As a strategic networker, you know you should never ever try to connect with people using canned LinkedIn invitations. Unfortunately, there are lazy networkers out there who just don’t realize the importance of customizing LinkedIn requests. So, you find yourself getting requests from strangers that simply say, "I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn." (Psst! Can't get hired? Watch this free tutorial.) This is frustrating for those of us on the receiving end of the requests because we don’t know why these people are interested in connecting with us. So, what’s the polite way to say, "I don't know you; why do you want to connect with me?" When you’re in this situation, you want to be tactful and strategic. Here are a couple of templates you can use to get a conversation started with a complete stranger on LinkedIn:
