I'm on LinkedIn, Now What??? A Guide to Getting the Most Out of LinkedIn (Paperback)

by Jason Alba (Author)
Key Phrases: first degree contacts, default invitation, personal brand, Linkedln Groups, Scott Allen, Sheilah Etheridge (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
I'm on LinkedIn -- Now What??? is a book designed to help you get the most out this popular business networking site. With over 12 million members there is a lot of potential to find and develop relationships to help in your business and personal life, but many professionals find themselves wondering what to do once they signup. This book explains the different benefits of the system and recommends best practices so that you can get the most out of LinkedIn.

If you are a professional interested in advancing your career, increasing your business or expanding your opportunities through relationships, this book is for you. It helps you understand and develop an effective online social networking strategy with LinkedIn.

The reader will walk away with 1) an understanding of LinkedIn and why they should use it;2) a set of best practices and tips to get started and keep moving, and 3) an understanding of how LinkedIn fits into their networking and career strategy

From the Back Cover
"Jason offers a unique perspective on networking that's of interest to anyone that is a job seeker, entrepreneur, or networking enthusiast. He has been all of these and his experiences with LinkedIn enable him to offer an integrated review for anyone to make the most of the LinkedIn tool. His book is a reflection of his deep understanding of people, technology and change in the market and can easily save the average new user months of time in trial and error."
Nadine Turner, Nadine Turner, Six Sigma Black Belt

"This book takes the guess work out of how to utilize LinkedIn and is unquestionably a friendly user's guide! This book is not simply for beginners, but for those who are serious about professional and personal networking. Kudos Jason!"
Lori Russel Boilard, CEO, Executive Careers & Psychologist

"If you are new to LinkedIn, you are in for a treat when you read 'I'm On LinkedIn--Now What???.' If this book were available the first year LinkedIin started, it would have helped LinkedIn to be better understood and would have helped thousands of professionals get the most out of LinkedIin."
Vincent Wright, Chief Encouragement Officer, MyLinkedinPowerForum.com

"Jason's Personal Brand is consistent in each project he works on, especially in 'I'm on LinkedIn -- Now What???' Throughout this book he narrows down exactly what LinkedIn SHOULD be used for so that readers don't confuse it with other social networks. You will encounter information on how to set up your profile, network through groups and proper etiquette to use as you grow your LinkedIn database. Jason's thoughtful and honest viewpoint on LinkedIn will teach everyone from youthful professionals to experienced entrepreneurs how to succeed with this tool."
Daniel Schawbel, Publisher, Personal Branding Magazine

"I'm on LinkedIn - Now What provides a useful guide for all those looking to better utilize the power of LinkedIn. As Jason writes, LinkedIn is NOT the silver bullet of networking sites; such a site does not exist, and this book does not try to make that point. What this book does incredibly well is show how you CAN use the tool to your advantage; to make connections, to help others, and ultimately, to help yourself! 2 handshakes WAY UP for this great book!"
Phil Gerbyshak, public speaker and author of 10 Ways to Make It Great!

"Jason Alba has established himself as a well-known and widely respected expert in the employment arena. His success in establishing himself and promoting his extraordinary career toolset JibberJobber.com prove that he knows what he's talking about. His understanding of personal branding and networking come together in his new book about using LinkedIn. Authoritative and insightful, this book is a great primer for "newbies," yet it's comprehensive enough to offer something of value to even the most seasoned LinkedIn users."
George Blomgren, Director of Marketing, MilwaukeeJobs.com

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Product Details

• Paperback: 148 pages
• Publisher: Happy About (November 26, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600050697
• ISBN-13: 978-1600050695
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #271,123 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not informative, May 5, 2008

By	Mikhail Portnov (Mountain View, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I got the book in my hands the first impression was that it should cost 5-6 bucks - it is very small. Well, the format is not what makes the book informative though, and therefore worth of the money. I started the reading.

Before the book arrived I have spent about 2 hours reading Help on the LinkedIn web site and a few blogs, which I found by searching Google for "LinkedIn Tips".

The book practically does not offer more than I found myself within 2 hours.

36 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A short, but helpful, owner's manual for people who want to use LinkedIn as one of their networking or self-promotion tools., January 13, 2008

By	Jeff Lippincott "www.Jlippin.com" (Princeton, NJ USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I liked this book a lot. It does a great job of introducing LinkedIn to the reader. Then it explains how to create a member profile. And then it explains the various features of the Web site. It talks about "LinkedIn Answers" which is why I joined LinkedIn yesterday. And lastly it explains how a member should communicate while using the site so they don't do anything shady or obnoxious which could get them banned from the site.

I have found that books like this one are necessary to help a community Web site find members. People will only join a Web site community if they think there is something for them there, AND it is fairly easy to join and get involved. A book similar to this one [Sell Your Book on Amazon (ISBN: 1432701967)] has proven to be very helpful for people who want to promote themselves by joining Amazon's "reviewer" community. And there are books on how to get involved at Yahoo!, eBay, and MySpace, too.

LinkedIn is a tool, nothing more and nothing less. It is a tool that can be used by different people for different things. Some people (wanta-be employees) treat it as a resume post so other members can find them and offer them jobs or offer to find them jobs. Some people (employers and recruiters) treat it as a database of resumes and use it to find candidates for jobs they need to fill or would like to help fill. While other people treat it as a self-promotion tool for their own company that offers a service or product. I fit into this last category. I plan to become a regular user of the "LinkedIn Answers" function and build a stack of contacts/connections through helping or impressing others.

I thought the book was very well written and outlined. I thought it logically started at Chapter 1 and proceeded fluidly all the way through to Chapter 17. And I liked the order in which the author chose to cover the various topics. He provided much insight into how LinkedIn has benefited him and how he used the site. He was very clear in explaining how important getting contacts/connections is for the member to benefit from using LinkedIn. And he explained about the three levels of connections that are relevant to all members.

I would have liked the book more if more had been written about connecting with other members of LinkedIn. I know Chapter 5 was devoted to this. But that coverage amounted to a mere 7 pages. And the pages in this book are small. My hunch is that this book will not really help the typical job searcher who joins this site to get connected. The typical person will search out people that attended their school. They will search out people that share a common employer with them. Or maybe they will search out people with the same credential they have, i.e., CPA license or bar admission. Or worse, they will search out people they already know, but who can't help them achieve anything. Joining this site is not about getting a stack of contacts/connections. This site is about getting a stack of contacts/connections that can help you be more successful in whatever you are trying to do. Keep this point in mind. It's an important concept to grasp.

My recommendation is to join this site in order to get involved. The more involved you get through "LinkedIn Answers" you will find yourself getting more quality connections. By answering questions you build credibility for yourself. You get known; you're not just a resume. Don't expect LinkedIn to help you find a job if you haven't already built a network before you need a job. Think ahead. If you build your network on LinkedIn now, then it will be there for you to use when the time comes for you to find a new job. Use this book to help you get started in building your network now. 5 stars!

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Overpriced Little Book, February 20, 2008

By	Shelby H. Swatek (Simi Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This overgrown pamphlet is filled mostly with stuff you could figure out for yourself by signing up for LinkedIn and giving it a try. The most useful part is the insights at the end of each chapter from experienced users. If this had been priced at $10.00 I could have given it a higher rating.