How to turn LinkedIn intros into actual interviews

LinkedIn is unmatched at showing you who your network knows that you’d want to meet. A few keyword-rich searches of your second-degree connections—the people your direct, first-degree contacts are connected to—and you have a list of hiring decision-makers and potential allies who are just one introduction away. That’s where many job seekers get stuck. Your first-degree connection is willing to help, in theory. But they hesitate. They’re not sure what’s in it for the person you want to meet. They’re busy and the request feels like work. Or they say yes, fumble the introduction, and undersell...