by By Molly Armitage
Many of us have been guilty of it: sitting in class or at work, clicking through the suggested LinkedIn profiles, and spamming the “Connect” button. Before you know it, you’re connected with eight classmates you’ve never met, three recruiters for companies you’re not interested in, and a random user named David. The blue number under your profile suggests you’re growing your network, but in reality, you haven’t actually built any new relationships.
As Gen Z continues to enter the workforce, LinkedIn keeps growing at a rapid rate. According to LinkedIn’s Economic Graph, the platform has 1.2 billion members, 20% of them being Gen Z. But in our rush to build our networks and reach the “500+ connections” marker of success, many are forgetting what it actually means to build a network with real connections, not just digital ones. As Aditi Jha in her Medium Article explains, “suddenly the line between professional branding and personal branding feels blurry, almost as if LinkedIn and Tinder quietly shook hands in the dark.” The connections that actually make a difference are the ones built with conversation and authenticity, not just the click of a button. So how can we start building connections that actually last?
Authentic networking is the key. One of the best ways to do this is to engage with someone before you connect on LinkedIn. Instead of your first interaction being a connection, try commenting on someone’s post or reacting to their ideas. Engaging with their content first shows a genuine interest in building a relationship, rather than gaining a follower.
Secondly, personalize your invites with a note. LinkedIn’s Tips for Personalizing LinkedIn Connection Requests suggest that you “reference a mutual connection,” “be specific and intentional,” and “keep it concise.” Include in your invites something that makes it personal: a reference to one of their posts, an interest in their career path, or a question about their work.
The third way to make your networking authentic is to follow up once you’ve connected. Sending a short thank-you or sharing an appreciation for something about their work or profile can help create the genuineness that many LinkedIn connections lack.
Finally, stay engaged with people’s content even after you connect. If someone starts a new job or shares an exciting promotion, comment and stay engaged. One of the best ways to build a true connection is consistency.
Many Gen Z users are drawn to LinkedIn for its career-driven purpose that feels more intentional than other platforms. However, this intentionality remains when the platform is used for authentic connection, not simply growing numbers. As Elaine Walsh-McGrath puts it, “You don’t need 1,000 connections. You need the right ones.”
Sources: LinkedIn’s Economic Graph, Medium Article, LinkedIn’s Tips, How to Build Genuine Connections on LinkedIn
Hi! I found this post super interesting and real. I have SO many connections on LinkedIn that I don’t know and probably will never know. You added amazing sources that make this post so helpful on how to actually make meaningful connections on the app and i will definitely be using your suggestions. Thank you and good job!
Great post! I can definitely relate to just blindly hitting ‘Connect’ without really thinking about it. I like how you break down authentic networking into simple steps, engaging with someone’s content first, personalizing connection requests, and following up after connecting all seem like really practical ways to actually build relationships. I especially liked your point about staying engaged even after connecting; it’s easy to forget that real networking takes consistency, not just a quick click. Definitely giving me some ideas for how to make my LinkedIn connections more meaningful!
This post is such a good reminder that networking isn’t about collecting connections—it’s about building real relationships. I love the emphasis on engaging with someone’s content before hitting connect, because that small effort creates so much more authenticity.
I really resonate with this post. I find myself scrolling through the connection explore page like it’s Instagram, trying to find more connections. I try to connect with people that I’ve at least had a decent conversation with.
Hi Molly,
This is such a relevant piece. I’m definitely guilty of the mindless “connect” button spam you described. I really appreciate how you shifted the focus from quantity to quality and gave actual, actionable steps for making connections more meaningful. The point about engaging with someone’s content before sending a connection request is smart and something I hadn’t really thought about doing consistently. This was a great reminder to be more intentional with networking instead of just treating LinkedIn like a numbers game. Overall, great article!
Such a great read, Molly. I love how you break down the shift from collecting connections to actually building them. The reminder to engage first, personalize invites, and follow up consistently is so important (especially for Gen Z navigating LinkedIn for the first time) “You don’t need 1,000 connections, you need the right ones” really sums it up.
Nice work Molly! I am definitely guilty of just clicking “connect” on repeat to grow my connections, so I benefited from reading your blog. As you said at the end, it doesn’t matter how many connections you have, the right are what matters. I thought this was a great topic to write about!