Build, Build, Build Your Networks

A concept that has been hammered into our heads during the entirety of our professional lives. Anyone just starting out in the creative industry can benefit from the following advice.

Issa Rae, who stars in, writes for, directs, and produces the successful HBO series Insecure, provides aspiring creatives with a solution that is not only straightforward but also highly effective in the realm of networking.

Who is standing next to you? Who is having difficulty? Who else is going to be fighting beside you? Who else is starving in the same way that you are? Those are the kinds of folks you ought to be constructing with.

Issa claims that she did not observe a true portrayal of herself in mainstream media, which is why she decided to fill the void on her own. Because to her miniseries on YouTube titled “The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl,” which amassed approximately 20 million views, she amassed a significant following among people who frequent the internet.

She was able to generate a visual story with the assistance of her contemporaries, which caught the notice of HBO, which ultimately led to the network giving her the opportunity to produce her own series for their television channel. This demonstrates the level of success that may be accomplished by enlisting the assistance of individuals who are close to you and who share your ambitions and objectives.

There’s no reason to let the requirement of networking strike fear into your heart! At staff parties, it is not necessary for you to make an embarrassing attempt to introduce yourself to the CEO in the hopes that they would remember you. The people that are higher up in the organisation are typically difficult to get in touch with and don’t truly require your assistance.

Building relationships through networking requires an attitude of “scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours,” which refers to the practise of supporting one another. And when you’re first starting out in your job, you won’t always be in a position to offer assistance to someone who is significantly more senior than you are. Because of this, enlisting the assistance of coworkers is not only much simpler but also more beneficial.

Building a foundation among your peers might be one of the most essential career moves you make. Because you are all beginning at the same level, your peers are the individuals who are more likely to be eager to help you, and in return, they will be accepting of your support.