October 2018
Let’s discuss the pros and cons associated with making your boss a 1st-degree connection on LinkedIn. Then, you can make an informed decision on what to do.
If you have a good, supportive, and trusting relationship with your boss, it’s probably a no-brainer to become a 1st-degree connection with her/him on LinkedIn. As with any person, it expands your online network and potentially broadens your online visibility. As a bonus, your supervisor will be able to write you a recommendation and endorse you for skills (because you must be a 1st-degree connection to do that).
If you and your boss are avid users of LinkedIn, you will see each other’s posts. If you post things that promote your employer’s activities, your boss will appreciate your efforts to boost the company’s reputation. If you post things about your life outside of the company, she/he might learn something new about you (organizations you support, professional or volunteer activities outside of work, etc.). It’s possible this could help to deepen your relationship.
On the other hand, connecting with your boss may not be the best idea. Here are some factors that may legitimately deter you from connecting with your superior on LinkedIn:
- You don’t get along well, or you don’t want to be associated with that person.
- You are executing a job search and therefore suddenly stepping up your LinkedIn presence and/or activity might get noticed by your manager if you two are connected. It’s possible that this could trigger a worry from your supervisor that the reason you’re stepping up your activity is because you are looking for another job.
- You value your privacy and don’t like to mix work with your life outside of the office.
- You don’t want your boss seeing things you post that are outside the scope of your work (volunteering for a controversial cause, strong opinion pieces, etc.).
What if you already connected with your boss and wish you hadn’t? You can always disconnect. Here’s how to do it from the LinkedIn Help Center. In case you’re worried, the person won’t get a notice that you’re no longer connected. If they have many connections, it will be hard to notice unless they are looking you up. Also, note that any recommendations/endorsements between you two will go away forever and only the person who disconnected can initiate a new invitation to re-connect.
