I have uploaded this again, as i dont seem to be able to view it properly on my blog!!

1a the beginning...

I have been thinking about my CV and how best to present it - I have both a theatre based performance CV and what I call a business CV.  My theatre based CV has been neglegected for a couple of years, as I no longer work in the industry, so this will be interesting to see in comparison to my BAPP colleagues and how they have developed theirs.  Personally, I am going to attempt to portray all my skills across both areas on to 1 CV - I thought this would be interesting to try and combine them both.  This will be a working process for me and the outcome may not be totally right, but an interesting learning curve as to what is and isn't useful to possible future employers.

Looking at Hollie Victoria's blog led me to the idea of utilising my contacts, and luckily I also have some contacts in recruitment, so I asked what tips they would have with regards to writing a CV that may be helpful to us all...see below...

1. Show what makes you unique
For every job you apply for you could be up against hundreds of other candidates so you need to make sure you stand out. Employers don't just buy skills, they buy solutions, so show how can you make the company money and how can you resolve the problems that they have.

2. Choose a clear layout
Employers spend around 20 to 30 seconds scanning your CV so it needs to remain clutter-free and easy to read. The last thing a recruiter wants to do is to go hunting for the information that they are looking for so don't hide it amongst an array of elaborate graphics.

3. Tailor your CV to your audience
It may sound like a time consuming process, but making the effort to tailor your CV to suit the requirements of each particular job that you are applying for can greatly increase your chances of securing an interview.

4. Keep it error free
It's deceptively easy to make mistakes on your CV and exceptionally difficult to repair the damage once an employer gets it. As well as checking your spelling and grammar, make sure your employment dates match up and that you've provided the right phone number and email address.

5. Keep your CV up-to-date
When you put together a CV it's often difficult remembering the projects you have been involved with and the achievements you have made. To avoid missing important pieces of information out, revisit your CV every month adding anything of importance, and cutting any information that is no longer required.

Taking all of these pointers on board I am going to upload both of my original CV's as my true initial starting point and develop them from there.

Task 3B - Theories relating to networking

Do the concepts prompt you to think differently about yourself and professional networks?
How might they provide inisghts into your current situation or future needs?
Are there other perspectives or theories that have value to you?
The focus of this task is about the value you get from engaging the ideas of others.

An interesting view taken from the reader (BA (Hons) Professional Practice (Arts) 3730 Reader 3 The Networked Professional) that i find intersting is,

'Your effective engagement of your Professional Network may well impact on your success, promotion and development, your sense of worth and fulfilment, and even enjoyment in your working life'.

I think if you are in a positive mindsight and at a good place the above can be totally accurate, but I am interested to understand the theories behind this.

In order to answer and think about the above questions I am going to briefly outline the 4 theories discussed in the reader and view how they will affect my networking practice.

Cooperation
Do we cooperate or not?  A strategy has been discussed for cooperation that understands the benefits, drawbacks and processes inherent in cooperation across a professional network.  We can therefore consider our interactions as random, or we can see patterns that manifest within them.  Assocaited with the game theory, where one player succeeds at the others expense, a way of prediciting how people respond to specific events.

I have just read up on the prisoners dilema that got its name from the hypotheitcal dilema based on 2 criminals, please see link below.
http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/PRISDIL.html

To be totally honest, I think both the game and the prisoners dilema on first impression are slightly dramatic theories in terms of linking them to professional networking.  Cooperation is a task in my field that I could not ignore, I need to cooperate to fulfil my job role efficiently and I do not cooperate at the expense of someone else falling. 
I appreciate the games strategy in terms of looking at compeitiors and markets, when my company succeeds or is up on the week it is normally undeniably due to the less successful week of another company/a competitor - this is the nature of business!

Affiliation
'Affiliation therefore can be explained as a social press that provides us with a network of support that will help us when we are in need'  (Crisp & Turner 2007 pp266).
Affiliation within each of us does differ, we each have our own levels of affiliation, how close we form these relationships is up to us.  This is linkled to privacy, 'where the individual seeks to maintain privacy at preferred levels (Hofstede 1980);
An interesting concept taken from the reader is 'Is professional networking an extension of our inate capacity and need to affiliate to both develop our careers?'  Suggesting that a successful career requires effective professional networking.  Whatever professional status we all engaage in the need to affiliate.

I agree with the general need of us all engaging to affiliaite be it personally or professionally.
I am inclined to agree that effective affiliation can help develop a career, as the more people you are affiliated with in a positive manner can only lead to more possible opportunities.
As Hofstede states the amount each individual affiliates is very personal and this can be very obvious in different situations depending on the type of person you are.

Social Constructionism
Taken from the reader - One of Social Constructionism's key principles is that through social interation, humans 'construct' meanings of the world and their experiences of it .  The world is of course 'objectively' out there, but how we come to understand it is a construction or creation of our own making.

Linking the above to task 3a, with the question 'what would your ideal network look like, and why?' (I view this question as 'in this moment in time') the numerous interactions we make may subconsciously affect the way we professionally network, values and priorities change which can affect how future networks are made as they are not predetermined.

Connectivisim
Taking a Connecitivist perspective, we might suggest that a professional network is a system with which we can interact to learn.

Connectivism in my opinion is a theory that is positiviely linked to professional networking, as it provides an explanation about how networks both learn and provide the means for individuals to connect and learn - professionally, this can only be seen as a good thing!

In my role working for the buying team I use all of the above theories - cooperation and affiliation I use everyday in my role.  I subconsciously use social constructionism and consciosuly use connectivism when I am monitoring blogs, websites social networking sites, contributing to my constant learning.  I have therefore been networking professionally by many different means for a long time without actually evaluating.
I used to see professional networking as standing amongst a group of people all a smiles chatting about the 'industry', discussing who i'd worked for or what directors I'm trying to get seen by, but my perception after doing this task has compeltely changed and actually encouraged me to actively network, and helped me understand my professional practice even further.

Task 3a...Current Networks
Part 1

Coming from a Musical Theatre background, you are taught from day 1 that networking is key.  I think this follows through in to many other industries, and networking opens the doors to other opportunities.

I currently use social networking sites such as facebook, twitter and follow varied blogs all which are networking tools and enabling me to interract with fellow creatives.
Blogs are really important for me as I view them for pleasure, but also for my field of work.  Being up to date with trends and seeing what is going on around the world is vital for my industry and by following blogs and emersing yourself in social networking sites is the easiest way to do this.  Please see some of the blogs I follow below...

Fashion...
http://lookbook.nu/looks#!countries/united-kingdom
http://www.theblondesalad.com/
http://stylebubble.typepad.com/

Interior Design...
http://patriciagrayinc.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.teaforjoy.blogspot.co.uk/
http://blog.designsquish.com/ (Lifestyle blog)
http://theselby.com/ (for imagery)

I have sent a series of qustions out via a social networking site, and am so excited to see the results.  I sent the list of questions to a group of very varied professionals that include Psychologists, Nurses, Prof. Ballerinas, Dancers, Models, Nanny's, Buyers etc so it will be extremely interesting to see how different professionals view networking, as I know a lot of professionals have their own social networking sites that are available for them to use that connect them to their individual profession. 
I will keep you all updated!

I am really impressed with how people manage their own established, engaging professional blogs and this is something I would love to do, i find how people write and think inspiring!  I do not have the spare time at the moment to keep an up to date blog alongside this one which is currently my priroity, but it is something I would love to do in the future, and with thanks to this course I think I will have all the tools to enable me to do so. 

Family and friends are huge network tools for me, these are the people that will tell you the honest truth about what you want and need to know, or advise you on the necessary.  These are the people who will be thinking about you first should an opportunity arise they think you may be intersted in.  These are my favourite tools as selfishly I can surround myself with them!  The old saying it's not what you know it's who you know seems to ring true with not only myself, but both friends and professional colleagues!  Or 'right place, right time' which I totally empathise with.

I will reflect further in part 2 once I have had my feedback from my friends and colleagues...

Task 2D - Inquiry

Changing career paths at the age of 23 was something that terrified me, it sounds ridiculous, but all i knew was how to sing dance and act theoretically.  I mean I always had other creative passions that I had pursued, but this is what I had professionally trained to do and the fact I was stepping out of this close-knit industry was initially terrifying.  Once I’d tested the waters and certified my other passions all I wanted to do was learn and better myself, so in answer to the questions from the reader, please see below...

What in your daily practice gets you really enthusiastic to find out more?  Who do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic?

The fact that I am so new to my career that I love, inevitably means that every day I am enthusiastic - learning, reflecting and growing.  I want to know everything there is to know about fashion and interior trends, fabrics, buys, future seasons etc, utilising every tool that can enable me to eventually grow and succeed in this chosen field. 

It is a loose answer to the second part of this question, but anyone that strives for what they really believe in or what they believe is achievable I truly admire.  Undeniably one has to be honest to themselves with what really is achievable, there are many avenues out there and we shouldn’t be scared to walk them.  We have to be driven to succeed in what we believe in. 

What gets you angry or makes you sad?  Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found a way to work around the sadness or anger?

It sounds extremely self-indulgent, but the fear of not succeeding makes me angry and sad.  With the pressures there is in today’s world it installs fear within me.

I feel that I share this view wholesomely with the majority of my peers, we live in a world today where one can barely survive on their own in terms of financial situations, and the general cycle of life is put on hold so someone can simply earn more money – inevitably this is what it comes to.                               

From previously being part of the theatrical industry (as I’m sure many of my BAPP colleagues would have felt) it is very easy to relate to that negative streak that twinges away inside that we all try so hard to ignore.  Reflectively, I now consciously choose to surround myself with positive people and feed from their good vibes.  My close friends who I have huge admiration for in all of their chosen paths will discuss our concerns together and talk through them positively.

What do you love about what you do?  Who do you admire who also seems to love this or is an example of what you love?

I am passionate and love what I do, mainly because it took me so long to strive and reach for my goal. Every day is different and I finally feel like a professional in my field, and can finally see direction.  My sister is someone who I admire as an example of what I love, as she also believed in changing her career path and took a positive attitude in doing so and was also the driving support behind me when I made this decision.  She took a dramatic wage cut to choose the direction of working in a field she loves and is hugely passionate about the outcome.  She taught me not to be scared in changing direction which is inspirational.

What do you feel you don’t understand?  Who do you admire who does seem to understand it or who has found a way of making not understanding it interesting or beautiful, or has asked the same question to you?

What I still don’t understand is that since graduating from The Urdang Academy we were advised to take as much work as possible even if un-paid to gain experience and build up our CV’s.  When I changed direction in my career I again was advised to work as an intern at different companies to prove myself and gain credits on my CV.  Initially for me this was a great thing as I was able to tread the water before jumping straight in and am so thankful for the companies that gave me the opportunity, but after 18 months you do start to question - how long does one have to wait before they have proved they are worthy of paid employment??

To become an intern you usually have to send relevant cover letters and CV’s and complete at least 1 interview, which does not secure you a place.  I believe companies should enforce an intern wage where individuals can still gain the experience they need to enable them to progress whilst still earning (not solely paying travel-expenses, which not all companies offer).  I have many friends and colleagues that have interned for a minimum of 2 years whilst holding down part-time jobs to help them further their careers.  It is so tough for individuals today to seek employment anyway, without having interned and I don’t totally agree with, or understand this.  I don’t disagree with internships and work experience placements as they do give the individual an insight of professional life and what department/company they may want to work in, as well as gaining necessary experience, but working for months at a time without any earnings does seem to me unnecessary and unfair.  A lot of high-end designer brands use interns massively; I have many friends that have interned for designer brands for 6 months at a time without any earnings.

Interesting articles below...

1st article, founded in NY Mag, gives Paul Smith and Vogue’s Grace Coddington views on being an intern.

http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2012/03/grace-coddington-thinks-interns-should-suck-it-up.html

2nd article taken from ‘The Guardian’, can students afford to be interns?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/mortarboard/2012/jan/19/student-interns-should-be-paid

In answer to the second half of the question, to be honest I haven’t really found anyone that I admire that understands why this is the scenario we find ourselves in today.  We all blindly understand that this is the only way to gain experience and seem to have accepted it in order to progress.  

2a...Reflective Practice

I plan to keep my journal as a series of images and mood boards.
I dont enjoy sitting down and writing my thoughts and feelings, its just not something I feel comfortable doing, I prefer to portray my learnings and journies through imagery. Working in a creative retail industry I am often creating mood boards so this is something I enjoy doing and feel it will best portray me and my 'journal' alongside imagery...

1D - Flickr Account is up and runnnning...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannahzapala/show/

I have finally set up my flickr account, it has took me quite a while as has been extremely temperamental everytime I tried to set the account up, but fear no more I am up and ready to roll!  So I have split my images uploaded up into 3 different categories or 'sets' as they are known on Flickr.  Please take a look if you wish...

In the module we have been asked to use an account such as flickr, but we can also use other imagebanks.  I thought I would just let you all know about an image bank called Instagram which works very similarly, but also lets you edit pictures in-to formats you may desire.  It's a really good quick website to use (and the app is easily eccesible via an iphone) and I hugely recommend it, for those of you who already use it will notice I have used a few of the editorial features in my images on Flickr. 

I studied photography at secondary school and loved every moment of it, I would literally lock myself in the dark room for hours on end, and if I had not initially pursued a career in theatre, would have definitely have gone down this route!
I love editing photographs - I think you bring out the magic in an image and create something even more interesting, if you play with depths of fields, contrasts in colour etc you have even more to look at!

Happy photographing!!