Is it unprofessional to connect on linkedin with your interviewer after the interview but before any next step is discussed?

Question

I was just interviewed for a new job. We left that I would hear back, as often is the case. Normally, it would be acceptable to follow up with an e-mail thanking the interviewer for his/her time. However, in this case, I do not have his e-mail, but I could connect on linkedin.

I have never connected in this way after an interview with the interviewer, and I would like to know from interviewers on the site if they have ever been contacted on linkedin to be thanked for the interview, in absence of an e-mail contact, or not.

Answer 1

Unprofessional? No. Unwise? Quite possibly.

Connecting via LinkedIn risks “coming on strong”. Your interviewer may feel like you are applying pressure, and people hate that. They resent it and push back.

I would argue the risk of overfamiliarity outweighs the courtesy of a thank-you note.

Answer 2

I have never connected in this way after an interview with the interviewer, and I would like to know from interviewers on the site if they have ever been contacted on linkedin to be thanked for the interview, in absence of an e-mail contact, or not.

You can connect with anyone willing to accept. That is certainly professional enough.

That said, as an interviewer I would never connect with a candidate on LinkedIn. I only met you once and just for an hour or so. I probably don't know if you will be hired yet, and don't know how you would react if you don't get hired.

If you want to thank an interviewer, either email a note, or drop a note in the snail mail. If you know the company's email pattern you can probably guess this interviewer's email just knowing the name. If not, you can certainly send a card or note via postal mail. That would be far better. I've gotten many thank you notes from candidates over the years.