Open Forum

This is one part of a series of blogs about maximizing your experience with our online Community, not only to help newbies get their bearings but to also help experienced users learn more and take the next steps, or assist others. 

Today, we'll talk about how to polish up your Community profile.

Why should you update your profile?
The Theatre Education Community is a professional resource for the field. Adding a photo and career information can help build relationships, establish trust, and boost your reputation. 

How do I get to my profile? 
Log in and click on the link in the upper right-hand corner.

What should I update?

Add a photo.
Adding a photo can help others recognize you from post-to-post, but also at in-person events. It increases credibility and helps others see you as a real person (you'll receive more responses than a generic avatar). 

Choose your photo wisely.
Remember that Community is a professional resource, used primarily by middle and high school teachers in their classrooms. The best photos in this environment are professional head shots: a close-up, unobstructed view of your face from the shoulders up. That staff photo they take every year on Picture Day? Perfect. In a pinch, stand against a neutral wall and have a friend take the photo. 

Add a bio.
What do you want your colleagues to know about you? Think about the kinds of facts you ask your students to put in their show program bios and adapt it. It should be about a paragraph long, 3-4 sentences. It should show some personality, write it in your own “language.” If you have an accomplishment that you are proud of, like a published play or National Board Certification, brag about it here. There are thousands of members in Community, if you're still stuck, peruse a batch of others’ profiles to get ideas and inspiration.  

Add Education and Job History. 
Treat this section as an online resume. The world of theatre education is unbelievably small, keep your information up-to-date so that others can refer you for relevant opportunities.

Add Social Links.
If you have a related blog, program website, LinkedIn profile, etc. include a link on your profile page to share them with your colleagues.

Did you miss my previous Community Tips? Check them out:

Effective Subject Lines
Signatures
Participation Notifications
@mentions
Searching the Community Library
Discussions  
Community App

Stay tuned for more tips on all of the exciting aspects of Community. Don't forget that we also have video tutorials in case that's more your speed. If you have ideas for features you'd like to know more about, send me an email at members@schooltheatre.org.