I am not disparaging the value of connections (although I may add that focusing on FAANG and enormous tech corps is quite US-centric or even SV-centric, and gen

I am not disparaging the value of connections (although I may add that focusing on FAANG and enormous tech corps is quite US-centric or even SV-centric, and generally the odds to have a connection in smaller-sized companies are quite low). I have probably worded my thoughts poorly. What I meant is that LinkedIn is not a tool of the trade, it is a tool for career building, which is quite different. I am adding people on linkedin as they come, sure, but that has no relevance to my work, only to my ability of finding work and being visible there. So to answer tour questions: 1) Yes 2) Yes 3) Probably, but what is relevant to your situation may not be relevant to others, in many cases LI can only be a very marginal help.