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When Orkut and Facebook hit the internet, teenagers and college students found a whole new world of existence.

From finding friends to professional handshakes, social networking comes of age

When Orkut and Facebook hit the internet, teenagers and college students found a whole new world of existence. It became a platform of finding long lost friends and making new ones. Putting up photos, sharing life stories, setting coffee dates8230;it all shaped up a whole new phenomenon for the youngsters. But that was then. Today, social networking has moved to the next level 8211; business networking. From students to professionals, fresh entrepreneurs to task handlers, all are hooked to online networking. So much so that Orkut, Facebook, Hi5 have bred a new crop of networking sites like Konnect and LinkedIn, dedicated solely to professional webbing.

8220;The safety factor is more in sites like LinkedIn, so professionals find it better to register here,8221; tells Raghu Khanna, an IIT graduate who is also heading a start-up Cash Ur Drive, an outdoor advertising venture. 8220;Being on social networking sites gave me the kind of leads I needed when I started my business. All we have to do is join a group that suits our target and spread the word about what we do. I got queries from HR executives who wanted to join us even before the project had started!8221; With this kind of response, the pull is bound to be strong. 8220;The web has today become a global workplace. Unless you are on one networking site or another, one is thought of as a recluse or an introvert. Think of what it can do to your professional growth!8221; remarks Akkriti Bhatt, a second year law student of Army Institute of Law, Mohali. 8220;Social networking has taken a whole new tone now. Moots in colleges are attended by different college students, so we generally exchange IDs and keep in touch with whatever we are doing or what they are doing.8221; As the media manager of a student based organisation, she also keeps in touch with members all across the world and the country.

8220;Professional networking has taken some time to develop but yes, it has happened now,8221; spells Neha Miglani, a final year student of School of Communication Studies, PU. 8220;Since I8217;m also related to an NGO, I8217;m able to maintain coordinate events, interact with partners, sponsors etc through the websites. 8220;I joined LinkedIn upon a friends insistence some time back. Though I8217;m not a professional yet but I find that all the people related to my field are there,8221; Sukeerat Singh Gill, a UBS student from PU tells us. 8220;A professional profile is helpful since you can be contacted if there is a job vacancy or a project that suits your profile. But through Orkut, a new professional mannerism has developed. People are serious about their work but very casual and friendly in their approach. Job offers and partnership proposals are being sent out as easily as a coffee invitation!8221; How things change!