"What I Talk About When I Talk About Networking" By Greg Hernandez

The photo above is of me. In case you didn't know that. Yeah, it's a tad bit redundant to my friends, but some of you reading this right now have never met me. For those digital strangers, welcome!
This is me, Greg Hernandez. I am my own brand. It feels funny typing this just now..."I. Am. My. Own. Brand." Well, now that I cogitate on that a little longer, it doesn't feel all that strange to me, actually it feels quite normal.

That's my head shot. I love acting. I've been doing it since high school. I grew serious about in college. Since graduating, I've acted in two films and a web-series (My own).

 I like this picture. It represents me well. In this photo I'm clean cut, happy and smiling. "I'm marketable." That is the goal behind this picture. Cast me in your play or hire me for this job, please! Yes, that is what this picture is screaming. It's all about me. That is the approach we, as in you, and I take when it comes to networking.

Help ME with MY project, so that I can make MY DREAMS COME TRUE! A little dramatic? Yes, I do find it to be as well, but suffice to say it's accurate. This is what networking is. Utilizing the world wide web that is at our disposal to access the limitless possibilities, choices and people who can assist you in your endeavors.

I won't bore you with all of those details, instead I will dive in to exactly why I am writing this post right here, right now, in this very moment at my home, from my Macbook Pro. Too much information, nah, it really isn't.

In January of 2014 I started a blog. I started it because I thought it would be fun, naturally. I was in the process of finishing applications for graduate schools. The waiting process would begin in mid February. So, in late January I began blogging to keep myself busy and maintain my sanity. It worked. A year later, I am not in graduate school, having been rejected and waitlisted, I am now writing on this very blog and I must admit it's still a lot of fun and therapeutic too.

I write whenever I wish, there is no pressure, I am my own boss. This is my domain. Plus, I have many of my friends from college who contribute on my blog. At first, the blog consisted of myself and two friends. Today, 13 months later there are 12 contributors (All friends) who are affiliated with my brand.

Affiliated with my brand? How weird. My blog is called "Bingfuse." Since it's inception in January of 2014, there have been 108 posts, this is #109 and nearly 7,000 page views. Wow! The purpose behind my blog is to showcase the various talents that Binghamton University graduates have to offer. Yeah Bearcat pride!

In the past year, I can look back at a journey of how my blog came to gradually increase in the amount of followers, likes, contributors. The quality of my writing and of my friend's has certainly gotten better over time. I can attest that practice does make perfect, but I'm talking about networking here. Over time, I started to grasp the idea of what it truly is all about.

My friends and fellow alumni either joined my blog by my invitation or of their own gumption. The process of asking people to join involved meeting them in person, calling them up or sending them a text, an e-mail or Facebook message boils down to something very simple. I'm asking them to join me, join my team, be apart of my brand!

I felt like a salesman. Honestly, selling the idea of what I am doing in my spare time to my friends who graduated with me, before me and after me. I basically asked them to utilize their spare time for blogging or posting on the Facebook page for "Bingfuse."

Like everything in life, practice makes perfect, or at least makes you better. I had some friends decline or never contribute, others began to contribute right away and then faded away, while others have yet to contribute but make their presence known in other ways, by showing support, i.e. liking and sharing posts on social media.

Is networking an art form? I do believe it is. As I fine tuned my approach, communicating with people became easier. The way in which I asked people to join me in a project, any project really, was more fundamentally sound. It was a byproduct of experience and my increased lexicon. After a while my network increased dramatically.

Credit for this is due to my going to college. It has afforded me with the wondrous opportunity of acclimating myself with an abundance of talented individuals who possess many skills for various projects.

I graduated from Binghamton University in the spring of 2013, with a Bachelors in English; concentration in Creative Writing. Short stories, poetry, screenplays, blog posts, letters etc. they all require networking. The famous quote, "Scratch my back, I'll scratch yours," has never resonated with me more than in 2015. Networking is essentially using someone for your own nefarious means. I need something done, Hey! Internet! Phone! Circle of friends! My immediate family! Find me someone who can accomplish this important task.

That's basically it, however thanks to many film productions and creative writing brainstorming sessions, I have learned that networking is far more than that. It's about modest collaborating. Learning how to engage people in effective conversations is key.

This is in regards to speaking with friends, new acquaintances and strangers. I believe that it's crucial that to refrain from blurting out your wants to someone, because then you will be perceived as a novice. Someone who is giving off that vibe of using and not caring about others at all. Networking is meant to be a tool for effective communication which can be geared toward the completion of an important recruitment process of chief personnel for a project.

 People are people.  In my case, I prefer it when someone asks me how my day is going, how long has it been since we've spoken? Yes, I want to be asked those supposedly arbitrary questions. C'mon. Butter me up, schmooze me a little. Pretty much give me the fore-play first before you start badgering away at what you need from me. Do that first and then you can have my services.

For me, doing this initial step showcases your leadership skills. Taking the time to create initial small talk before you get to the reason behind a discussion shows patience.

The traits of a good boss are:
1) Being a good listener.
2) A problem solver.
3) Empathy for those who work for you/being down to earth.
4) Treating others like people, treat them with respect.

It's the basis of fundamental networking. (You better come correct if you want me involved in your dealings).

{Recently I have experienced two bizarre conversations in which I did not bother replying to. 
The funny thing was, my decision to not respond to either of these people via (Facebook or text) because of the perceived notion that I felt disrespected, was validated. I have not received a follow up message from either of these two people}

Sending a text, Facebook message or an e-mail with "Hey, I'll be in the city in a couple of weeks, let's set up a photo shoot date," will not go over well with someone like me. If you're not close to me, have only met me twice and don't speak to me, don't expect me to assist you with your projects.
Being my Facebook friend doesn't make us friends in real life.

In the digital age, support can sometimes be personified by liking someones posts. Online likes still do not excuse you from being negligent toward my existence as a fellow human being. It's important to ask the right way.

"Can you send me those production stills of me?" 

To provide context to the above question. This was in regards to a  recent short film that I wrote, produced and co-directed. A talented contortionist whom I met at a dance venue accepted my request to be apart of my film. She was on set for one day for about 2 hours.

Two days after the shoot, she asks me out of the blue via text. The above question. I did not respond.
Why? Where is the how did the rest of the shoot go? Nothing, it's all about her. I had that bad vibe about her, but let it go because of her abilities. Networking = using. After a week, I relented and responded. I told her that the photos were already on Facebook.

I guess all I wanted was a simple, "Hey Greg, how was the shoot?" I had a lot of fun! Send me some stills of me when you can. Thanks!" 

It cannot be all about you. Take. Take. Take. Ask. Ask. Ask. Doesn't jive.
I cut people like this loose.

I can say all of this, because I humanize every situation. I ask people how they are doing. I tell them how good of a job they did on a project that we collaborated on. I keep in touch.

Why do I do this? It's simple, for me, networking is about creating trust for future collaborations. I build the trust to bolster dynamic relationships that will help me in my future. Close friends of mine have accepted my request to do me a favor (Edit a film or video blog for me, read a new draft of a screenplay or short story, listen to my rambling thoughts over the phone about a new project) because I've proven that I'm trustworthy. You can call me your friend.

I treat people like people.

That is networking to me. Not using or abusing. It's about learning from one another. Being on the same page.

It's rare to meet someone who will treat your passion project as if it were theirs.

I guess I'm a rarity.