But what has been missing to this point is a place where gamers can share their passion not only with each other, but also with industry professionals looking to hire passionate people. Enter Rezli (formerly Iron Gaming), the networking site directed towards gamers, whose Twitter account proudly proclaims that “LinkedIn is for your parents.” Rezli is a site designed not only to connect gamers with each other, but also hopefully to give gamers a place where they can interact with industry professionals and pursue their dream jobs.
Rezli CEO Cory Allison was kind enough to talk with us about Rezli and its place within the ever-evolving gaming industry.
Cody Drain: For readers who may be unfamiliar, could you give a brief overview of Iron Gaming?
CD: What was the transition from an eSports network such as Iron Gaming to a networking site such as Rezli like?
CD: Why did you want to create a “gamer’s LinkedIn,” so to speak? Was it something you noticed about the gaming industry, or gamers more generally?
CD: What kinds of interactions have you seen between gamers and industry professionals on Rezli thus far? Would you say users have generally had success finding professional opportunities that fit their passions?
In general, the recruitment sector has not made much forward progress compared to what we have been witnessing from the rise of social media sites. As our young generations attempt to embrace all the benefits of social media, we have failed to utilize the available technology in helping them get ready for the workforce. Instead, there are myriads of tools popping up to address the issue in a very limited and fragmented way, missing the big picture of taking the entire span of searching and exploring the life-long journey of one’s career path. Rezli is dedicated to create an environment that allows young people to start exploring educational and career opportunities as early as possible, and continue the journey of self-discovery of their talents and passions through years of building their digital resume/portfolio so they can evolve as successful human beings in every stage of their lives.
CD: Why do you believe it’s important for gamers to have a social and professional network of their own?
CD: The video game industry is growing more social all the time, as evidenced by the rise of streaming sites such as Twitch and YouTube Gaming, and social media platforms such as Twitter and Reddit. How do you feel Rezli fits into this trend?
CD: How do you see Rezli growing and evolving in the coming months and years? What’s the next step for the site?
CD: In a recent interview with Nooga.com, you suggested that Rezli could be “the next Facebook.” What do you believe it’s going to take to reach that point?
In short, Rezli sounds like the logical next step in an evolving industry, a place where skilled and passionate gamers can turn their love into a rewarding career. Interested gamers can join the revolution right now by visiting Rezli and creating their own account for free.
[Images source]