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Comment by adamb0mb1 | Hacker News Reader

I agree with this post on all fronts.

What I find most interesting is that this reached the frontpage. I've never actually had people (a) not respond to intros quickly, or (b) not been appreciative.

Have you guys had issues with this?

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I actually wrote this because I've given several intros in the last month where the person I introduced never replied. Then I get an email from the person I introduced them to a few days later saying "What's up with that?".

Just embarrassing.

If it's laziness on the part of the person being introduced, then it's pretty bad and you should stop doing favors for that person. However, I've had situations where the person being introduced simply didn't realize the ball was in their court. A quick message to that person should do the trick; "Hope this helps! You should follow-up with John as soon as you can."

This just really surprises me! Maybe I'm not doing enough intros.

It seems obvious to those who've been doing it all along, but everyone has to learn "common knowledge" at some point. I learned from seeing how other people do it (when I was being intro'd), but this would have been helpful at that time.

Also, I've found that people outside the startup/tech world are less likely to know about this protocol. For example, introducing a graphic designer to a business person never goes as smoothly for me as introducing one techie to another.

It is not always a problem, but it definitely occurs more often than I'd like. I don't want to look like a fool if I am trying to help someone out with an intro to one of my connections and they leave them high and dry. It depreciates my "stamp of approval" with intros for people and tends to put you one the wrong side of the recommendation pool.

It does happen, and not even from people with malice. Smart people, who haven't done a lot of this before, sometimes assume it isn't a big deal. It is, and they learn that, but it takes time. On occasion, I've been the person they 'learned on' and it sucks.

I've been introduced to a few people recently (because someone asked the person who knows me about me) and I haven't replied. Why am I obligated to do so?

This is more talking about people who asked for an intro, but then don't reply when they get it.

That makes sense. I'm not currently looking for a job, and I don't like having people try to sell me on them.

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