Arriving for the first time in Second Life can be compared to visiting a large shopping mall in a distant city. Everything looks vaguely familiar, but chances are you don't know anyone. Yet for many IT professionals this brave new world offers unique opportunities for networking, job searches and even interviews.

"One way to think about it is that Second Life is a new society forming on the Web," says John Jainschigg, executive director, CMP Technology's Metaverse, a full service Second Life solution provider.

In-world networking events and conferences are part of this new virtual world. In fact, many big name corporations have already created a notable presence in Second Life, says Jainschigg. "IBM, Sun, Cisco, Intel, AMD, Motorola, Dell, the list goes on and on."

If you've wondered what networking opportunities Second Life might offer, here's how to start.

Learn the interface

After you register to become a member of Second Life (which is free), learn the ropes before trying to use the virtual community as a networking tool, including how to chat and share information.

"If you're going to do an interview make sure you get in Second Life well in advance," says Brian White, author of Que Publishing's Second Life: A Guide to Your Virtual World. White recommends spending a few hours getting used to the interface. "It is pretty obvious when someone is new. You want to get the basics down, and have the basic skills."

This might be as simple as moving your avatar around the world using your keyboard, or being able to easily use the communication tools. "Consider this the same type of preparation you'd use for a real world interview. Be prepared for that interview in that you look like you know what you're doing in Second Life," says White.

Look for like-minded individuals

You're bound to stumble upon a virtual bar or dance club filled with cyberpunk cowboys straight out of a William Gibson novel, but persevere. "There are certainly a number of IT-related communities within Second Life, but these don't tend to actually hang out in a physical location," says Jeff Heaton, an IT expert on virtual reality and artificial intelligence. "You can easily find groups in Second Life, for topics such as Java," for example.

Don't expect an instant community, plan to explore

As with real-life networking, it might take some exploring before you immediately connect with others. Longtime user John Rasmussen says much of his networking wasn't planned. "A lot of what I've found has been by chance. There is no hub for IT professionals, and part of the reason is that an IT guy who goes into Second Life might not want to be an IT guy in Second Life; he wants to be something else. Hence this is his Second Life."

Despite the lack of an "IT hub", Rasmussen says he's actually building his career through the virtual community. By joining various groups, including those on coding, and attending various in-world software management

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