person seemed to want to network), because by that time, you are only networking instead of leveraging your position. Connecting using LinkedIn is like handing out business cards whenever you get a chance ... most people throw them in the trash, but the people who want to keep them will be a part of your network. It is social media, but operates on professional social rules, not personal social rules.

You enhance your person network for personal social needs/wants. You enhance your professional network so you can transact business in the future. I do business with people that I like, and I do business with people I don't like. That's the basic difference.

[r6_philly]

I agree a professional connection has a lower threshold than a friend, but I still don't see it in the interview context. Meeting someone at a networking event and getting their business card would be fine. But an interview is such an unnatural setting with such a high degree of falseness. They're seeing 20+ people that day and I'm a random piece of paper to them. This feels like the same thing as if a lawyer connected on LinkedIn to every judge he appeared before or if everyone who came into a law clinic, connected to the student lawyer they were assigned.

Connecting to a judge is probably not a good thing for other reasons.

Connecting a student lawyer is absolutely a good thing. Establishing client relationships while in school is good, IMHO.

Client services people like to connect to people, but only as future clients/transactional partners. Interviewees should not connect because the nature of the relationship is not what professional network is meant for. After the employment decision however, I don't see a problem. I have a business background, so I am biased I suppose. I also have business cards

[EMZE]

This would feel excruciatingly awkward to me as an interviewer. I interviewed you because my boss/firm made me do it. I didn't want to be friends with you and, even if I give you a callback, it's a remote chance we'll ever work together in a big firm/corp/agency. Why do you want to be my connection/friend so quickly?

Professional connection != friend. That's not the point of LinkedIn.

Although I don't think that one should jump at the chance to adding everyone when you just interviewed. I probably would after a decision has been made though.

While LinkedIn isn't about personal connections with friends, I hate it when people try to add me after a limited interaction unless we specifically spoke on the topic of staying connected in the interest of future work/projects. It is still a form of social media, and I would personally never use it as resource to communicate after an interview, much less to send a thank you note.

That's why I would add them after the hiring decision (if the person seemed to want to network), because by that time, you are only networking instead of leveraging your position. Connecting using LinkedIn is like handing out business cards whenever you get a chance ... most people throw them in the trash, but the people who want to keep them will be a part of your network. It is social media, but operates on professional social rules, not personal social rules.

You enhance your person network for personal social needs/wants. You enhance your professional network so you can transact business in the future. I do business with people that I like, and I do business with people I don't like. That's the basic difference.

I agree with all of this.

The only this I would add to the doing business with people I don't like is that I also usually don't do business with those I assume to be desperate. I don't mind aggressive, but I hate desperate. I assume they will be sloppy and ultimately a liability. I'm not trying to make the huge leap from timing of linked in connection to being a professional liability, just saying that I agree with your timing - to wait until an offer is extended. In fact, even if an offer is not extended, I would consider adding the person after thanking them for the job.

That is the benefit of linked in though. I essentially never have to comb through a rolodex to update contacts.

[ms9]

Let me add to this. By way of background I do not think I have ever given advice on TLS, and I have posted only a very few times. But I have been an administrator at three law school, including two top 20 and I have headed a career service department. I say this because because I have heard numerous stories about being creeped out from employers.

Dear God, do not do this. Please do not. This would be the kind of thing where not only do you entirely ruin your chances, but they would use it (with your name if they are insensitive) as a punch line joke with other companies that you may be interviewing with.

If they are in their 40's or above, I'd send a hand-written thank you. Or just send that, it never hurts. If they are in 30's or below, I think it is fine to call an administrative assistant with and get their email addresses.

Incidentally, having done a bunch of hiring, the key to the thank you letter is, beyond being precise, being quick. Often hiring decisions are made sub-consciously immediately after the last candidate is interviewed. Also technically you are not supposed to say "thank you" in a thank you letter, but I find that really annoying. if the person interviewing you wore a monocle and top hat, though, this may come in handy.

Anyway, good luck and feel free to add me on LinkedIn if I can help

[Anonymous User]

It's clear to see how it could backfire. But I had a positive experience with it. I hadn't heard back from my interviewer yet and it had been awhile. After requesting to connect, the very next day she called me up and asked for a second interview (I ended up getting the job). Could be a coincidence, but it worked out well for me.

[ms9]

Was the company you interviewed for LinkedIn?

Just kidding, of course, but I think that was likely a coincidence in timing. Did she accept your request before she called you?

Also, I guess I am contradicting myself but I have also always said it is really good to differentiate--and maybe that did it for you. If you are applying to 100 companies, there is probably no reason to not linkedIn five of them. All you really need is one light on out of 100, per see.

That said, this thought creeped me out enough to come out of my shell to post.

[Sm Firm Hiring P]

Let me add to this. By way of background I do not think I have ever given advice on TLS, and I have posted only a very few times. But I have been an administrator at three law school, including two top 20 and I have headed a career service department. I say this because because I have heard numerous stories about being creeped out from employers.

Dear God, do not do this. Please do not. This would be the kind of thing where not only do you entirely ruin your chances, but they would use it (with your name if they are insensitive) as a punch line joke with other companies that you may be interviewing with.

If they are in their 40's or above, I'd send a hand-written thank you. Or just send that, it never hurts. If they are in 30's or below, I think it is fine to call an administrative assistant with and get their email addresses.

Incidentally, having done a bunch of hiring, the key to the thank you letter is, beyond being precise, being quick. Often hiring decisions are made sub-consciously immediately after the last candidate is interviewed. Also technically you are not supposed to say "thank you" in a thank you letter, but I find that really annoying. if the person interviewing you wore a monocle and top hat, though, this may come in handy.

Anyway, good luck and feel free to add me on LinkedIn if I can help

This is right on the mark. No thank you note, no job at our firm.

[Anonymous User]

Just kidding, of course, but I think that was likely a coincidence in timing. Did she accept your request before she called you?

Yup, she linked me back the day she called me for a second interview.

[r6_philly]

This is right on the mark. No thank you note, no job at our firm.

No thank you note to everyone, or hiring partner, or recruiter? What would you expect?

[Sm Firm Hiring P]

This is right on the mark. No thank you note, no job at our firm.

No thank you note to everyone, or hiring partner, or recruiter? What would you expect?

If you spend more time than just a passing introduction, then send the note. Err on the side of sending. It cannot hurt and you might be surprised at the lobbying that sometimes goes on with those interviewing so the notes help.

[Anonymous User]

You are either misunderstanding the use of LinkedIn or you are overestimating your value.

LinkedIn is not Friendster or Myspace. It is a tool for professional networking. You have no networking value to the people who interviewed you. If they added you, they would be diluting their profile.

[ms9]

This is right on the mark. No thank you note, no job at our firm.

No thank you note to everyone, or hiring partner, or recruiter? What would you expect?

You are misunderstanding Sm Firm Hiring P who meant "if you do not send a thank you note, you do not get a job at our firm".

[r6_philly]

You are misunderstanding Sm Firm Hiring P who meant "if you do not send a thank you note, you do not get a job at our firm".

You misunderstood me, but he didn't. Thank you.

[ms9]

You are misunderstanding Sm Firm Hiring P who meant "if you do not send a thank you note, you do not get a job at our firm".

You misunderstood me, but he didn't. Thank you.

You also might not want to assume that all hiring partners are men...

[r6_philly]

You also might not want to assume that all hiring partners are men...

Thank you sir/madam.

[shoeshine]

Would this hurt my chances at getting the job? I mainly want to do this to send them a thank you message along with the invitation..

Don't do it.