I’ve noticed more and more lately that I am getting requests to connect on LinkedIn with people that I don’t know, and there isn’t a context provided on why they are connecting with me.

Sometimes I add people I have never met on LinkedIn, but I provide context to them. When I add people I don’t know, it’s usually because:

• I am interested in what they are doing and could learn from their expertise. I have either read that they are an expert at something, or someone has mentioned them in conversation as a valuable resource.
• They belong to the same LinkedIn group as I do, and I have liked what they have said in discussions.

If I don’t know someone and there is no context provided, I usually don’t accept the invite. Sometimes I get invitations from sales reps and I don’t accept, only because there isn’t a “what’s in it for me” factor and I anticipate a barrage of uninvited solicitations from them. Unwanted requests to talk on the phone, and eating up too much time in my workday.