I am genuinely tired of getting linked in requests from people I don’t know or have never spoken to.

Lets get one thing right:

OK so linked in doesn’t make it easy for you to connect to people and “friends” is the easiest option to connecting to someone. But using just the generic message to reach out? No.

We are not Friends! Source: Reddit

But it gets worse!

You know what is worse than the “I‘d like to add you to my professional network“?

XYZ has indicated you are a Colleague at Bullshit Company Never Heard Off Limited.

And

ABC has indicated you are a person they’ve done business with at Another Bullshit Company Never Heard Off Limited

Connecting me to you using either one of those two options is basically fraud. You are indicating that I am connected to you in some way professionally in real life. It is a lie. Stop it.

It should be easy

If you want to reach out to me and connect, here are a few things you could try:

1. Speak to me on twitter. It is fairly easy. Even a polite “Mate do you mind if I connect with you on linked in?”
2. Use the “friend” option, but customise your message with:
   • How you know me
   • Why you would like to connect
   • Who you are!

It is that simple. Stop spamming people on linked in  its supposed to be a professional network, not a Facebook type popularity contest.

As you were.