I just requested a LinkedIn connection to the hiring manager before the interview session and he accepted the connection.
After I researched LinkedIn connection etiquette, I realized that I may have messed up with my recruitment process. I was thinking that it already might ruin my recruitment process since most of the article said that it isn't polite or proper to have a connection with the hiring manager before the interview.
Any suggestions?
Any suggestion?
I don't see this as a bad move at all actually. If you are looking for work, then connecting is a natural thing to do.
If you are looking for work while employed, be sure to turn off the "Notify your network" feature in LinkedIn.
NOTE: The way you use the tool versus say myself will vary. For example I typically don't connect with people I haven't spoken with or know in some way. The exception for me is when I am looking for work, I will connect with the Recruiter or Hiring manager. YMMV
Nobody cares. LinkedIn is a pretty casual place, nobody is going to get stressed out one way or another if you request a connection - and particularly if the hiring manager has accepted your connection, they don't regard it as an issue.
(Also, don't take it as meaning anything positive for your application that the hiring manager accepted your connection)
As a hiring manager, I am happy to connect with candidates on LinkedIn at any point in the process. In fact, I will often initiate it if it's a candidate I have sought out as opposed to them seeking us out. The only reason I would reject such a connection is if it were a totally inappropriate candidate (usually there's at least a couple internationals who seem to be applying/contacting everyone in LinkedIn regardless of job fit so I decline those).
Some people curate their network more and would not accept a connection from someone they haven't met or worked with, but that doesn't mean it's inappropriate to initiate a connection.
It is OK to send connection requests in LinkedIn to the recruiters, hiring managers, directors, VP or CEO of a company. It is not uncommon for job seekers to do that.
However, please remember that after those people accept your connection request, every post you like, share, or write on LinkedIn will automatically show up in their linkedIn feed. They can view those posts at any time.
In that case, please make sure those LinkedIn posts you like, share, or write are always professional, positive, and business-related.
In other words, please make sure those posts are not political or controversial because they may backfire easily as you can understand why.
Also, please note that even if the hiring managers are not connected to you via LinkedIn, they may still be able to go to your LinkedIn page and view the posts you like, share, or write if you set your LinkedIn to be "public", which is the default setting.
BTW, very often, job seekers can choose to "FOLLOW" instead of "CONNECT" to the hiring managers, directors, VP... It's quicker that way, and job seekers can get automatic notifications from LinkedIn whenever those VIPs post or share new jobs available in their companies.
I was thinking that it already might ruin my recruitment process since most of the article said that it isn't polite or proper to have a connection with the hiring manager before the interview.
On any network, social or otherwise, it takes two to connect. If the hiring manager thought it isn't polite or proper, they would not have accepted. They could have chosen to reject the request or ignore it, but they didn't. A strong indication that you did not do anything wrong.
