Networking for Early Career Scientists

Allison E. McDonald

Department of Biology,

The University of Western Ontario

What is Networking?

Networking is about meeting people and maintaining those relationships for the mutual advantage of both parties

Why should you network?

Keeps you up to date in an area of interest Allows you to stay connected with individuals

who may be able to help you in the future Allows you to gain knowledge Uncovering current or future opportunities

(employment, funding, awards, etc.) Allows you to help others and make friends!

Why people don’t network…

Involves confronting many personal fears associated with dealing with others

Social anxiety-we want people to like us, don’t want to feel like a user

Lack of patience-want immediate reward, but networking is a long-term investment

Lack of structure-no plan, deadlines, clear goals in order to provide a framework

Lack of realization about how important it is to your career progression

What are specific challenges about networking as a scientist? Many scientists are introverts, this makes

meeting new people difficult Some scientists lack social skills or emotional

intelligence Some scientists have big egos Scientists trained to think strategically, good in

terms of coming up with a plan, but problematic because human nature can be overlooked

How can you overcome problems with networking? Practice and planning!

Formal Networking Scenario

You are a 1st year graduate student. Your supervisor wants you to present your work at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Blue Gadgets. You are nervous because you have never been to a conference before, no one else from your department will be attending, and you work on Red Gadgets. You want to pursue a Ph.D. with Professor Bigdeal who will be at the meeting.

What can you do to effectively network: A) before the meeting? B) during the meeting? C) after the meeting?

Before the Meeting

30 second and 2 minute introductions Ask PI for advice Has anyone been to this conference before? Talk or poster? Do your best work! Practice! Arrange to meet Bigdeal at meeting Sharing housing accomodations? Have a plan 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon Conference programme Business cards Apply for awards (travel, presentation, etc.) Volunteer to help out at meeting

During the Meeting

Go to social events, especially those for grad students/post-docs

Attend business meetings, run for society executive Industry-talk to people in exhibits hall Meet other people in your talk or poster session Ask intelligent questions at talks Get involved in causes that interest you (newsletter staff,

Women’s Caucus, etc.) Meet other students and post-docs Write down important suggestions, comments, ideas Ask for feedback on your work Don’t try to do it all-this leads to burn-out!

Commit to events “Go early, stay late” Talk to people during breaks/meals-sit with people you

don’t know Introduce known colleagues to new people Ask colleagues to introduce you Circulate and mingle at events Be open to possibilities for collaboration or protocol tips

After the Conference

Stay in touch with contacts Email or thank-you cards If you offered to send data, papers, or citations do

so promptly Offer to summarize major ideas presented at the

conference to your research group or department Go over new ideas from the conference that might

influence your own research directions Mentor other students who could use your advice

First Contact-Starting the Interaction Identify who you would like to meet, take

advantage of random opportunities Look for opportunities-meals, coffee breaks,

sit near them, are they a session chair?, bus rides, excursions, elevators

Wait for a good moment DON’T-bug people in the bathroom, when they

are on the phone, busy with another person or activity, stalk a person

First Contact-During the Interaction

Shake hands-practice! Be polite Introductory comment (weather, city, conference) Ask about research, perspective or opinion Talk a bit about yourself and your research Stay focused on who you are talking with Maintain good eye contact Thank them for their time, you enjoyed chatting with them Leave your contact info. if appropriate DON’T-scan the room looking for the next opportunity, act

like a know it all or be arrogant, it isn’t all about you

First Contact-After the Interaction

Follow-up email-great to meet you! Send any materials that you promised them Send articles of interest to your contacts

(even better if it is one of your own) Did this person recently publish? Ask

questions about techniques or findings Think about inviting them to give a seminar

in your department