By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory
When you hear the words “social network,” one of three things come to mind: (1) the recent movie detailing Mark Zuckerberg’s meteoric rise to celebrity through the invention of image number (2)- Facebook (3) and its arguably ill-fated antithesis, MySpace.
In response to society’s seeming addiction to all things personally digital, the working world is increasingly being warned as to the dangers of the social network. These risks are only amplified in the mind of the modern college student, within which any and every undergraduate variable may be perceived as potential threats to their future professional careers. However, the social networking phenomenon is evolving as quickly as the personal and professional sensibilities of the students it serves, reincarnating itself into fresher, funkier, and more streamlined websites tailored to the specialized interests and needs of the modern young professional. With this in mind the following are the Top 3 Picks for social networking sites to watch:
3. TALENTHOUSE.COM
TalentHouse.com is an arts-centric social and professional networking site. The site not only allows users to create profiles, but also accommodates online portfolios so that their work is only a click away. Talenthouse.com’s specialty is the concept of “Creative Invites,” or TH-exclusive contest-style classifieds for once-in-a-lifetime creative jobs, such as creating art for Paul McCartney or designing for the fashion label Issa. The only downside to Talent House is the fierce competition. However, if you’re down for the challenge, the benefits just might change your life.
2. TUMBLR.COM
This formerly underground site that was once the Internet home for hipsters, creative types, and the savvy web-set professional is now considered to be in the same league as Social Networking bigwigs such as MySpace and Facebook. A free blog platform, Tumblr allows users to post, like, and/or share text, audio, video, quote, and HTML media, as well as letting them “follow” each other’s pages and create and manage multiple additional blogs.
The best part? Although it has built-in chat ability, there is no “friending” or “commenting” involved, and no personal information-sharing requirement to have a page, thus eliminating the drama and privacy factors from the web equation. That, paired with the site’s versatility, allowing users to completely customize their pages to their personal and/or professional interests and needs, makes Tumblr the intelligent choice for the growing Gen-X kid. Put simply, Tumblr is Facebook’s older, cooler sister.
1. IDEALIST.ORG
Does your 5-year plan include changing the world? Well, you’re not alone. Idealist.org is a social networking site designed to unite individuals interested in careers involving nonprofit work and other service-based endeavors with like-minded companies and organizations. Easy to operate, the site also hosts graduate school fairs and think-tank style events to spark positive change from the grassroots level up. Whether you are a student activist or a Type-A student looking for new direction for a traditional major, Idealist is the place for you.
Rather than holding onto your compromising pictures just long enough for a dean to discover, these sites put key skills and resources (i.e. professional networking, resume and portfolio building, and self-branding) into users’ hands for little, or no, fee.
