The Start-Up of You: Great lessons for Conference Goers from LinkedIn’s Founder

Networking is not a dirty word.  That would seem to be a critical piece of wisdom imparted to conference attendees in “The Start-Up of You” released today in both paper and pixels by LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman and writer Ben Cosnacha.

Last night Fortune Magazine managing editor Andy Serwer interviewed Hoffman and Cosnacha at the Four Seasons, San Francisco.  In their talk they elaborated that networking, however it’s done or wherever it occurs does not need to be seen as the grungy, sleeve-tugging exercise that it can sometimes feel like. They both spoke of the hidden contributions that a dedicated networker can bring to any conversation, even when meeting with someone seemingly more experienced or accomplished.

Hoffman is best known as the cofounder and chairman of LinkedIn, now the twelfth most trafficked website in the world (Alexa) with more than 150 million registered users.   In the book, the authors discuss the concepts of owning your own career, the importance of entrepreneurialism and the idea that you need to always have an ever evolving “Plan B” in your hip pocket. We expect copies of this to be found in college career counseling libraries as ubiquitously as “What Color is Your Parachute” has been for the last 40 years.

While the authors are rooted in Silicon Valley culture, they provide valuable insight into self-career management applicable across all industries. They proposes solutions appropriate for entrepreneurs and general information workers alike that border on a revolutionizing approach to life rather than simply as a more narrow “how-to” for start-ups.

With the book’s emphasis on networking, Hoffman and Cosnacha make a strong case for the conference circuit.  They encourage us all to attend as many industry events as we possibly can.  For conference organizers, the book will prove invaluable in making the case to prospective conference attendees.

You can buy “The Start-Up of You” on Amazon here: http://snff.in/A4Le58

Fortune’s recent article about Reid Hoffman is here: http://snff.in/ArJMrk

You can browse upcoming conferences in your area here: http://snff.in/xMzkQQ