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[hikingprof]

@hikingprof and janewales - Of course I would never invite someone to join LinkedIn and expose them to spam.  I'd only EVER consider adding them if they already maintained an active profile, which is quite easy to see.

How polite! I wish all my colleagues were the same way.

[anisogamy]

I have a linkedin profile, as do several other academics to whom I am connected on the site.  However, I would never request to connect with an SC member before or after an interview (unless, perhaps, I got the job and we were then colleagues at the same institution). 

[temporaryname]

Related question: is it bad form to follow someone on academia.edu after you've been formally rejected for a position at their institution? I wouldn't do it while an active candidate for obvious reasons, but it's hard to see how following them after the fact could be construed as a machination (and, in fact, I am just interested in this handy way of following these people's research).

Speaking only for myself, I see no problem with it. I mean, it's not like I expect you to never be allowed to read any of my articles in the Journal of Underwater Basketweaving just because you once interviewed for a position in my department, so if you like what I do, why not make it easier to find everything?

In fact, I may well follow your research, too (just 'cause you were rejected doesn't mean we don't really like what you do, it just means it wasn't precisely what we needed at the time), though as an attempt at politeness I'd probably give it some time after the search was over to let the sting subside a bit.

[aprilmay]

I would not ask them about LinkedIn or academia.edu or any such site. They are interviewing you, not asking to be your online contacts.

[tuala]

With academia.edu (not sure about LinkedIn) you don't need to ask permission, you just follow people. It's perfectly legitimate to follow someone if you're interested in their research. I don't see it as intrusive.

[spork]

I am currently being pestered by a LinkedIn request to join the "professional network" of someone I don't think I know at all. I do not use LinkedIn, and these persistent reminders are making me view it as something akin to a spam generator.

Ditto