{"id":548,"date":"2012-10-29T11:43:49","date_gmt":"2012-10-29T16:43:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thegradstudentway.com\/blog\/?p=548"},"modified":"2013-04-01T22:38:59","modified_gmt":"2013-04-02T03:38:59","slug":"grad-student-advice-series-how-to-network-and-add-value-to-yourself-and-others","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thegradstudentway.com\/blog\/grad-student-advice-series-how-to-network-and-add-value-to-yourself-and-others\/","title":{"rendered":"Grad Student Advice Series: How To Network and Add Value To Yourself and Others"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part 1: The Dire Need to Network While In Grad School or Academia<\/h2>\n

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It\u2019s Not What You Know It\u2019s Who You Know That Matters<\/h3>\n

Why is networking so important? Well, the short answer is that it all depends on what your objectives are. For example, some people network to expand one\u2019s resources, learn about potential opportunities and collaborations, answer questions, discuss current research topics, build relationships,\u00a0\u00a0learn from other people\u2019s failures or experiences, establish yourself as an expert in your field, add value to others<\/strong> (I’ll explain this later), and\/or other personal reasons such as business or entrepreneurial ventures.<\/p>\n

Those who are in academia and\u00a0choose to network with those in industry, may even help bridge the gap<\/a>\u00a0between academia and industry which has many added benefits.\u00a0The bottom line is that networking is extremely valuable and you never know what opportunities might arise.<\/p>\n

A common misconception is that networking only serves one purpose: finding employment. This will be covered more in detail in my Ebook<\/a> or Part 2 of this series. However, a survey conducted by the Science Advisory Board (www.scienceboard.net) revealed that networking is by far the most successful means of finding employment. Networking is responsible for 90% or more of finding employment, whereas cold resume submission has been reported as low as only 4-10%.<\/p>\n

If that 90% isn\u2019t a good incentive for you to step out of your comfort zone<\/strong>, then this is your wake up call.<\/p>\n

Some working professionals who already have an established career stop networking because they no longer see the need. No matter what situation you are in, you should NEVER stop networking. You never know when it will pay off.<\/p>\n

Graduate School \u201cTunnel Vision\u201d<\/h2>\n

For graduate students in particular, the need to network becomes even more obvious. As a graduate student, not only did you make the decision to go get an advanced degree, but you made a decision to increase your chances\u00a0of landing a better job. Without networking this chance is dramatically diminished.<\/p>\n

For example, a lot of PhDs in the sciences will spend five to six years on average working in a research lab. During that time, the majority typically network very little<\/strong>. Many are afraid to step out of their comfort zone or they lack confidence. Some find themselves caught up in fear or making the excuse that it takes too much time.<\/p>\n

Another excuse is that one\u2019s particular field doesn\u2019t require networking or good communication skills. One major downside of graduate school is that a graduate student may get \u201ctunnel vision.\u201d Tunnel vision is when a graduate student gets so overly-focused on his or her thesis topic<\/strong> that he or she doesn\u2019t devote any time to other things other than finishing the degree.<\/p>\n

Although the end-goal is to graduate in the fastest possible time, it is meaningless if you are unemployed and with a degree that you aren\u2019t even putting into good use<\/strong>. You finally got your degree yet you don\u2019t even know how you\u2019re going to use it. Next comes the traditional post-doc. Or does it?<\/p>\n

The Problem With Taking On A Post-Doc and Not Networking<\/h2>\n

A post-doc is a good option for those who want to stay in academia or broaden their skills as a scientist and want to continue their love for science. If you want to stay in academia, the need to network might not seem as prevalent or important. However, for those who want to go into industry, there is a\u00a0cross-over you will have to make<\/strong>: Academia into industry. The need to network is greater than if you were just switching into a different lab and\u00a0remaining in academia.<\/p>\n

I will point out that just because you are a\u00a0fifth year post-doc for example, this doesn’t entitle you to a job and it certainly doesn’t exclude you from having to network. But\u00a0the real question is: Is a post-doc even necessary? Depending on what you ultimately want to do as a career, the answer is ultimately up to you<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But I will also point out that 50% of Graduating PhDs end up doing a \u201ctraditional\u201d post-doc upon graduation<\/strong>. Some even enter Industrial Post-Docs <\/a>(although this is a road less traveled).\u00a0Of that 50% how many are landing tenure positions?\u00a0Not surprisingly,\u00a0only 14 percent of those with a PhD in biology and the life sciences now land a coveted academic position within five years (according to a 2009 NSF survey<\/a>). Do you see a problem here? Most will look the other way or ignore the problem.<\/p>\n

It is no wonder we have a so-called “post-doc crisis<\/a>,” which is when a newly minted PhD ends up taking a traditional post-doc, then ends up spending an average of four or more years at one post-doc. What happens after the first post-doc? They end up doing a second post-doc and never end up with a \u201creal\u201d job until much later. Or worse. They remain a post-doc, come to their senses about the poor job prospects, and enter industry, government, or\u00a0sadly leave the field altogether<\/a>. Can the “post-doc crisis” be prevented through the benefits of networking? The answer is YES.<\/p>\n

Another\u00a0important question here is: Where do the other 50% go<\/a>?<\/strong> Careers in discovery research, preclinical research, bio\/pharmaceutical product development, and clinical development may require post-doc experience.\u00a0However, other careers in industry such as project management, medical or regulatory affairs, quality and operations, business and corporate development, sales, marketing, technical applications and support, corporate communications, law, executive leadership, consulting, or finance may require a totally different kind of experience and you most likely do not need a post-doc as a stepping stone.<\/p>\n

No matter what your career goals are, the need to network is imminent.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some companies may require post-doc experience, but networking will give you an edge either way. Networking serves two important purposes. First, it can educate you (see informational interviews<\/a>)\u00a0 by allowing you to talk to others in the field and learn about potential career opportunities and options. From this, you may realize that you don\u2019t want to be stuck at the lab bench anymore based on information that was shared and learned. You may even realize that you want to take your career in a totally different direction.<\/p>\n

Maybe you can\u2019t see two steps or even five years ahead in your career, but networking may just help you and add immense value. Maybe you want to do one post-doc as you see the benefits and it fits with your goals and career objectives, but then leverage your network to land a good job. However, the second benefit of networking is that it allows you to skip the post-doc altogether. Either way, networking allows you to transition away from a post-doc.<\/p>\n

To get around Graduate School or even Post-Doc \u201cTunnel Vision\u201d you have to make an effort to dedicate your time to networking<\/strong>. Even once a month is better than nothing. Many graduate students (and post-docs)\u00a0who work in research labs won\u2019t even leave their lab building for lunch. Just think if you met a network contact once a month.\u00a0 How about once a week? Your network isn\u2019t going to grow by staying in lab in seclusion.<\/p>\n

I Understand That Networking Is Important But I\u2019ll Worry About It Later.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you have said or thought this in the past you need to change your way of thinking. Now. Graduate school and the poor job prospects in academia can throw you curve balls. You can have personal issues, your lab can lose funding, or you may find out that it\u2019s not for you. If you network early on and keep networking throughout graduate school or beyond it, you have strategically created opportunities and built personal relationships. This\u00a0may play a huge role and have unmeasured benefits\u00a0upon completion of your degree or in your future career.<\/p>\n

Effective Networking Is A Learned Art<\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t expect to become an expert on networking right away<\/strong>. In fact, it is a skill that needs to be developed over time. So what can you do to build your network? Again, don\u2019t get used to just sitting at your desk all day and in front of a computer. Nothing beats face-to-face interaction and making personal connections. This is exactly why an online marketer is at a disadvantage (especially using social media). Keep in mind, half of networking is just showing up.<\/p>\n

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10 Ways To Effectively Network<\/h2>\n
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  1. Talk to your professors<\/strong>. Chances are they know people (or have past lab members)\u00a0within and outside of academia. Preferably talk to\u00a0the professors (ie the ones who run their own company)\u00a0who are well connected and can introduce you to those people in industry\u00a0that have transitioned away from academia. Get the names of those individuals. Email or call them and set up a time to meet.Then, do an informational interview<\/strong> (#4) with that key contact. From there, ask to be introduced to other people that they might know and it will spiderweb and create an endless network.<\/li>\n
  2. Attend live networking events or “happy hours”<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  3. Go to scientific conferences.<\/li>\n
  4. Start doing more informational interviews<\/a> via introductions through LinkedIn or branching out from your existing network (the higher you aim position-wise, the better your chances will be for establishing a network that branches out).<\/li>\n
  5. Attend career fairs, product shows, recruitment events, seminars, etc.<\/li>\n
  6. Connect with someone who is established or is much better at networking than you and who can connect you with working professionals. Or better yet, connect with someone who can teach you effective ways to network.<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Audit classes on campus. If you are a science person, then take a business class and start networking with business professors and MBA students. If not business, find a secondary interest and step out of your comfort zone.<\/li>\n
  8. Talk to those interested in entrepreneurship and possibly starting their own company<\/a>. Chances are you will learn about what drives you, others, and you may just come up with the right idea that could lead to a successful business.<\/li>\n
  9. If you can’t do face-to-face interviews, connect with that distant (interesting) person over the phone. Chances are they may be in your area on business sometime in the near future and they will contact you to meet face-to-face. This also expands your network beyond your own local area.<\/li>\n
  10. Give presentations, be a guest speaker, and put yourself out there. The more you step out of your comfort zone the more you will find new networking opportunities! And this can lead to yet even more opportunities!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Some Key Things To Remember<\/h2>\n

    Understanding what networking is NOT is just as important as knowing why you should be networking.<\/strong><\/p>\n