I feel that I have the means to a lot of networking; however, I don’t feel I necessarily use them to my advantage as a professional. I have signed up/got accounts and profiles with a good number of networking sites. These include:
· Facebook
· Twitter
· Linked In
· Skype
· Network Dance
· Dancers Pro
· Star Now
· The Stage
I use Facebook, Twitter and Skype for personal use but I don’t really use them to network with other professionals in the industry other than those I have connected with on a friendship level. I did open a second account with Facebook with the intention of using as a professional networking, however I didn’t really keep up with it or use it to find people that I could connect with. I do think this was a good idea so I am going to start utilising it more.
Out of the other web sites I have used, my profile on network dance is the one I update more often. I have found this website a really good tool as you can filter the type of auditions you want to see so it is easier to find the relevant ones. The site gives the opportunity for possible employers to look at your profile which includes your CV and photos.
Dancers Pro and Star Now I find more difficult to use. Although you are able to create a profile and look at auditions it is very limited without paying the monthly subscription. At the moment I cannot justify paying out for something like that as I am currently in work and out of the country.
I feel more experienced professionals often use personal contacts to network. Finding people through others they have previously worked with or met. I would like to expand my network in this sense. I have only had 2 professional jobs but from this I can now think of people I can talk to that could help me network further. I hadn’t really given thought to what I could do already as I was only thinking that I haven’t had many jobs and so not met many people. However, if I utilise the contacts I already have I will be able to effectively expand my network.
My ideal network would be quite vast with people form different styles of dance, different company’s and agencies. Thinking further down the line of my career it may also be useful to connect with artists as well as choreographers, producers and dancers. To gain this type of network I need to branch out and use contacts I already have to connect with new affiliates.
