Although professionals have always acknowledged the value of networking,
today’s economic climate makes developing a solid network even
more critical. LinkedIn, the leading social networking site for professionals,
is the ideal tool for maximizing the potential of an online network.
LinkedIn has more than 85 million members worldwide, including executives
from all Fortune 500 firms and President Barack Obama. A new
member joins approximately every second.
It’s clear that today’s technology has forever changed the way people find
a job, promote their businesses, foster strategic partnerships, and develop
their professional networks. But technology is just the enabler. The fundamental
concepts of professional networking remain the same both online
and off. Building relationships through mutual connections and trust is the
foundation of success on LinkedIn just as it is in the real world.
Sams Teach Yourself LinkedIn in 10 Minutes, Second Edition is designed to
get you up and running on LinkedIn as quickly as possible. This book
focuses on standard LinkedIn functionality. LinkedIn rolls out beta functionality
and new features on a regular basis, so the features available to
you might vary at any given time. The companion website to this book
will help keep you updated on what’s new with LinkedIn. For now, turn to
Lesson 1, “Introducing LinkedIn,” to get started with this powerful networking
tool.