That small “1st,” “2nd” or “3rd” next to a name in search results and on profiles describes the path between you and that person. It decides how you can reach them and how warm your first message can be.
The four levels at a glance
| Label | What it means | Your usual options |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | You are directly connected. One of you sent an invitation and the other accepted. | Message for free, any time. |
| 2nd | You are not connected, but you share at least one 1st-degree connection. | Send a connection request, see who you both know, ask for an introduction. |
| 3rd | You are connected to someone who is connected to one of your 2nd-degree contacts. | A connection request may be possible; LinkedIn may show only part of the profile, depending on settings. |
| Out of network | No path links you. | InMail, or a shared LinkedIn Group. |
Groups are a separate case. Members of the same group can interact even without a close connection path, which is one reason groups help people who are new to a field.
A worked example
Say you want to talk to an engineering manager at a company you would like to join. We will call her Priya; the details are invented.
Her profile shows 2nd. The first thing to do is open the list of mutual connections. Suppose one of them is a former teammate you know well. You now have two good options: ask the teammate for a short introduction, or send Priya a connection request that mentions your shared colleague. For someone you really want to meet, the introduction usually lands better.
If her profile had shown 3rd, there would be no one in between you could easily ask. A connection request with a specific reason (a post she wrote, a talk she gave) is the honest move.
If she were out of network, the options narrow to InMail or finding a group you both belong to.
The point: check the degree before you write a word. It tells you which kind of message to write.
How degrees affect your posts
When a 1st-degree connection comments on your post, some of their own network may see that activity. That is how a post travels to your 2nd and 3rd degrees. It is also why connecting with people in your own field matters: your 2nd degree fills up with people who care about the same topics.
Habits that help
- Filter people search by connection level. For outreach, 2nd degree is usually the best place to start.
- Mention a shared connection only if you really know them, and never imply a closer relationship than you have.
- Write a note that explains the link: a shared colleague, school, group or event.
- Grow your 1st-degree network on purpose, with people you might actually talk to.
Draft the invitation with the free Connection Message Generator, or use the Cold Message and InMail Generator for someone outside your network. For ready-made notes, see the connection request templates, and for the full method read how to write a LinkedIn connection request and how to network on LinkedIn.