Yolobe is a LinkedIn for Teens. Could it Be the Next Big Social Network?

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Ambitious teenagers pursuing internships and other professional opportunities may not have to depend too much longer on busy school counselors. That’s because web-based avenues for personal development have begun to open up.

Yolobe, a fledgling social networking site aimed at high schoolers, offers users the chance to connect with companies offering jobs, internships, mentorships, and other opportunities. Like a youth-focused LinkedIn, Yolobe also provides career and college advice for those intent on broadening their horizons. The site’s unique name reflects its vision; Yolobe is derived from the phrase “your life, only better.”

The site and its creator, David Douglas, were profiled yesterday in the Chicago Sun-Times’ online Post-Tribune publication. Douglas is a management consultant who started Yolobe with help from high schoolers in the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park, IL. The site has yet to go national as Douglas’ current focus is to grow a robust local user base.

The idea of a LinkedIn for teens is keenly bright because it serves a need in which no current service specializes. With the press beginning to catch wind of what he’s started, Douglas should expect to receive quite a few phone calls from prospective investors in the coming months. Eager teens residing outside the Chicago metro area can submit their e-mail addresses in order to be alerted when Yolobe becomes available in their area.

It’ll be interesting to see if that point in time comes sooner rather than later.