How to Get a Job in Second Life

The owners of Second Life pride themselves on providing members with a realistic virtual world. People acquire land, have parties, give themselves makeovers, chat about anything and everything and even buy and sell property, goods and services. The economic unit used in Second Life is the Linden dollar (L$), and you can obtain this currency in several ways, including stipends and currency exchange. You can also get a job in Second Life. Here's how.

Things You'll Need

• Second Life Client download
• Linden dollars (L$), the virtual currency used in Second Life
• Computer with Internet access via DSL or cable modem

Instructions

1. Get a membership in Second Life. Visit the Web site's home page and click on the "Join Now" option (see the Resources section below). Fill out the required information, then look over the options and decide on either a free basic membership or one of three premium memberships.

2. Find a real job that pays real dollars on the home page. Second Life seeks people with skills in game design to work in their actual offices on the U.S. West Coast and in the UK.

3. Go to the site via the green hand icon on your screen to look for a job that pays Linden dollars for use in Second Life.

4. Have a look around your "Connect" page. Talk with other members about whether or not they have jobs on the site and what they do. In a situation where everyone creates their own environment, many create their own jobs as well.

5. Assess your skills. If you are familiar with programming techniques, morphing objects and applying scripting to change or enhance an object, you can sell this knowledge as a service to others or you can create objects to sell.

6. Check the virtual classified ads (use the "Search" tool or the Second Life newsletter). You can also review the "Guide to Jobs in Second Life" for more direction (see Resources below).

7. Get in touch with an employer. Make sure you know exactly what is expected of you. In a virtual world, the rules may be different from what you are used to.

8. Remember this is supposed to be recreation. Don't let Second Life interfere with your first life.

Tips & Warnings

• Second Life publishes a newsletter. Look for ideas in the articles, especially those concerning personal experience in virtual commerce (see Resources below).

• You will probably talk with total strangers when you log on to Second Life and navigate its landscapes. Don't volunteer personal information to these individuals.