I'm on Linkedin -- Now What: A Guide to Getting the Most Out of Linkedin

I have been a faithful LinkedIn user since the service started. I literally was one of the very first people to sign up to use this new business networking tool back in 2003. Because of this I anxiously read Jason Alba's book, I'm on LinkedIn, Now What??? A Guide to Getting the Most Out of LinkedIn, from cover to cover in one sitting while sitting on the beach in Hua Hin, Thailand. Before I get started on Jason's book I would like to say a few things. I am not LinkedIn newbie - no, not me. Over the past several years I have used LinkedIn to get customers for my business. I have hired suppliers and employees through LinkedIn. I have caught up with old business acquaintances, classmates, ship mates and even long lost friends. I have set up international conferences in Bangkok, Dublin, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Prague and Manila getting all of the contacts through my LinkedIn connections. I have even gotten interviews from experts for my first book and many articles that I have written for publications around the world through LinkedIn. So I pretty much thought that I knew everything backwards and forward about LinkedIn. Jason Alba rightly writes the book for the absolute beginner who either doesn't have an account with LinkedIn yet or has just signed up for one. He takes the reader through the account settings and how to set up their profile then discusses ways in which the LinkedIn user can get the most out of LinkedIn, whether it be for a job search, looking for clients, or whatever their business networking aims to be. One thing that I did like about Alba's approach is that he acknowledged that many of the users will be open to connections from who ever wants to use their network, whereas others will be very closed with their networks. This has been a constant point of friction so to speak as some of the LinkedIn. Jason Alba openly discussed LinkedIn etiquette in this regard. I also think one of the most important things that Jason Alba pointed out was that LinkedIn is a tool. It should never replace the normal networking that you may do but used correctly it should greatly enhance it. I couldn't agree more. Alba gave an example of a LinkedIn user who happens to be a traveling salesman who finds people to meet for lunch, dinner, coffee for his down time when he is in a new city, which greatly enriches his time spent. I have done very much the same thing for the past few years and have made friends all over the world this way. Finally, I really learned a lot of a good tool in using the LinkedIn Groups. Before reading this book I had never really used this application mainly ignoring it. But after reading Jason Alba describe what can be gained from LinkedIn Groups I began to join the conversations in these. My first use has been a very practical one. I was invided to be a panelist at a large conference in Singapore later this year to discuss a very esoteric subject. I was stuck for what I would give on my presentation. Thank

I was fortunate enough to have got involved with LinkedIn in its early stages and have developed my network and added pieces as I have gone along. But for anyone looking at on line networking now it is a daunting task - probably daunting enough to put many off from even embarking on this journey. Worry no more - Jason Alba's book is your salvation. It is easy to pick up, use and start to build your all important online brand on the number one professional / business network in the world in a matter of a minutes. Read it through from cover to cover and follow all his tips and tools and you will soon become connected and hired or be growing your business. This book is now a mandatory purchase for any personal branding client I am working with who wants to network online - and every time they thank me for the recommendation.

After reading this book I realized that I didn't know as much as I thought I did about LinkedIn! I did know some of the mechanics of how to use the site. However, this book has taught me about features which I hadn't tried due to not understanding their value. Thus with a well rounded understanding of LinkedIn I can now take the next step toward how to use LinkedIn as a strategic tool for my professional networking. This book may seem short but I believe that is because the information is clear and concise and there is certainly no fluff or redundancy. It also contains links to many web resources relating to LinkedIn which are very useful.

A few years ago, a friend sent me an invitation to join his network on LinkedIn. I actually didn't give it a lot of thought, but simply accepted. Had I thought about it, I would probably have said, "I'm on LinkedIn. So what?" Fortunately, experience over the past year has helped me to get over that! Still, I can really see Jason Alba's point: For a majority of new LinkedIn users the question truly is, "now what?" Certainly there is no lack of commentary about LinkedIn. From articles in established magazines to commentary in the blogosphere, you can find lots of perspectives. And while some of the material is interesting, it can fall short in providing practical "how to" advice. So, if you are a new user, this book is a must read! Drawing on his own LinkedIn user experience, strong knowledge of online tools, and his perspective as a master networker, Jason provides an excellent tour of this widely used business tool. Jason frames the content by building a clear exposition of what LinkedIn is, and what it is not. In particular, he is clear in pointing out that while this tool facilitates networking, it is not a replacement for the kind of person-to-person, real-world networking that builds relationships. From there he goes on to examine LinkedIn's advantages and its limitations. Staring with "Your Profile," Jason gives clear and practical "how to" advice. Yet, he goes beyond the purely technical to share lots of great tips on using LinkedIn -- whether you want to use this tool to establish your presence on the internet, be found, find others, get or give a recommendation, get answers, join a group, or find a job! Beyond providing great coverage of features, he has included value-adding chapters on using LinkedIn for personal branding, shady practices to avoid, netiquette, and complementary tools and resources - all of which make this a must read for even experienced users! At the start his book, Jason sets as his purpose to help readers gain "...a solid understanding of what LinkedIn is, how to use it and why things on Linkedin work the way they do." Personally, I think he succeeds brilliantly in his mission and goes on to deliver so much more!