Social Networking Explained

Although 12 million viewers watched the final episode of The Sopranos, one social networking site—MySpace—gets more than 70 million visitors each month. From sharing photos to business cards, online social networking has become the "it" thing to do, for good reason.

Home and work life today for many of us involves harried schedules, information overload and a lack of what we as humans tend to crave most: interaction with other humans. Our insatiable appetite for all things electronic, from cell phones and portable music players to home shopping via television and the internet, brings the world to us at the touch of our fingertips, but can also contribute to a sense of isolation. To overcome it, we can turn again to electronics for a way to stay in touch with friends, business associates and loved ones through online social networking.

Social networking websites offer a sense of community—a place where you can connect with others who share your interests, passions or goals. This is their primary goal and as our society evolves more and more employers, love interests and friends are turning to these sites to fulfill one of our basic needs in life.

One of the main reasons that online social networking is so popular (versus in-person networking) is that you don't have to leave your home or office to do it. There are other benefits to online social networking, too—you can carefully cultivate and polish your online presence to present the best possible you. Many employers are now looking at social networking sites to view the type of employee they might be hiring, never has so much rested on the way you present your “personal” life. The line between business and personal life has started to blur with the creation and the popularity of these social networking sites.