I recently turned to LinkedIn to search for candidates for an executive position I was trying to fill. During the process, I observed that a number of potential candidate-nominees could only be sent invitations by people who know their email addresses or who appear in their “Imported Contacts” list.
Now, this might seem like a smart thing to do considering the fact that social networking sites can sometimes attract all kinds of unpleasantries but, securing your profile certainly could hinder your chances of being offered a great opportunity. You know, the kind that comes knocking on your door when you least expect.
Think about this for a few seconds and ask yourself why you decided to establish a LinkedIn profile in the first place. If one of your reasons for signing on to LinkedIn is to showcase your talent or career achievements to prospective employers, why would you create a ‘firewall’ to prevent them from connecting with you? What was the purpose of showcasing in the first place? Don’t you think you might be shooting yourself in the foot?
So, here’s a word of advice: Try to avoid getting in your own way.