Different Industries, different opinions?
A lot of my research involved musical theatre/ singers/ actors. Although there were conflicting opinions within this area, i found that people in this industry were a lot more open to intergrating both personal and professional as appose to people who worked for recruitment/ lawyers firms.
Entertainment Industry
Myself
I decided to take a look at my own network and ask myself the question should you mix personal and professional? I noticed that facebook, twitter and instagram allowed me to be friends with/ follow colleagues past and present as well as choreographers, directors and casting directors. However, each network had different functions.
Facebook
Looking through my facebook , I noticed that the majority of my friends list consisted of:
School friends
Family
Present friends
Ex work colleagues
Present work colleagues
Photographers
Choreographers
Friends and family on Facebook is an obvious one but being a performer, my friends can cross over with work colleagues. I think this is because a lot of us in this industry do it because of our love for it. This means that naturally the people that you work with share a lot of the same interests.'I would always prefer a referral, so having your friends as a source of help. If you say im friends with such and such she recommended me to your agency' singer songwriter (2013). I have created and kept friendships from past and present jobs and keep in touch with them via facebook.
So how about choreographers/ directors/ casting directors?
I can say that I could count on one hand the amount of 'Creative' professionals I have as my facebook friends. All of these contacts are people I know very well and have created strong relationships out in the field. So for example, a choreographer I have worked several times for and created a strong and reliable bond with. 'if I wanted to be seen for 'show y' I would msg 'mr y' and be like Hi 'mr y' my agents put me forward I would really love to be seen, hopefully see you next week, because I've done a few jobs for him. I think a personal message is always better than an agents message, but only once it's got to a point where your agent can't do anymore'. However, it isn't always gaurenteed to work 'I have in the past for a friend. It was for 'show x' and she didn't get an audition. I chatted to the resident director on Facebook because we had chatted in the past and created a relationship. I asked if she could be seen and to be honest it didn't go in either of our favours. He didn't get back to me and she didn't get seen, so as a lesson I probably wouldn't use that as a source' Musical Theatre Peformer 27 (2014).
I think it depends what kind of relationship you have with people. The reason I say this is that I am Facebook friends with one of my creatives in work at the moment, but not with the others. If I take a step back and look at these relationships, I can see that the reason I am allowing that cross over between work and personal with this character is because we genuineally get on well. Although very professional in work, we can talk on a personal level. I would also like to point out that it wasnt until 9 months in to the job that I actually sent a friend request. It probably could of happened sooner but I didnt want to intrude on my part. Right at the beginning of the contract I didn't really know this person so why would I send a request? 'The workplace may not allow you to get to know your boss as a person. Becoming friends with your boss on Facebook may reveal that the two of you share common interests. Shared interests can lead to discussions and opportunities to show your boss you possess qualities that may not come out at work' Jonathan Strickland
Twitter
'Shared interests can lead to discussions and opportunities to show your boss you possess qualities that may not come out at work' Jonathan StricklandSo can it depend on work enviornment and culture? In some cases I believe it can. As I mentioned above, I have created a closer relationship with one of my creative team. This allows both professional and personal communication within the work place. Because of the nature of the job, physically, mentally tiring, it has allowed me to create closer, personal relationships. Being in such a hard training environment for months allows you to connect and turn to people who are going through the same process, as well as those who are your mentors and guiding you the way. Opening out to these people and creating a joint bond is for the goodness of the show. So sometimes having a laugh, having a strop, voicing your opinion can therefore add to the overall dynamic and understanding of the piece. Learning how people work and getting more personal is part of the journey...those who sweat together, stay together!
'The answer will depend on factors like your workplace's culture, your boss's attitude and the sort of content you've included in your Facebook profile' Jonathan Strickland
I therefore believe that due to the nature of the performance industry and how it can sometimes be informal/ more personal e.g turning to someone on a personal level for advice, sharing the same hotel room, traveling etc. It is more accepted to intertwine both personal and professional life. However I believe you should always mix these two wisely and with the right kind of people e.g people you genuinely have relationships/ friendships with. I think a lot of it comes down to common sense. I speak to my choreographer purely on a professional basis and as a company member not as Melanie. I would therefore not approach her on Facebook as we don't have that kind of relationship.
Is it more normal for us as performers because a lot of the time it can be 'if you have the right look'?
It's a very shallow statement to make, but I do believe that a lot of work out there is dependent on what you look like, are you the right height? build? So does this make it a lot more acceptable for people to advertise themselves on Facebook/ Instagram using their portfolios/ selfies? Are we secretly hoping that a shared picture of video might just catch that certain persons eye? Does this then give us more reason to allow personal and professional to mash up?
The performance industry showed how the intergrating of both social media (in excess) and professional websites can contribute to the success in their professional practice.
Are Other Industries Different?
Reflecting on myself and the data and literature accquired, I have learnt that the performance industry in certain aspects can intertwine both personal and professional aspects. When comparing this research with the points learnt from other industry professionals, I could see that there was a big difference.
I noticed that a lot of business people prefer to keep a line between personal and professional. 'I use Facebook purely for personal use and sources such as Linkedin and email as my professional means of communcation' recruitment consulant 27 (2014). With this being the majority of the feeling, I decided to ask myself some questions.
1. How does the tone of voice/ language change depending on the context/ job? The way a Lawyer speaks when in a professional environment is going to be different to when that person is out having drinks with friends.
2. So how does that compare to how a performer speaks in a professional context? Is there a vast difference between the two?
2. Attire... even the way people dress in work environments is different
A Dancer- leggings, vest top and trainers.
A Lawyer- Suit, tie and shoes.
Even looking at those questions and observations, I can see that the business industry is a lot more formal than the performance one.
Does this then mean that really as a performer, we are being more ourselves in a working environment as appose to those who work in an office?
More freedom with language and personality e.g cracking jokes, more personal conversation because naturally we share similar interests. Personality adds to the room, create more of a dynamic in the show.
Businesses are seen to conduct a much more serious tone which uses more formal and articulate language. This I believe is to due to the nature of the work. For example, a Lawyer dealing with an intense divorce case is not going to converse in an informal, slang like manner. This would be highly inapprorpriate and deemed as unprofessional
‘I have the option to let some people in to both worlds while keeping most people in the ones I prefer’ Recruitment Consultant (2014).
Therefore....
Businesses less likely to mash up both sides of life because it would show a different person? Not who they seem in work?
What would be the effect of this exposure?
Bad
Allowing work colleagues over to your personal side of things could sometimes seem invasive. It can allow professionals to see inappropriate behaviour, activities and pictures of you. This also includes unethical and inappropriate communication with one another. Showing a bit of your personality is one thing but taking it to the next level could lead to serious problems both in and out of the work place. With social sites being a lot less strict than a work environment, people may choose innappropriate communcitaion which could then be deemed acceptable in both the work place too. Losing this respect and professionalism with one another will not reflect well in a work environment.
Conclusion
These arguments show that there are many conflicting opinions regarding professional and personal online networking. Should you mix personal and professional? I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. The pros and cons explored above shows that it depends on many factors. Looking at different literature and hearing peoples thoughts allows me to look at this area from different angles. This has therefore allowed me to put together a few tips and pointers that I feel personally would work for me.
Myself
I decided to take a look at my own network and ask myself the question should you mix personal and professional? I noticed that facebook, twitter and instagram allowed me to be friends with/ follow colleagues past and present as well as choreographers, directors and casting directors. However, each network had different functions.
Looking through my facebook , I noticed that the majority of my friends list consisted of:
School friends
Family
Present friends
Ex work colleagues
Present work colleagues
Photographers
Choreographers
Friends and family on Facebook is an obvious one but being a performer, my friends can cross over with work colleagues. I think this is because a lot of us in this industry do it because of our love for it. This means that naturally the people that you work with share a lot of the same interests.'I would always prefer a referral, so having your friends as a source of help. If you say im friends with such and such she recommended me to your agency' singer songwriter (2013). I have created and kept friendships from past and present jobs and keep in touch with them via facebook.
So how about choreographers/ directors/ casting directors?
I can say that I could count on one hand the amount of 'Creative' professionals I have as my facebook friends. All of these contacts are people I know very well and have created strong relationships out in the field. So for example, a choreographer I have worked several times for and created a strong and reliable bond with. 'if I wanted to be seen for 'show y' I would msg 'mr y' and be like Hi 'mr y' my agents put me forward I would really love to be seen, hopefully see you next week, because I've done a few jobs for him. I think a personal message is always better than an agents message, but only once it's got to a point where your agent can't do anymore'. However, it isn't always gaurenteed to work 'I have in the past for a friend. It was for 'show x' and she didn't get an audition. I chatted to the resident director on Facebook because we had chatted in the past and created a relationship. I asked if she could be seen and to be honest it didn't go in either of our favours. He didn't get back to me and she didn't get seen, so as a lesson I probably wouldn't use that as a source' Musical Theatre Peformer 27 (2014).
I think it depends what kind of relationship you have with people. The reason I say this is that I am Facebook friends with one of my creatives in work at the moment, but not with the others. If I take a step back and look at these relationships, I can see that the reason I am allowing that cross over between work and personal with this character is because we genuineally get on well. Although very professional in work, we can talk on a personal level. I would also like to point out that it wasnt until 9 months in to the job that I actually sent a friend request. It probably could of happened sooner but I didnt want to intrude on my part. Right at the beginning of the contract I didn't really know this person so why would I send a request? 'The workplace may not allow you to get to know your boss as a person. Becoming friends with your boss on Facebook may reveal that the two of you share common interests. Shared interests can lead to discussions and opportunities to show your boss you possess qualities that may not come out at work' Jonathan Strickland
Who am I following?
Friends and family
Industry professionals:
choreographers, directors, producers
Celebrities
Comparing
twitter with Facebook, I can see that I allow myself to 'follow' more
industry professionals than I would 'friend' them on Facebook I
think this is because twitter is less personal. A 'follow' seems less
intense than a 'friend request'...because you may not be friends with them, but
just interested in what they do.'Twitter
you can follow anyone so you've got access to anyone you don't know but
you know is in the industry' MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMER 23 (2014).
Looking at my tweets I can see that I have 'retweeted' and 'favourited'
information from directors and choreographers that I was working with at
the time. This includes sharing opening night information, promoting
tickets, sharing exciting pictures/ videos from rehearsals. Together we
were creating talk and excitement around the show, promoting and
broadcasting what we could.
'Shared interests can lead to discussions and opportunities to show your boss you possess qualities that may not come out at work' Jonathan StricklandSo can it depend on work enviornment and culture? In some cases I believe it can. As I mentioned above, I have created a closer relationship with one of my creative team. This allows both professional and personal communication within the work place. Because of the nature of the job, physically, mentally tiring, it has allowed me to create closer, personal relationships. Being in such a hard training environment for months allows you to connect and turn to people who are going through the same process, as well as those who are your mentors and guiding you the way. Opening out to these people and creating a joint bond is for the goodness of the show. So sometimes having a laugh, having a strop, voicing your opinion can therefore add to the overall dynamic and understanding of the piece. Learning how people work and getting more personal is part of the journey...those who sweat together, stay together!
'The answer will depend on factors like your workplace's culture, your boss's attitude and the sort of content you've included in your Facebook profile' Jonathan Strickland
I therefore believe that due to the nature of the performance industry and how it can sometimes be informal/ more personal e.g turning to someone on a personal level for advice, sharing the same hotel room, traveling etc. It is more accepted to intertwine both personal and professional life. However I believe you should always mix these two wisely and with the right kind of people e.g people you genuinely have relationships/ friendships with. I think a lot of it comes down to common sense. I speak to my choreographer purely on a professional basis and as a company member not as Melanie. I would therefore not approach her on Facebook as we don't have that kind of relationship.
Is it more normal for us as performers because a lot of the time it can be 'if you have the right look'?
It's a very shallow statement to make, but I do believe that a lot of work out there is dependent on what you look like, are you the right height? build? So does this make it a lot more acceptable for people to advertise themselves on Facebook/ Instagram using their portfolios/ selfies? Are we secretly hoping that a shared picture of video might just catch that certain persons eye? Does this then give us more reason to allow personal and professional to mash up?
The performance industry showed how the intergrating of both social media (in excess) and professional websites can contribute to the success in their professional practice.
Professional-In Red
Email- send C.V’s,
contact industry professionals, receive notifications on auditions (from
agent/websites)
Spotlight- C.V easily
available to industry professionals/ casting directors. Notifications on
auditions/ castings
Skype- Online
auditions/ interviews with industry professionals. Speaking with peers about
upcoming events/ work
The Stage- Industry
news, castings, jobs, reviews
Youtube/ showreels-
Post videos of performances/ showreel of work
Dancers Pro/ Casting Pro/Dance Cast- Create online profile, audition and casting information
Personal/In Blue- Professional ways it can be used In Red
Facebook- Communicate with
friends, post portfolio pictures, upload
showreel, communicate with dance community who share interests and information.
Constant line to past employers and work colleagues which can keep you in the
loop.
Twitter- Follow friends,
talk with friends both publicly and privately, follow
anyone in the world therefore access to information, tweet and retweet to promote your show/ gig etc
Instagram- Post pictures
and videos, can then be regrammed and liked
which leads to more exposure.
Are Other Industries Different?
Reflecting on myself and the data and literature accquired, I have learnt that the performance industry in certain aspects can intertwine both personal and professional aspects. When comparing this research with the points learnt from other industry professionals, I could see that there was a big difference.
I noticed that a lot of business people prefer to keep a line between personal and professional. 'I use Facebook purely for personal use and sources such as Linkedin and email as my professional means of communcation' recruitment consulant 27 (2014). With this being the majority of the feeling, I decided to ask myself some questions.
1. How does the tone of voice/ language change depending on the context/ job? The way a Lawyer speaks when in a professional environment is going to be different to when that person is out having drinks with friends.
2. So how does that compare to how a performer speaks in a professional context? Is there a vast difference between the two?
2. Attire... even the way people dress in work environments is different
A Dancer- leggings, vest top and trainers.
A Lawyer- Suit, tie and shoes.
Even looking at those questions and observations, I can see that the business industry is a lot more formal than the performance one.
Does this then mean that really as a performer, we are being more ourselves in a working environment as appose to those who work in an office?
More freedom with language and personality e.g cracking jokes, more personal conversation because naturally we share similar interests. Personality adds to the room, create more of a dynamic in the show.
Businesses are seen to conduct a much more serious tone which uses more formal and articulate language. This I believe is to due to the nature of the work. For example, a Lawyer dealing with an intense divorce case is not going to converse in an informal, slang like manner. This would be highly inapprorpriate and deemed as unprofessional
‘I have the option to let some people in to both worlds while keeping most people in the ones I prefer’ Recruitment Consultant (2014).
Therefore....
Businesses less likely to mash up both sides of life because it would show a different person? Not who they seem in work?
What would be the effect of this exposure?
Good
Some companies may create a life on Facebook 'These companies might value employee input and contributions to the Facebook page'. Contribution may show more to your personality and you may discover that your share similar interests. Creating a more personal relationship with your work colleagues may lead to opportunities in the work place 'Shared interests can lead to discussions and opportunities to show your boss you possess qualities that may not come out at work'. This then ties in with a work life balance. Showing that you have interests and a life outside work allows people to see a deeper you.
Recruitment- Some companies use social media as a means of recruiting new employees. For example, salesforce.com. If this is the case, you may need to befriend your boss to participate.
Creating a network on Facebook with friends and colleagues can be that link to expanding job opportunities both present and future 'It's also a tool that lets you create a network of contacts that you may be able to leverage in the future'. If you share the same interests or value the same organizations, you may be able to network with your boss to achieve goals or complete projects outside of work. Ultimately, this relationship might bring benefit to your community. 'Facebook makes it fairly simple to create a professional persona with one group while gabbing about American Idol with another — why not take advantage?' CHRISTINE GERACI
Some companies may create a life on Facebook 'These companies might value employee input and contributions to the Facebook page'. Contribution may show more to your personality and you may discover that your share similar interests. Creating a more personal relationship with your work colleagues may lead to opportunities in the work place 'Shared interests can lead to discussions and opportunities to show your boss you possess qualities that may not come out at work'. This then ties in with a work life balance. Showing that you have interests and a life outside work allows people to see a deeper you.
Recruitment- Some companies use social media as a means of recruiting new employees. For example, salesforce.com. If this is the case, you may need to befriend your boss to participate.
Creating a network on Facebook with friends and colleagues can be that link to expanding job opportunities both present and future 'It's also a tool that lets you create a network of contacts that you may be able to leverage in the future'. If you share the same interests or value the same organizations, you may be able to network with your boss to achieve goals or complete projects outside of work. Ultimately, this relationship might bring benefit to your community. 'Facebook makes it fairly simple to create a professional persona with one group while gabbing about American Idol with another — why not take advantage?' CHRISTINE GERACI
Bad
Allowing work colleagues over to your personal side of things could sometimes seem invasive. It can allow professionals to see inappropriate behaviour, activities and pictures of you. This also includes unethical and inappropriate communication with one another. Showing a bit of your personality is one thing but taking it to the next level could lead to serious problems both in and out of the work place. With social sites being a lot less strict than a work environment, people may choose innappropriate communcitaion which could then be deemed acceptable in both the work place too. Losing this respect and professionalism with one another will not reflect well in a work environment.
PRIVACY
One of the main concerns people have about personal mixing with professional is that some things will be out there for everyone to see.‘While
pics of you goofing off at a party may be amusing to your friends, they won’t
be to a potential employer’ Lisa Arnet (2007). It doesn't necessarily have to be something inappropriate, but maybe just something personal that you want to keep to a certain group of people. You can make your profiles private/ albums
private so that you control of who sees them. 'Use Facebook's
privacy settings and filter options to limit what people can see on your
profile. You can even sort your co-workers into a list that only has access to
certain parts of your page' JONATHAN STRICKLAND.
Conclusion
These arguments show that there are many conflicting opinions regarding professional and personal online networking. Should you mix personal and professional? I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. The pros and cons explored above shows that it depends on many factors. Looking at different literature and hearing peoples thoughts allows me to look at this area from different angles. This has therefore allowed me to put together a few tips and pointers that I feel personally would work for me.
- Only allow a work colleague in to your personal network when you feel you have created a genuine friendship and understanding for each other.
- Consider your work environment and other colleagues personalities. Are other work colleagues conversing online? Do a bit of research before you make your decisions.
- Allow your personality to come across, but be careful of certain images and conversations that can be broadcasted online. Even if you have adjusted your privacy settings, there still might be things out there that you don't want professionals to see.
- I personally always conduct myself in a polite and professional manner on any online social networking site. Never swearing or using offensive language for others to see.
- Save the ranting for a face to face conversation with a trusted friend. Ranting about your bad day at work online I feel shows lack of respect and filter.
- I try not to give too much away or overload my friends/ followers with too much information. For example, I don't want to know that your sitting in the bath right this second!
- I believe a lot of this comes down to common sense, and you judging the situation correctly. Always work cautiously, taking your time to make decisions.
Thanks Melanie - have you found much academic literature on for your inquiry?
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