Introduction
The best tips to networking are always about being genuine. Be prepared, but not too prepared. Know who you’re going to meet and what you want from them, but don’t make it all about yourself.
Networking for scientists can be a challenge. You’re not really sure what to say, or how to say it. And the fact that people in your field have all been friends since grad school can make you feel like an outsider—like you’ll never be able to fit in.
But networking is important! It’s the best way to get your name out there, find a job and funding for your research, and stay on top of trends in your field.
Making Connections Is Crucial to Success
Networking is a critical skill to have, and it’s one that doesn’t come naturally to everyone—so we’re here to help! The following networking tips for scientists will help you take your networking game to the next level. Making that they are connecting with other scientists in a way that will be mutually beneficial.
Create Your Online Presence
For scientists, the easiest way to network online is to create a strong online presence. The best way to do this is by building a LinkedIn profile and regularly contributing to it. It’s also essential to blog and be active on Twitter, where a lot of scientific discussion happens. And finally, you may want to consider contributing content and opinions in forums that are relevant to your field of research.
Creating an online presence doesn’t require any special skill or expertise; anyone can learn how! On LinkedIn, it’s key that you include a professional-looking photo, an up-to-date resume, and that you add each of your past employers as well as various educational institutions where you went for your degrees (if applicable). A complete LinkedIn profile that includes details about all past job experience gives other people an opportunity to learn more about you—and also makes it easier for them to find you via search engines like Google.
If you want even more ways for people in your field to find you online, consider starting your own blog or being active on Twitter. Most scientists have their own websites or at least pages hosted by their employers that list their name along with content they’ve written (e.g., press releases). But writing your own material can give readers insight into who exactly they might work with someday.
Online forums provide another opportunity for networking because they let people share ideas and ask questions about things related not only directly within science, but also other topics such as careers outside academia or funding opportunities through government grants. Things which many researchers care about deeply these days, too.
Here are some tips to networking.
Collaborate on a Project
The best way to maintain networking is through collaboration. Collaboration can take the form of co-authoring papers, sharing ideas, teaching each other about new techniques, or simply seeking advice from others in your area of research. If you have a project that you want to bring from idea to reality, working with others is the only way to get it done.
If you have a project that needs a collaborator, post it on Collaboratory. Collaboratory helps scientists discover and connect to potential collaborators.
One of the most common ways people find collaborators is through conferences and meetings. These are great places to meet people who may be interested in topics similar to yours and open up discussion about how you can work together on a project. In addition to meeting new people at meetings, keep an eye out for events hosted by your professional society or employer that promote professional development or team building. These are great opportunities to volunteer your time and learn more about the projects going on around you, while also meeting new people in your field.
Other platforms such as social media can help connect scientists with potential collaborators or networks of like-minded individuals who may be able to help further their careers
Prepare Your Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch is a brief and concise description of yourself and your key strengths. It can be challenging to craft an effective one, but it’s worth the effort. When you meet someone new at a networking event or conference, this will be the first way you introduce yourself.
You don’t know how much time you’ll have with someone before they need to leave, so it’s best to keep your pitch short and sweet. Research shows that listeners retain more information if they are presented with a limited number of ideas in quick succession.
A good elevator pitch is not just about what you do —it’s also about how that relates to others. An elevator pitch isn’t sales-y; instead, think of it as an engaging statement of your value proposition.
Elevator pitches should be delivered with confidence, which comes from practice.
One thing you can do to build confidence is use simple language: avoid jargon and big words. An effective elevator pitch communicates who you are and what you are looking for in a way that everyone can understand—not just people within your field or lab group!
Keep Up With Industry News and Trends
Be well-informed.
The easiest way to understand what’s going on in your chosen industry or profession is to keep up with key industry news and trends. It’s not enough to know about just one aspect of your field, or even just one discipline within it.
You should be familiar with multiple areas of the field and how they relate to each other, including which ones can benefit from each other (and how). However, you don’t need to become an expert in a wide range of subjects if you don’t have time (or the inclination) for that!
There are many ways in which you can stay informed of key developments and opportunities:
- read articles on the subject;
- attend conferences;
- follow publications relevant to your interests/research/profession;
- subscribe to journals;
- listen to relevant podcasts; and/or
- follow relevant social media accounts.
Participate in Scientific Discussions
Participating in these conversations can be one of the best ways to add value and become thought of as a person worth working with. It’s also a great way to find out which areas are ripe for new research, or where there are gaps in the current knowledge base that you might be uniquely suited to fill.
If you choose this route, then it’s important to keep up with all the major scientific discussions currently taking place, including those on social media. Some of the best platforms for this include Twitter, Quora, LinkedIn, and Reddit.
Also make use of your own research findings by sharing them online as well. This is more than just an opportunity to help further advance science; it’s also one of the best ways to get people interested in your work and what you have to offer.
Don’t Forget Traditional Networking Methods – They Still Work!
Traditional networking is still one of the best ways to connect with people in your field. While social media and email are wonderful tools, they only go so far. Face-to-face meetings provide the opportunity to make a deep personal connection that can lead to new opportunities and collaborations.
You can easily meet someone at a conference, over coffee or lunch, or in their office. But if you don’t know someone well enough to reach out directly, start by connecting on LinkedIn or following them on Twitter. Then find something of interest that they’ve written about recently (for example, a recent publication) and email them asking for advice.
This is a great way to start forming a relationship with someone you admire but don’t know well yet. If all goes well and there’s mutual interest down the road, you can plan a trip to visit the researcher in his/her lab.
Networking Is the Best Way to Open Doors, Find Mentors, and Build a Fruitful Career
The most important thing you can do to advance your career is to network. It’s a great way to get ahead, and it is also an easy way to make connections with people who are actually excited about meeting you.
If you’re looking for a job, or if you just want some guidance in your career path, networking can help. It’s also a good idea to start early in your career; the earlier that you start networking, the better off you will be later on.
As scientists, you rely on your network of colleagues and friends for advice and support. In fact, networking is one of the most critical ways you can build your career.
If you want to find mentors who can help guide your path through life, or if you just need someone who understands what it’s like being an introverted person in science (or both). Then start talking with other scientists as soon as possible.
We hope that you like these networking tips for scientists. It’s time to get out there, network with other scientists! You may not feel like you have a lot to offer right now, but that’s okay. It’s good to be humble and honest about yourself, and others will respond well to you when they see you are being authentic.
Conclusion
So there you have it—a few tips to networking for scientists.
Remember that networking is a way of connecting with people and making them feel like they matter to you, so make sure you put yourself out there! It’s all about being genuine and being open to meeting new people. You never know who might be able to help you out in the future.
Take action on these several tips to networking, they will help you succeed in your career as a scientist.
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