Usually, when someone adds me as a contact on LinkedIn, I expect a chat message including some introductory reason on why this person thinks it will be productive to add me as his/her contact, however, most of the time, that does not happens, so I make the first move and chat this person to find out: who are you? how did you found me? what is your role and how do you think we can work or benefit together in our professional lives?
Most of the time, I don't get a reply back, some other times, I just get some basic reply and in the least case, I do get an interesting exchange where we both could profit in the future. Does that ring a bell for you?
This has been a long standing issue of LinkedIn since it was created, it is no news, a lot of people are only interested in growing its quantity of connections and not its quality, maybe that is the reason the follow system was added, which I appraise, it is an ideal way of getting news about someone's activity: why adding someone to your network when you do not expect doing business with?
The other rising issue
LinkedIn should buy a hiring talent platform like UpWork or at least, incorporate some of its functionality.
Let's say that the connection works and you are hired or hire someone for a project, that is the end of the story on LinkedIn, you will have to move to another platform, another silo to agree on the terms of the contract, track the project progress and tasks and qualify the work of the other party.
Why would I need to do this outside of LinkedIn if I got started on LinkedIn? That situation is a lost opportunity for everyone involved, even the most important professional network to date.
Profiles should be re-designed completely.
They do not give you the chance to clearly communicate that you work independent/freelancer or even as a digital nomad. They expect you to work for a company on a fixed location, also, there is not a field to inform your current time zone.
Times are changing... no, excuse me, times already changed, I love LinkedIn, but let me tell you that those old structures should not be the only option anymore.
I want to end this article with an anecdote, the other day I asked my sister in law (a centennial) if she had a LinkedIn profile and she replied: Link what?
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