TASK 3a The Networked Professional

After Reading the course Reader on Networking and doing a little research of my own I have discovered networking is something I do a lot of without even knowing. A conversation among colleagues in the staff room at dinner has often lead to new opportunity's and more importantly new ideas. I am currently in the process of setting up my own Performing Arts company so this task on networking could not have come at a better time. After researching different ways of networking I now have many new ideas of how to get the word around about my company and the best ways in which to go about it. 

Networking in the Staff Room
When I first started teaching in a secondary school my mind was blown with all the rules and regulations, even with all my notes and the school handbook I found myself in a panic everyday. I would spend my dinner time making notes and highlighting parts of the handbook, I soon realized this was not the best way for me to retain the information. After overhearing a conversation in the staff room between two teachers I soon realized the best way in which to learn these rules and regulations was to discuss problems and concerns I had with my peers. Everyday I would hear teachers discussing story's that I could relate to or ways of resolving problems I had not thought of. I soon put the handbook down and began making friends and socializing. I found the staff at my school to be very supportive and any questions I had I would ask them, I find it is much easier to remember rules and regulations when you have a face to go with the information. Networking in this way has been an enjoyable learning curve for me and my days at the school would have been much harder without the support of the staff around me. 

Networking Via Facebook 
One way I have been able to keep in  contact with all the professionals I have met over the years is Facebook. It almost feel kind of tacky saying my source of networking with professionals is Facebook but it is undeniably a good way to communicate and stay in touch, and almost everyone has Facebook these days. In the early years of my career I traveled a lot and worked in many different places so Facebook has been a social and friendly way of keeping those contacts and being able to causally call upon them when needed. Posts and videos on the news feed can sometimes inspire new ideas for me and its nice to see how other professionals are getting on and what they are working on . I would love to be able to set up a separate news feed for my friends on Facebook that are professionals in the performing arts industry, that way I wouldn't have to scan through hundreds of other posts when i'm looking for videos or posts about professional work. 

My Current Network of Colleagues
Most of the jobs and opportunity I have had over the years I have been informed of or recommended by a friend or old colleague. Word of mouth is an important part of the performing arts industry and is the reason I make sure I get to know my colleagues and build relationships and contacts where ever I can. Being a teacher at a Theater school allows me to network with singing and acting teachers which has opened up new doors for me in the past and created new ideas and job opportunity's. 

Building A Network Through Classes
I attend regular dance classes around Liverpool to enhance my technique and ability but more importantly to network and meet new people in the industry. This is a great way to hear about private auditions and events taking place in the city and also the opportunity to show case your talent and perhaps be spotted for an opportunity you couldn't have know about. Attending dance classes around Liverpool  has lead to many performing jobs and events for me over the years, however it wasn't until I read the course reader that I realized while I was socializing and developing my ability I was also building a Network. 

Some professionals that I admire and follow have their own websites and YouTube channels for posting their work, this is my idea of the perfect networking tool for promoting and connecting. A website and professional YouTube channel is something I am working on developing at the moment and I am currently trying out different ways of documenting and recording my work. As some of my work is with children it is hard to record or document material in any way and the ethical considerations are something I am looking into at the moment. One way I have found is using my assistant to perform choreography I create so that I have some form of it documented and available to share, however this isn't possible with group choreography or evens I am a part of. Forums and research has widened my knowledge on this matter and I am currently refining methods and ways in which best suit my work and projects to make a website and YouTube channel work for my own professional networking.