Quality Over Quantity: Insights from LinkedIn’s Co-Founder on Building Meaningful Connections

Today, I want to share a key takeaway from a post-class chat I had with Konstantin, LinkedIn’s Co-Founder and former VP of Marketing. He revealed a valuable secret: LinkedIn’s internal standard of having 500 connections as a professional benchmark has long been deemed ineffective and was discontinued. His advice: don’t chase quantity—focus on quality.

1️⃣ On this global, trusted professional platform, cherish your first-degree connections. Don’t feel obligated to accept every invite, even if you met someone briefly at an event. If you don’t know them, there’s no need to “just accept” the invite.

2️⃣ Regularly clean up your connections. If you can’t recall how you’re connected, or there’s no engagement, it’s time to hit delete. Be cautious of people posing as “professionals” just to access your network—does that send a chill down your spine? Protect your connections.

3️⃣ Remember, most people don’t love networking, so there’s no need to label yourself a “super networker.” That can unintentionally create distance. Real connections come from understanding others’ needs and engaging in ways that are comfortable for them. Less of “this is how I do things” and more of “how can I help you better.”