Dear Home and Away fans,

In the second part of this exclusive new five-part series of blogs by me, actor and muso Mark Furze (I’m the one who played "Ric" on Home and Away), I’ll be sharing some more exclusive insights into my current career adventures and life in L.A. - especially the importance of networking. I’m also an ambassador for the National Career Development Week Campaign (or "Aussie Career Week") and I’ll let you know where you can get some handy tips on the net to help you with your own career journey. You’ll even hear some news from your favourite ex-Home & Away cast members I’ve met up with here. You heard it here first!

Do you know who to ask for help on your career journey? Have you heard of "networking"? Does the idea of it scare you? Or perhaps you don’t really know what "networking" means and what it can do for you? Don’t worry … you’d be surprised how many people feel the same way and these days it can play a really important part in helping you work towards getting the life you love!

Networking is really nothing to worry about. It just means using all your "networks", those people all around you including your parents, family, teachers, school friends, Facebook friends, parents’ friends, parents’ work colleagues, local sporting club or other activity leaders - to help you find out more about choosing the right career path for you. Talk to them - they may see qualities or skills that you don’t even know about yourself or perhaps they can introduce you to someone else they know who is doing work that you are interested in and can offer you some guidance. Career success can be a team effort – you don’t have to get there all on your own.

Take me for example … I'm not actually a formally "qualified" musician or actor and I don't have a degree in anything, so for me networking is the most important tool I use to build my career. From my experience I've learnt that it's just so important to make positive relationships with people in and out of professional scenarios. Even if it's at a friend’s or a cousin’s BBQ. Your career may be the last thing on your mind, but you never know who you might be introduced to. And people will be far more willing to help you out if they feel you are a genuine person and someone they consider a friend.

My road to getting my first TV role came about from a casting agent seeing me perform in a school play. She spoke to the director who was also my drama teacher. He vouched for me and I was invited to audition for a kids’ TV show in Sydney. I got the part and I also mentioned to the casting director that I had no representation. She then spoke to a friend of hers who was just starting up an acting agency and I've been with them ever since! They're now one of the best and most respected agents in Australia, they got me the audition for Home and Away and I'm with them all because of the people I interacted with - my network.

My Australian agent set up several meetings for me in L.A. and she introduced me to my current U.S. manager who has organised countless auditions for me. As far as my music network goes, I made some great friends whilst I was performing in It Takes Two in Melbourne. My friend Zoe has become a very successful artist in the dance/house music scene and she introduced me to a band called Juke Kartel. I now live with Todd who used to be their rhythm guitarist and we have a home studio and have become great songwriting partners. Todd also plays bass in Falcon Road and we are starting our own company supplying original music for a whole range of different mediums. Now, these are just a few of the many relationships I've made through networking.

I'm still great mates with Chris Hemsworth (who played "Kim Hyde" in Home and Away), and his brother Liam, they both live in L.A. and we often help each other out with auditions and reading scripts.

I'm currently on tour in New Zealand doing a radio promotion with Shotgun Alley. The whole reason I'm in this band is because about 3 years ago on New Year’s Eve I'd been invited to an event called Rhythm and Vines in New Zealand. I'd had a few drinks and didn't really know anyone so I wandered up to this bloke who was wearing an Avenged Sevenfold T-shirt and covered in tattoos. Thinking he must be a good dude if he likes the same kind of music as me, I started a conversation with him about rock bands. He said "My name's Scotty Rocker, I play the drums..." We've stayed in touch ever since. Now I'm singing in his band, touring N.Z., recording an album and about to shoot a video clip! All because I reached out to someone in the same field as me … literally! We were standing in a big field and I reached out cos I tripped. But you know what I mean!

So when it comes to networking, take it from me, I’ve definitely learnt on my career journey that getting the life you love doesn’t just happen to you, it means actively seeking out the information and the contacts you need to make your career dream happen! Don’t let yourself be frightened by the word "networking," it’s really just talking to the people in your networks about your passions and your interests to see if they can help you. If you’re enthusiastic but also polite and appreciative when you talk to them, you’ll be surprised how many people are willing to help – just make sure you remember to thank them for their time and effort. Who knows, one day you could very well be the one helping someone else get started on their chosen career path!

You’ll find some great information and resources to help you with your own career decisions and to get the life you love at www.aussiecareerweek.com ... plus the latest interviews and videos featuring me! Or check out AusCareerWeek on Facebook and the awesome NCDW video resources on the AusCareerWeek on YouTube. Be sure to take a look at The NCDW Video Series - High Five Messages of Career Development on our YouTube page – there’s one on how to embrace change! And coming soon to our YouTube page ... a brand new series of Aussie Career Week videos featuring yours truly along with Angela Bishop (TV entertainment reporter) and David Wirrpanda (ex-Footy player/ mentor/ founder David Wirrpanda Foundation) providing helpful advice and information for you to get proactive about your own career!

Don’t forget to watch this space for my next blog ... I’ll be sharing some more exclusive insights into my life and work in L.A., including why what you learn at school and throughout your life is important – learning is ongoing!

Mark Furze is an ambassador for the National Career Development Week Campaign. Go to Aussie Career Week and get the life you love!

Top Five Tips to Successful Networking!

1. Be interested in the people you network with.
2. Build trust and be authentic and recognise that networking is a two-way process.
3. Start by networking with people you already know.
4. Don’t apologise for networking it is part of the process of work culture.
5. Think about the outcome you want from a networking activity and have a goal in mind.

6. Have a pitch ready.

"Top Five Tips" to Successful Networking!" provided by Peter Tatham, Executive Director of the Career Industry Council of Australia (CICA)

Share your experiences with 'networking' in the comments section below:-