What Does 1st, 2nd, 3rd Mean on LinkedIn Connections? A Detailed Guide

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform, with over 810 million users worldwide. As you connect with other professionals on LinkedIn, you may notice connections being marked as 1st, 2nd, or 3rd degree. But what do these numerical labels mean?

In this comprehensive guide, we will explain the meaning of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd means on LinkedIn connections and how you can leverage your network for career success.

Overview: Understanding LinkedIn Connections

On LinkedIn, your connections are the other professionals you are linked to on the platform. There are three levels of connections:

• 1st-degree connections: These are people you are directly connected to on LinkedIn. You can see their full profiles and communicate with them directly via messaging.
• 2nd-degree connections: These people are connected to your 1st-degree connections. You can request an introduction through your mutual connections.
• 3rd-degree connections: These people are connected to your 2nd-degree connections. You can connect by finding a mutual connection who can introduce you.

The more connections you have, the larger your professional network will be. But it’s not just about quantity – you want quality connections that can help you advance your career.

Now let’s explore each connection type in more detail.

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1st-Degree Connections on LinkedIn

Your 1st-degree LinkedIn connections are professionals you are directly connected with on the platform. These include:

• Friends and family
• Current and former colleagues
• College alumni
• People you’ve done business with
• Connections made via LinkedIn features like People You May Know

You can send connection requests to any LinkedIn member. If they accept, they become a 1st-degree connection.

Benefits of 1st-Degree Connections on LinkedIn

Having more 1st-degree connections on LinkedIn provides several advantages:

• Increased visibility – You can view each other’s full profiles, seeing work history, skills, accomplishments, recommendations, and more. This visibility helps expand your professional brand.
• Direct communication – You can message your 1st-degree connections through LinkedIn Mail. This enables you to easily reach out regarding job opportunities, business proposals, advice, and more.
• Staying up-to-date – Your newsfeed displays updates from your 1st-degree connections, letting you stay on top of career changes, new projects, and major news.
• Referrals – 1st-degree connections are more likely to pass along job openings or make introductions on your behalf. Leverage your network for referrals.
• Increased credibility – Having more connections can boost your credibility and influence on the platform. It shows an active professional network.

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Growing Your 1st-Degree Network on LinkedIn

Here are some tips for proactively expanding your 1st-degree LinkedIn network:

• Connect with colleagues – Don’t forget to connect with all of your current and former coworkers from jobs, freelance gigs, and volunteer work. Stay in touch.
• Follow up on meetings – Send connection requests to new professional contacts you meet at events, conferences, trade shows, or through mutual friends.
• Engage with content – When commenting on posts, check out the profiles of others who left comments. Connect with those you’d like to interact with again.
• Join LinkedIn Groups – Become an active member in industry or topic-focused Groups relevant to your profession. Engage with other members.
• Use advanced search – Try searching for “2nd-degree connections” and reaching out to those you’d like to connect with.
• Follow companies – Follow companies you want to work for or do business with. Connect with their employees.

Being purposeful in sending personalized connection requests is key. Focus on quality over quantity in your 1st-degree network. Nurture relationships with engagement and helpfulness.

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2nd-Degree Connections on LinkedIn

Your 2nd-degree connections on LinkedIn are professionals connected to your 1st-degree connections. You can see some basic profile information about 2nd-degree connections, but you won’t have full visibility or direct messaging access.

2nd-degree connections are great potential network expansion targets. Since you already share a mutual connection, you have a “warm introduction” opportunity.

Here are some common 2nd-degree connection scenarios:

• Friends of your friends
• Former colleagues of people you’ve worked with
• Contacts of your college alumni connections
• Customers of the companies you follow

Take advantage of your existing connections to unlock new opportunities.

Benefits of 2nd-Degree Connections on LinkedIn

While not as prominent as 1st-degree connections, having an extensive 2nd-degree network still has advantages:

• Insight into companies – You can discover who you know at organizations you’re interested in. Learn about their culture and challenges.
• Access to referrals – Mutual connections can provide referrals to 2nd-degree connections for things like open job requisitions.
• Warm introductions – A mutual connection can introduce you to someone relevant to your career goals. Warm introductions tend to have higher response rates.
• Expanded visibility – 2nd-degree connections may look at your profile if they notice you appearing as a mutual connection.
• Future collaborations – 2nd-degree connections can evolve into project collaborations, business deals, or helpful professional interactions down the road.

2nd-degree connections are the start of expanding your reach to a wider audience of professionals on LinkedIn.

Turning 2nd-Degree into 1st-Degree Connections on LinkedIn

To turn a 2nd-degree connection into a 1st-degree connection, you need a mutual contact to introduce you. Here are some tips:

• Contact mutual connections – Message any mutual 1st-degree connections and ask if they would be willing to introduce you. Provide some background on why you’d like to connect.
• Check for warm introductions – Some mutual connections may have already left an introductory note on a 2nd-degree connection’s profile. Follow up on those leads.
• Use advanced search filters – Filter your search results to “2nd-degree” and “Has open profile” to find good targets open to connect.
• Personalize your request – When asking for an introduction, explain why you’d like to connect with this particular person. Personalized requests convert better.
• Share why you want to connect – When reaching out directly, share details on why you’d like to connect. Whether it’s a specific project, common interest, or you admire their work – provide context.
• Follow up professionally – After an introduction is made, follow up in a timely manner. Thank both connections and continue the conversation.

With quality introductions and follow-up, many 2nd-degree connections can transition to become 1st-degree connections.

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3rd-Degree Connections on LinkedIn

Your 3rd-degree LinkedIn connections are professionals connected to your 2nd-degree connections, but not directly tied to your 1st-degree network. 3rd-degree connections are visible to you on LinkedIn, but your interaction abilities are limited.

You can try requesting an introduction through multiple mutual connections. But most communication will happen if that 3rd-degree connection becomes a 2nd or 1st-degree connection over time.

Here are some examples of 3rd-degree LinkedIn connections:

• Friends of your 2nd-degree connections
• Former colleagues of former colleagues
• Customers of your connection’s connections
• Contacts made at an event you both attended

The majority of LinkedIn members will be 3rd-degree connections at first. Only a small percentage will be within your direct 1st and 2nd-degree networks.

Benefits of 3rd-Degree Connections on LinkedIn

Is there any value in 3rd-degree LinkedIn connections if communication options are limited? There are some potential advantages:

• Discovering contacts at target companies – You can uncover if you have any existing connections to professionals working your dream job or company.
• Additional network intelligence – Seeing 3rd-degree connections can provide intel about professional circles and industries you’re interested in.
• Passive brand impressions – 3rd-degree connections may still visit your profile and become aware of your personal brand.
• Future-proofing – Someone in your 3rd-degree network today could be a 2nd or 1st-degree connection down the road.

While not as actionable as closer connections, 3rd-degree connections still play a role in expanding the reach and visibility of your network.

How Does LinkedIn Determine Your Connection Levels?

LinkedIn uses a few logical rules to determine whether someone is a 1st, 2nd or 3rd level connection:

• 1st Level: You are directly connected to them
• 2nd Level: They are connected to your 1st level connections
• 3rd Level: They are connected to your 2nd level connections

Beyond this, LinkedIn uses smart algorithms to analyze your network and recommend connections. Here are some key factors:

• Shared Connections: LinkedIn identifies people you share multiple direct connections with as 2nd level connections due to the stronger link.
• School and Company Networks: Fellow alumni and colleagues are more likely to show up as suggested 2nd level connections where you share an association.
• Interests and Experiences: LinkedIn profiles capture your interests, education, volunteer work, skills and more. Shared elements can lead to 2nd and 3rd level suggestions.
• Location: People in your geographic area are more likely to show up as potential 2nd or 3rd level connections.
• Industry: Those who share your industry are suggested more frequently as relevant connections.
• Engagement: Interacting with someone’s content can make them appear as a suggested connection.

Through these algorithms, LinkedIn personalizes your extended network to help build meaningful professional relationships.

Transitioning 3rd-Degree into 2nd-Degree Connections on LinkedIn

It takes more effort to form connections with 3rd-degree contacts on LinkedIn, but it can be done. Here are some ideas:

• Ask for an introduction – If you share several mutual connections, reach out to ask if multiple people could provide an introductory note to the 3rd-degree connection.
• Connect through company pages – Follow and engage with their company page. When they notice your activity, they may opt-in to connect.
• Comment thoughtfully – If they post content, leave value-driven comments. Thought leadership content is a proven way to organically connect.
• Join common Groups – Look for active Groups you both are members of. Interact in discussions there to pique their interest.
• Connect at events – Attend industry events, conferences, and seminars they are participating in. Make a personal connection in real life.
• Utilize sales tools – Sales navigator and lead generation tools can sometimes contact 3rd-degree connections that meet certain criteria.

With persistence and value-focused communication, 3rd-degree connections can become 2nd and eventually 1st-degree connections.

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How to Manage Your LinkedIn Connections

Growing your LinkedIn connections across the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-degree levels is an important networking goal. But you also need to maintain your connections by nurturing relationships. Here are some best practices:

• ENGAGE – Like and comment on updates, participate in discussions, and provide insights to stay top of mind. Offer help when you can.
• CONGRATULATE – Recognize new jobs, promotions, projects, milestones, awards. Celebrate their successes.
• RECONNECT – Message old co-workers or classmates you’ve lost touch with. Set aside dedicated time to reconnect.
• CLEAN UP – Evaluate your connections routinely. Remove contacts who are no longer relevant and archive outdated positions.
• SEGMENT – Use LinkedIn’s connection tagging features to group connections (like “Colleagues” or “Potential Partners”).
• CULTIVATE QUALITY – Consolidate 2nd and 3rd-degree connections into your 1st-degree network through outreach and relationship building.
• LEVERAGE TOOLS – Use tools like LinkedIn newsfeed management and Lead Builder to focus your efforts.

By regularly applying these connection maintenance tactics, you can derive much more value from a well-managed network.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About LinkedIn Connections

Here are answers to some common questions about understanding LinkedIn connections:

Carefully managing your LinkedIn connections, notifications and profile visibility keeps your network productive.

Maximizing the Power of Your LinkedIn Network

Expanding your LinkedIn connections across 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-degree levels is vital for career and business success. Here are some final tips to maximize your network:

• Focus on quality connections that can trade insights, referrals, and introductions. Quality over quantity.
• Constantly look for ways to nurture your network by sharing advice, resources, congratulations, and encouragement.
• Set weekly time on your calendar to send introduction requests, reconnect with old colleagues, and expand your reach.
• Leverage features like LinkedIn Groups and Company Pages to engage beyond your direct connections.
• Measure your connection growth. Track metrics like the number of 1st-degree connections made each month.
• Take advantage of LinkedIn Premium to view extended network insights and grow connections faster.
• Use Sales Navigator features to identify key decision makers you want to connect with at target accounts.
• Make connecting on LinkedIn a habit. Consistency is key.

The meaning of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-degree connections on LinkedIn just got clearer. Now put these tips into action to skyrocket your professional network and achieve your career goals!

Conclusion

Understanding the meaning of LinkedIn connection types – 1st, 2nd and 3rd-degree – is vital to networking efficiently. 1st-degree connections make up your core network for direct communication.

2nd-degree connections hold potential for warm introductions through shared contacts. 3rd-degree connections are the outermost layer, but provide visibility into your extended network’s reach.

Focus on consistently expanding 1st and 2nd-degree connections, while leveraging your entire network for introductions, insights and growth.

The power of your professional network is one of the most valuable career assets you can develop. Invest time daily into nurturing your LinkedIn connections and the opportunities will compound.