I recently had a second interview for a junior/graduate position at a company where I had two back-to-back 45-minute interviews with different hiring managers, including live case studies. I felt the interviews went well, as I managed to answer about 5 out of 7 questions correctly, and the managers seemed pleased with my thought process. One of the managers was particularly friendly, even walking me to the elevator and chatting about personal experiences, which made me feel positive about the interaction. After the interviews, I checked his LinkedIn profile to review his background but hesitated to send a connection request. Later that evening, he sent me a connection request, which I accepted without messaging him right away to maintain professionalism. Now, 24 hours later, I want to send him a thank-you note on LinkedIn to acknowledge the connection and express my appreciation for the interview. I drafted a message thanking him for the interview and mentioning how it helped me understand the role better. I’m unsure if sending this message now is appropriate or if it might come off as desperate. I’m curious about others' opinions on the significance of a hiring manager sending a connection request right after an interview. Is it a good sign or just typical networking?