I get recruiters sending me what amounts to obvious spam. The most recent one was for a "life changing experience". At the employer I left to join current day job.
Others use search terms like HPC. And they see me in their lists. So they send me their invitations to apply for a "contract to full time" type positions.
Usually these "life changing experiences" are significant downward steps for my career. And at significantly lower compensation.
Most of these folks simply do not read my linkedin profile. This is where most of the spam is coming from BTW. I've kept the current description of what I am doing to a bare minimum.
First off, I'm not actively, or passively, looking for a position. I like where I am. I like what I do. I like the people. I like the company. I like the challenges. I like learning the things I am learning.
So start with the fact that I'm happy where I am. And with many aspects about the job and company.
I've not experienced anything like the aggressive in-you-face politicking that I experienced at the company that just sent me the invite to apply for steps down and reduced compensation. And a likely move. The company that bought my previous company, and then, as my last manager indicated at that place I left, royally screwed me over during the transition.
Why on earth would I ever consider going back to them?
Other recruiters, for firms in my current employers space, usually start the conversation at "have you ever seen compensation like this?" And when I answer in the affirmative, it derails them somewhat.
I think people forget that I am quite senior. Not in age. Ok, not only in age. I've been doing this stuff a long ... long time. I've seen mistake made, and learned from them. I watch mistakes being made now, and try to advise in a manner that will help. Sometimes I'm listened to. Other times, not so much.
But that's fine. I'm not at the beginning of my career. I'm not at the end of it either. Recruiters coming at me with beginning of career type positions are, well, amusing. I decline those contacts without a note.
Those who read my profile, and have a far better sense of what I am, often reach out with nice notes. I like that sort of networking.
An interesting phenomenon, non-recruiter based, has also recently happened. A few weeks ago, someone from one of my alma maters reached out. A student, and they wanted to apply for an internship at the dayjob. I figured, sure, I can help a student. I connected, and then forwarded his info to the campus recruiting folks.
About 2 weeks after that, I got another connection request. From that same school and program.
Uh ...
Then today, another. Same school, same program.
This ... isn't right.
My general advice to the students are, don't tell others to connect to the person you reached out to. This would be abusing that connection. If the school itself is telling its students to find alumni by doing broad searches on LinkedIn, and connect to them, how is this different than recruiter spam?
That is, they see something they want. Say an internship. And they attempt to connect with people as part of this. Which makes the connection transactional. With benefit to only one side.
This is exactly like recruiter spam.
Maybe I'm just showing my 'you kids get off my lawn' levels of age. Maybe I'm overreacting to this. Maybe I should just connect with everyone.
Then there are the business development and sales folks who reach out. And then want to pitch me on things. This one is funny, as I don't buy anything.
Its always transparent. And many use the same exact language in their intros. Which leads me to believe they are all using the same default message in their marketing software.
I reject all such connection attempts. I don't need to waste any time with these.
Sadly, somehow, my email (work email, not on linkedin) gets into a few of their hands. And they send me spam at work. So I ignore it. Seriously, their software, whatever it is, generating all these emails, needs a "drop me immediately from all your lists" link.
So yeah. You (spammy) kids get off my email.