The Business of Costuming: Social Media

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. These social media sites are part of our personal lives, but could and should they also be part of our professional ones? As a costumer or theatre professional are there instances in which we can utilize these platforms in our work? Should we?

The latter question is something each person should answer for themselves, the former is a question that I want to help answer. How do we use these sites that we frequent on a personal level to aid in our professional careers? 

Find a Job

Networking on such sites as LinkedIn can help create a foundation point. If a professional does not have his or her own website s/he can use LinkedIn's tools to present a professional portfolio to acquaintances and prospective clients. You can use LinkedIn as a supplement to your own site, resume, or portfolio. It also has a great section to endorse people as well as recommend their skill sets. 

Asking colleagues and friends about job openings is also easy thanks to Facebook, Twitter, and like platforms. Letting those around you know you are in the prowl for a new job can open up doors that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.  

Network With Other Artisans

Using such social media outlets as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, professionals can connect with others. But, when using these platforms make sure you separate your professional from your personal accounts. Your colleagues do not want to hear about your puppy's new sweater or see photos of your beach day (as fun as it might have been). Keep your professional posts short and informational. Many different social media experts also suggest, depending on the type of media, keeping posts to once a week or once a day. Do not bombard your colleagues with hourly play by plays of your most recent project. 

Displaying Your Work

Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and other image sharing sites offer a unique platform to garner followers of your work through photo sharing. These sites should never take the place of a professional portfolio, but they can offer a unique supplement for interested viewers to use.  

There are also specific social media platforms for the sharing of art and portfolio pieces. Flickr, Wix, Weebly, etc. are great platforms to create a visual online presence to steer people towards. Most of these sites can be personalized to fit into your personal branding.