Up until today I had read the Professional communication technologies reader four or five times and although I understood the principles I couldn't grasp how they would directly benefit me in my profession. Then strangely two things happened simultaneously.
Firstly a friend of a friend contacted me via Facebook saying they were doing a job in Kuala Lumpur over Christmas and the producers were still looking for a boy and would I mind if they put my name forward. I of course said that was fine. I was then contacted directly on Facebook by the show's producer and asked if I was available and if I could send my CV (which I had luckily just revised with the help of some of the other bloggers) and an audition tape. I sent my CV but told them I didn't have an audition tape (something which I am now going to work on). I then receive another message saying they had looked at my CV and then contacted (again on Facebook) two people I had previously worked with that they also knew and through their recommendations were going to offer me the job. So I'm off the Kuala Lumpur for Christmas.
Then almost immediately the second thing happens, which is me reading Paula's blog on Reputation and Professional Practice and the entry she suggests for establishing designers. In the light of what had just happened the issues really resonated with me. It was a small "light bulb" moment because it finally began to open my eyes to the benefits that web 2.0 can directly have on my career. I have just been offered a job based entirely on reputation and it was largely through the medium of Facebook. Up to this point I have never deliberately done anything to harness the potential of Facebook or other web 2.0 mediums so I began to imagine the potential if I started to actively do what Brian McDaniel says and "use social media to find and form relationships with other designers, share and discover resources, and make other valuable connections." Obviously in my case it would be actors, directors and producers but the principles are the same, and think of how many similar opportunities are out their.
I'm now going to go back and look at the Professional communication technologies reader again and see how much my opinions have changed and how many more career development possibilities are apparent to me. I'll let you know what I think.
Mark - that's awesome! Congratulations! Your post has really got me thinking - it's amazing how reputation and communication can lead to job offerings without any audition required.
ReplyDeleteHave a great time in Kuala Lumpur
Joe!
That is so good that you got a job offer just by recommendation and fscebook and just goes to show that things like that really do happen! It definately supports the theory that your reputation goes before you and the opportunities that are opened up by web 2.0.
ReplyDeleteMark Great news and networking. Events can happen so quickly, almost a bit of direct marketing in a profession where agents and agencies have been the norm - and still are.I was out with my sister-in-law and she had an audition script emailed to her from her agent and she had to go do this the next day. You seem to have given others ideas with you entry as well!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all......Congratulations on the job in Kuala Lumpur! That is such an honour to receive a job by the director seeing your CV, Facebook, and recommendations! You must have made a great impact him. I imagine this has been a real eye-opener for you (and to everyone reading your blog)! It's a prime example of how Web 2.0 can impact your career.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your experience with us.
Congrats on the job Mark thats awsome. Good luck with it. I find all your blogs so insightful and they really get me thinking about what ive written but what i can add. I like the fact your reputation has helped you along the way with this job and i know for future when i hopefully finally get my first job to keep my reputation squeaky clean as you have proven you never know when it can help you out.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
hi, is this job in kuala lumpur by any chance a role as peter pan? if so, then i was at the gala premiere and i thought it was awesome from start to finish, i didn't want it to end! great job by the way =) thank you and the rest of the cast and crew for taking us to neverland, it was a wonderful experience.
ReplyDeletebest wishes,
shanita