Module 1: Task 3a - Current Networks

I consider networking to be part of my every day life. Even without intentionally doing so, I find myself networking. I am always thinking of my future self, and what it is I can do to ensure continual progression in my career. There are many different ways and tools that I use to engage in my professional network. 

For me, word of mouth is an important tool for networking. I always try to keep in touch with my friends within the industry because I know that they, more likely than not, will have been investing their own time in researching and networking, too. They sometimes provide me with information that I have not come across or even provide me with answers to questions that I have gathered. 

Auditions can present valuable opportunities to meet new people within my industry. Often, the people that I meet at the auditions come from many different parts of the World and are at many different stages in their career. On engaging in conversations, it is clear to see that almost everyone has a story to tell and I nearly always come away having learned something new or picked up some useful information. 

These day's, the Internet has been one of the most useful tools for networking. The growth of Web 2.0 now means that networking is possible from the comfort of your own home or anywhere in the World as long as you have a connection to the Internet. 

As per my previous post on this subject, there are many different Web 2.0 sites that I currently use. One of my favourites is Facebook. I find the site to be very useful because it presents me with the opportunity to connect to and interact with millions of different people all around the globe. Its powerful search engines make it very easy to identify someone with a specific area of interest or work. In this case, it would be my industry. 

Facebook offers numerous different services. I have access to user profile pages, on which I can easily post information and communicate using any form of digital media. I can also privately contact users, as Facebook has the capability to function similarly to E-mail, along with allowing the creation of social groups, pages, events and many other features with the ability to promote them.

One of the many groups that I am a member of on Facebook is often talked about, 'The Hustle!' It's members actively share advice and information regarding upcoming jobs and auditions, as well as offering to help with other opportunities and services. Since I last wrote about 'The Hustle!', it's membership has grown to 23,312. These are almost entirely made up of performing arts industry professionals, including vocalists, dancers, musicians, models, photographers and teachers, to name a few.

There are also online agencies and other casting websites that I use, such as 'Dancers Pro', 'Spotlight', 'Let it Cast' and even 'Star Now', to provide a few examples. They are beneficial because not only do they provide information on current castings, they can also provide a platform for employers to get in touch and communicate with the artist/performer. 

Although the E-mail technology has been around a long while now, it is still a perfectly acceptable means of contacting people. I always have my E-mail browsers open when using the laptop and I always leave my 'pop3 push messages' service working on my smartphone, so that I am always notified of an incoming message, one way or another. Best not forget that the conventional postal service is still an acceptable way for contacting people such as agents, who frequently require hard copies of photos, CVs and contracts.

With today's technological advancements in mobile services, I consider myself very lucky to be able to access nearly all of my networking tools from the smart-phone in my pocket. Not only can I receive incoming calls and messages, as long as I have access to the Internet, I can also access my E-mails, log in to most of my Web 2.0 sites, visit online casting agencies and other websites that I use. It is a quick and efficient tool, one perfectly geared up for networking. 

I am also a member of the Musicians Union. This is a trade union which focuses on the careers of musicians. Trade unions such as the Musicians Union and Equity provide support to those in the industry. Not only do they help to resolve issues and give career or legal advice, they also provide the opportunity for members to inter-connect and communicate with each other.

There are many different ways of networking in my industry that are used by established practitioners. I am a firm believer that if you wish to engage in specific social circles, you must first immerse yourself in the environment. Because the industry has changed so much in recent years, this could now be perceived by some as being outdated. Nevertheless, I still consider London to be the top social hub for people within the performing arts industry. Being at the right place at the right time has benefitted many people in the past with their careers. In London, I know that there are still a lot of places that I could benefit from if they were to be added to my social haunts. 

Although I use many technologies for social networking, there are still other Web 2.0. tools available that I could, but do not, use often enough for professional purposes. There are many industry professionals who are very successful at using Twitter and Instagram, for example, as other tools for professional networking purposes. These sites are also well suited for generating publicity, as posts can be made more open to the general public by the use of '#tags' or hashtags, which could definitely be used as a means of marketing oneself.

Upon reflecting on the make-up of my current networks, I am able to recognise some of the motives and the reasons why other professionals in the industry would want to do the same. The importance of engaging in networking is not to be understated. Amongst many, I think the often-heard saying "It's not what you know, it's who you know" is a good example of how people perceive the way of achieving success in the industry. I think many people appreciate the efficiency of using these networking tools, as it is neither time-consuming nor costly to engage or interact with others and do many of the things listed above. 

My ideal network could be compared with existing networks. It would be continually growing, constructed of reliable sources drawn from my areas of interest and well-established industry professionals. My network would allow me to engage with the other members across multiple platforms, and allow interaction through written, verbal and visual media. It would include a free pool of information to be verified by the very people who use the information, resulting in giving the information a high reliability score. 

In my view, it would be too costly and time-consuming to develop my ideal network myself. Understanding the way Web 2.0 works, the issue would not only be in developing the network but putting in the work to get the people I want involved. Realistically, what I could do is manipulate the networks that I already have, using and focusing them on functioning the same or as close as possible to my ideal network. 

Moving my residential address to London could prove to be beneficial. Immersing myself in the environment of my industry would most likely help focus my social groups in the areas I wish to engage with and make me more available for short-notice opportunities. When it comes to communicating with people verbally, I know that I may benefit from the practice, which may result in me speaking with more confidence and conviction. So, with the aim of developing my conversational skills, I would try to ensure that I networked more on a face-to-face basis. As for what I don't know, I am not in a position say... as I don't know what I don't know. This is the reason why I shall continue networking.