Professional networking is the creation and cultivation of business friendships and acquaintances. (Cisco Press. Jul 21, 2006). It is also making contact with other people and their skills, abilities and interests. There are various purposes of networks, some are to gain information, develop careers, and make connections to achieve goals. My current professional networks include school friends, agency, work colleagues, friends of friends (Associates), teachers, NUS and Equity Union and family relations. These current networks shape the individual I am today, provide information and a strong support system which enhances my professional practice. By providing thoughts, ideas and solutions they in turn are available to reciprocate. Economic factors may play a role in the ability to network. A strong tool for networking is the web. It allows us to virtually access people from the confines of behind a computer.
The various tools that I have used for networking are:
Introductions to people
Meetings
Phone calls
Email and group Email
Business cards
Attending events
Joining unions
Discussing with friends
Going to class
Check blogs and social network web sites frequently
Attending auditions and castings.
My first job at age 16 was working as a student teacher at CSDF in Hackney. I was an ex student of the school and was now attending The Urdang Academy in Covent Garden. Prior to receiving the job, the owner of CSDF who was also student alumni called the Academy requesting three to four students to fill the vacancies of student teacher posts. My then teacher and the owner CSDF realised that I had trained in both establishments and thought I would be an ideal candidate and asset for the job. Since then, when I receive theatre jobs I put in my biography that I was trained at the CSDF which in turn promotes the school. I am also able to contact the school for job references. On reflection, the CSDF have been one of the biggest nodes for me.
I think the more active you are at networking the more you increase your scope. I am interested in the six degrees of separation theory, “the theory that anyone on earth can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances that has no more than five intermediaries” (Wikipedia). If this theory is correct we are in very close proximity of all the people that can help us to reach out future goals.
To develop my ideal network I could keep in touch and make more of an effort to maintain communication increasing the probability of me staying in the loop. Make more friends, voluntary work and meet new people would also increase my network scope. I am increasingly finding it a necessity to use my blackberry hand held device which is allowing me to maintain communication in “real time” with people. It offers me a free instant messenger to maintain cost effective communication but does not currently offer a free video calling feature like Apple’s face time or Skype, which has become a very large tool for networking. I have devised a process of networking which I will try an implement into my everyday life and see what the out come is.
Establishing a purpose and intent. Identify who can help me achieve my goals.
How can I then be an asset and what do I have to offer. What is the best way of me making initial contact. Make contact and maintain necessary contact.
Thanks for your post on networking. I also find it interesting that you can be connected to someone through just six people and it seems incomprehensible that it could actually work. It was interesting to read an example of a two way benefit as the school that gave you a job now gets extra promotion when you mention it. This shows that there are also benefits for the 'giver'.
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