Current Networks 3a

My initial scribblings on my Professional Networks

 

Above is a first look at my professional networks, each one probably holds alot more strings to it's bow than at first I gave them credit, lets take a look...


My professional life takes on many forms, one part for me is the Extras work that I do within the Tv and Film Industry, this is something I have done for many years. Whilst being a mum it gave me some flexible extra income and a chance to socialise and experience different things. My main network for this revolves around my agent consisting of telephone communication. Although as colleagues we also keep up to date through several other means, the agents website, a facebook page, and additional job sites such as extrafriends. This networking although at first seems more social on many occasions has lead to completing jobs very successfully. We pass on information and advice that helps each other be prepared and do a good job. So I guess ultimately we do gain more work through this practise as once your known to do a good job your more likely to be asked back again.


Next in my professional life is my Theatre School, Starry Eyed. I run local extra-curricular activities for children aged 4-11yrs. My networks for this are harder to pinpoint as its just myself and one other member of staff most of the day to day stuff is done face to face. I use the Internet alot to do research for productions. Id say I have a work experience network, people I have worked with over the years who I have gained knowledge from and who I sometimes thrash out ideas with. Its not a regular event or a close group just contacts that I access as and when I need them. My biggest network would be with the Parents and children themselves. I'm constantly having one form of communication or another with the parents via telephone, text, email, facebook and face to face. I hold open classes so that as teacher, students and parents we can all get together, experience the class and talk about any issues.

Now for my voluntary teaching work, as part of my goal to achieve QTS I am offering my time to local schools in exchange for there knowledge and tutoring. I use websites such as teachinherts to see what schools are looking for so i can approach them with an offer that is attractive to them and useful to me (I don't wanna go in and just end up making the tea!!!) I'm beginning to build a professional network here as I meet and work with various teaching staff. I have also started to use chat rooms to talk out ideas and theory's with other teachers and wanna be teachers.

Last but not least is my Bapp Course. Although still relatively new to my life this probably makes up the majority of my professional networks. My new found use of web 2.0 has opened up a whole new world of professional networks. Blogging being the main form. I feel I have a network of tutors and advisers that I can now access, a network made up of all the students on the course that provides a great source of information, opinions and critique. Another network I feel quite strongly affiliated to now is Knowledge. This comes in many forms and is made up of many smaller networks for example...books, library's, chat rooms, blogs, peers, professionals and e resourses.

As I progress through this course I am seeing more and more doors in front of me that I have the ability to access. Looking at how other professionals network is inspiring. I really feel that I am not selling myself enough in my networks. I could definitely promote myself more, advertise my business more and gain more useful contacts. Giving more time to networking is something I need to add into my work life to achieve this. I need to take advice form others in my existing networks on how to move forward. There is a big wide world out there and not all of it relevant. Learning how to access the right networks and use them to my advantage is key.

Its a dog eat dog world out there and ultimately each is out for there own. I can be very trusting and not always see the bigger picture. Thinking of other peoples motives and what they have to gain is going to be really important for me and my future success in networking.

One last thing I would like to touch on are my social and family networks. I find them as equally important as my professional ones in contributing to my professional life. They are the building blocks of us all. somewhere we can speak our minds and get opinions and advice before we put ourselves out there in our more formal networks, there also great for a good rant and rave about those in our professional lives!!!