Uncle Ron may work for General Electric, but that doesn’t mean you want him writing on your Facebook wall or ‘poking’ your friends.
Yahoo’s newest creation, called Kickstart, is a social network aimed at college students, alumni and recruiters, and cites this cause as No. 10 in its “Ten Reasons to Use Kickstart.”
Scott Gatz, the senior director of Yahoo’s Advanced Products division, noted that Kickstart was designed for career networking.
“It’s a professional network with a purpose: to help college students and recent graduates build a professional network,” Gatz said in a press release.
Kickstart, which was launched in November, is not meant to compete with Facebook, a popular social networking site used by many college students, because it is focuses on career networking as opposed to fun, according to Gatz.
Instead of simply viewing friends’ profiles, Kickstart’s profiles are meant for possible employers and other business connections.
The Web site notes that members can keep their “social profiles fun, but your professional profile polished.”
Niko Valaris ’08 said the Web site could be very beneficial, especially when compared to the strictly social Facebook.
“Most people’s Facebook profiles have a lot of potentially embarrassing material that could undermine your chances of getting a job,” said Valaris.
“Having an online profile that’s strictly professional would mean you don’t have to censor yourself on Facebook but that you can also use the Internet to find jobs,” he added.
Information on these profiles, intended mostly for alumni and students, includes one’s educational background and degrees, employment history and connections – comparable to one’s “friends” on Facebook.
Yahoo allows its members to personalize profiles even more, with the “More About” section, where one can include interests and role models.
Although the Web site is still in early development stages and will not be completely available to students until next year, students can still browse the site and see what it has to offer. The preview is currently aimed at professionals and alumni, with a push toward students slated for next year.
Featured colleges and businesses are on the network with information provided about each. Students can become members just by signing up to the free Yahoo network, in which they will then be able to “connect with peers and alumni, share your professional profile, and find people at companies like you,” according to the site.
The Web site boasts that Kickstart will help set up one’s professional network, which will last for years to come. It brings professionals, alumni and students together because “lots of people can help – you just need to find the right one,” according to the site.
Students are finding that Kickstart offers many perks for college students looking to move up in the real world.
“The Web site seems really cool,” Stephanie Luciani ’10 said. “I like how it’s different from Facebook, allowing students to make the connections they will need. But I also think that this won’t take away from companies using Facebook to look up interns or possible workers.”
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