Some networking tips for early career researchers
Researchers often manage the uncertainties that come with trying to achieve different goals, such as getting a permanent contract, improving your skills or competing for a grant proposal. It is easy to think that these opportunities only come through hard work and intelligence alone. While it is important to improve yourself and your resume for these opportunities to become available, networking with other researchers is another way to achieve these goals.
Networking has been described as a practical method of accessing career-related social capital resources. It is an important academic skill for early career researchers, albeit challenging. It is also fundamental for building and sustaining symbiotic relationships in academia or industry, and it opens a door to explore new opportunities (like those associated with meeting other researchers) that can guide your career path. Networking is beneficial since it allows you to exchange ideas with others and expand your views into other disciplines. Other benefits may also include collaborations and referrals for job opportunities.
Yet, early career researchers often find the thought of networking daunting and confusing because there is no rulebook on how to go about this, and they are often intimidated by other researchers. This is particularly hard for researchers who prefer to be by themselves in social gatherings such as conferences or symposiums, where they are meant to interact and share their research with other researchers. There is no linear way to go about this, since our modes of social interactions differ, but I suggest some ways that may be helpful for introverted early career researchers:
Seek out genuine relationships
Networking should be in no way superficial. There is no point in having a large network if you do not have a genuine interest in their research. I believe it is important to surround yourself with researchers that genuinely interest you. This makes the experience sustainable and worthwhile.
Reach out to the authors of research you enjoy
Communication is a very important aspect of networking. To start a new relationship, you must let the other person know what you think about their work. Most researchers value feedback about their work since it makes them feel visible. This could be done by leaving comments on the research articles of the authors you would like to work with in the future, sharing their work or sending them emails regarding their research. This can open a conversation about similar interests, or they may refer you to other colleagues who could share your interests.
Attend and participate in workshops and webinars
For early career researchers who find meeting other researchers at conferences overwhelming, signing up for training workshops could be an easy way to meet more researchers and expand your network. This is because workshops are usually based on a specific subject area and may not have a large number of participants compared to conferences. Discussions raised during these sessions offer you the chance to meet other researchers in whose work you are interested and an opportunity to ask questions during and after the training. Some of these sessions also allow you to connect with the organisers and other participants through interactive discussions. It is important that you follow up after these sessions to solidify any connections that may have been created during the workshops or webinars. This can lead to future collaborations and an expansion of your network.
Write for a non-academic audience
Summarising your research and sharing it with other researchers in your existing network can help improve your online visibility. Summarising your research articles and publishing them online on a personal website allows other researchers to know more about you and your research interests. In the absence of a personal website, ensure you have a complete profile on platforms such as LinkedIn. A complete profile should include your background, place of residence, years of experience, education and relevant skills.
Volunteer or join academic associations
Being a part of an academic association can also be beneficial for early career researchers. This gives you access to resources and information related to your field. These resources could include calls for papers, job openings or conference calls. Being a member of these associations may also get you waivers for conferences, publications, mentoring and training.
In summary, it is important to discover the best approach that works for you, but always remember to engage with other researchers respectfully and sustainably.
If you are interested in engaging with other early career researchers and sharing networking ideas, please feel free to drop a comment below.
Dr. Oluwaseyi Dolapo Somefun (Seyi) is a social demographer with over 8 years of experience. She enjoys thinking and learning about new ways to conduct research that influence youth holistic health and wellbeing. Seyi is a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Public Health of the University of Western Cape, South Africa, a CARTA fellow, an INASP Associate and an AuthorAID Steward.