The Networked Professional- campus session 10/11/10

At the campus session on Wednesday we started to look at our current networks. Alan told us to write down various points about our network and suggested using a mind map as a way to set it out.  Some of the points included; the role of technologies, the points of interaction between our networks, their value, the benefits, possible outcomes, interacting with different people and the meanings we derive from our networks. We were given some time to individually think about our personal networks and how we view them. We then had a short discussion in pairs about what we had thought about and then came together and discussed a few points as a group.

I realised that I have more networks than I am aware of and I am part of networks that I didn’t even realise I was a part of. I have a network of professionals at Harlequins cheerleading including; the other girls, the choreographer, the manager of Harlequins and the people in charge of LV promotions. I am also part of a network of fitness professionals who are helping me get my qualification, teaching me new things and have also become friends. I also have a network of an agent and people I have been talking to in this industry. We also discussed networks of friends and colleagues in the industry who are often a source of job information and people we have worked with in the past such as choreographers, directors and old teachers from college who are also often a source of help for employment purposes. We also discussed the use of casting sites such as dancers pro and the contacts book as a source of networking and finding out people who we should be networking with. There are also tools like facebook which we discovered has led to employment for some people when friends have recommended them to an employer and they have been contacted via facebook. We realised that these tools have made networking much easier for us and we should use them as much as possible to expand our networks. Then there are obviously networks of family and close friends. These networks help us on a personal level but sometimes can be of use on a professional level as well.

At the campus session we were put in to groups to discuss networks and then we gave a short presentation. After all groups had done their presentation we had a group discussion. We made a number of points and Alan told us to choose one to write a post on for our blog. I am going to talk about one of the points that my group discussed and shared in our presentation. This is the idea of our networks being categorised in to; people we receive from, people we give to and people who are on the same level as us. We decided that people we receive from include; teachers, choreographers, directors, agents, family, people higher up  in the industry, casting sites, face book and the contacts book. People we give to include; friends, people who are below us in the industry or just entering it and are asking for advice, younger students, community work, people you may teach. People who are equal to us are; other students (BAPP), friends, colleagues on a personal and professional level.

This idea was originally suggested by Joanna and we then developed as a group. We found it much clearer to think of our networks in these categories as it was easier to think about how we use them, their benefits and how we can improve and develop them. We realised that our networks are seasonal and can change depending on what we are currently doing e.g. at the moment our network of BAPP students and teachers is very important to us but when the course is over it won’t be as beneficial to everyone to make contact frequently via blogs etc. However, this led us on to think that we have to take the time to maintain networks which can help us progress. By maintaining a network which may not have an immediate value we could benefit from it in the future. It seems that in this industry you have to constantly remind people you are there in order for them to acknowledge you and use you for something in the future which may lead to employment

We obviously get the most benefits from the people we ‘receive’ from as these seem to be people with more information that ourselves who can help and teach us new things and possibly introduce us to new networks. However, we then realised that there also benefits for the ‘giver’. People are usually much more willing to help you if you help them. The receiver may help the giver in the future as roles and hierarchy can always change. We discussed that the power in a network relationship is initially held by the giver but the benefits work both ways. We felt that as we progress in the industry and further establish ourselves, our role within our networks may change. At the moment we are receiving from more people than we are giving to but in the future we may be able to give to more people through increased expertise and work we may have gained from the people that are giving to us at the moment.

Our networks help us to build a reputation and this is something which has to be maintained and developed as well as just established. Our networks heavily influence our reputation and if you are associated with the right people in the right situation at the right time this could immediately help your reputation. The quality of our reputation depends on the quality of our networks and the thinking and teaching we have experienced. The creation of new networks can help build a reputation. We are now fortunate in that the internet can help us build a reputation as you can create things for people to find by promoting yourself e.g. putting a show reel on you tube, photos on flick, linkden etc.

Our network of equals is also very important to us as these are often the people who help us. Friends from college or in the industry are often in direct contact with producers, choreographers and agents and there have been so many stories where someone has needed an extra dancer so one of the dancers has called their friend and they have got the job. It is always good to maintain contact with people currently working as they could help you build your network. This may lead to a mix of personal and professional networks as you could be working with your best friend. We decided that is was a good thing to try and mix the networks as it helps you stay in touch and establishes a more solid relationship. It was suggested by one group that this can be done by simply going for a coffee after a rehearsal.

For people who couldn’t make it to the campus session, here are some of the other points we discussed:

·         Jobs can be obtained through good networking skills

·         Ways of networking have changed over time- we now have the internet to help us

·         Maintaining networks with close friends gives you the support you need when you don’t get the job

·         Don’ presume that a paid job is the ideal out come

·         Your networks define who you are

·         Networks can be described as a tube map- there are nodes which branch off on different journeys to different destinations

·         There are different routes to the same destination

·         The journey is as important as the destination

·         A network can explain a social system

·         Frequency of  communication doesn’t necessarily lead to crucial communication

·         Take time to maintain networks

·         Think about what you need to do to make you sought after

·         It is your qualities which make you attractive not what previous jobs you have done