6 Reasons Telling Someone You’d like to Add them to your Professional Network is Lame

You’ve all gotten this message: “I’d like to add you to my professional network.”

Here are 6 reasons why you should never, ever send this default message.

1. It demonstrates to the contact that you don’t really know much about social networking.
2. It is a lazy approach — you should put some thought into it instead of using the default message.
3. It doesn’t give the contact any context at all! You owe people in your network a reminder of how it is you are connected and why you should share your professional world. Tell them WHY you want to add them. You owe them that much.
4. It makes me think that you’re just trying to build your numbers and don’t represent any value to my network whatsoever.
5. It doesn’t give me any detail about you — I’d love to know that I’ll be connecting to you to help you find a job or endorse your work or introduce you to a connection of mine.
6. You’re part of a professional network; act like it. Is a default message a professional invitation?

P.S. The image above is from an actual invitation I received from someone I’ve never met or heard of. I did not accept the invitation.