3 times you absolutely shouldn't connect on LinkedIn — and 3 times you should

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One of the best ways to grow your career is to build a solid professional network, and what better place to do that than on LinkedIn?

With the click of a button, you can send an invitation to connect with someone, regardless if you know them or not — and this is where things can get hairy. Sometimes, sending that LinkedIn invitation is the worst possible choice for your career.

More on that in a minute. Let's start with when it's a good idea.

Connect when: you know or have met this individual before

It's usually a safe bet to reach out and connect with people whom you know or have met before, granted things were cordial. There's no guarantee that these individuals will be receptive to your invitation to connect on LinkedIn, so don't get too upset if you get a few rejections along the way. However, your chances of growing your network will be greater if you start with the people you already know, versus trying to connect with a complete stranger.

Make note that, if this person is from your past, then you may want to send a brief note reminding him/her of how you two know each other.

Connect when: you're being connecting via a mutual contact

There's nothing better than having your connections open up their networks and put you in touch with someone they know, like, and trust — because that usually means that they know, like, and trust you, too. Growing your network organically is one of the best ways to form real, genuine professional relationships that will help your career. When someone in your network comes through for you like this, know that she is taking a great risk by vouching for you.

Therefore, handle these types of situations with great care and consideration, because it only takes one ungrateful or unprofessional first impression to ruin a chance/connection of a lifetime.

Connect when: you’re hoping to learn from this individual

Part of growing as a professional is learning from people who have been there, done that, and made a name for themselves in a given industry — they’re also known as leaders, innovators, and influencers. These types of individuals don’t necessarily have to be the Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg of your industry, they can also be small business owners or up-and-comers who are doing something disruptive and innovative in your industry.

The point is to connect with the people who are making things happen in their careers/industries, and from whom you can gain inspiration and knowledge.