Networking in
Academic Settings
Moderator:
Sara Rimer
University of Michigan
Panelists:
Diane Peters – Kettering University
Eve Vitale – Kettering University
Anne Lucietto – Purdue University
1
Introduce yourselves
2
Why networking in
academia?
• Academia is an individualistic world - Putting a face to a
name is priceless!
• Academics find their own collaborators
• Funding for academics is secured individually
• Only a small population of people are able to
understand your work fully
• Jobs openings are usually irregular and unpredictable
• Attending conferences and similar meetings is a
significant part of an academic’s professional
development
• Having many different people to look over writing is a
valuable asset
3
Networking is a practiced
skill
• “Authenticity” in networking really comes from
practicing
• It is about building relationships and connections – It is a
two-way street
• It is happening all of the time
• It feels contrived because it is! But that is OK!
4
Know yourself!
• What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
• What is your personality? Extroverted? Introverted?
• Are you good at asking questions, but not so good and
adding depth to conversations?
• Do you have trouble initiating questions and revealing
information about yourself?
• What do you have to offer?
5
Parts of Networking
• Introduction
• “The Ask”
• Following-up
6
Feedback on your
introductions
7
What makes a good
introduction?
• Think of one thing you want to be remembered by,
and emphasize that
• Or one question
• Multiple intros for different networking settings
8
Specific academic
networking situations
Talking about your research to experts
Talking about your research to non-experts
Networking with a lead researcher in your field
Networking with a potential funder (e.g. NSF
Program Director)
• Stealth interviewing – how to use networking as a
precursor to a job interview
• Cold networking – entering a room where you don’t
know anyone and working it
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Think of a situation most
relevant to you currently and
come up with a “script”
10
Introduce yourselves again
with this new “script”
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“The Ask”
• You’ve introduced yourself; you had a nice
introductory conversation; what next?! How do you
keep building the network?
• “The Ask” are interim ways to connect with
someone
• You’ve done this before
o Think of it as meeting someone new at a party who could be a potential
friend
o You don’t jump to “will you be my friend”
• Incremental asks
• What is it that you want? (be specific)
• What is it that you can offer? (e.g. sending an
article you mentioned)
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Following up
• Whatever you commit to, whatever you say you are
going to do – DO IT!
• Create a database/system for remembering
people and conversations
• Put a reminder in your calendar to follow-up
• It is a nice professional courtesy to follow-up
• “Human reciprocity” – the exchange does not have
to be equivalent
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Women and networking
• Women tend to be more self-deprecating
o E.g. We will say “sorry” if we follow-up late – there is nothing to be sorry
about!
• Women have a more difficult time asking for help
from others
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Other strategies
• When sitting in a presentation, come up with one
question that you can ask
• Look at informational interview handout for introductory
question ideas
• Network before you are “burnt out” – recharge when
you need it
• Don’t say anything too critical about the event you are
at to someone you just met
• Pay it forward
• Get a mentor to introduce you
• Have specific goals for each meeting/conference
where you know you will be networking
o
o
o
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How many people do you want to talk to?
Who do you want to talk to?
What do you want to get out of the conference?
What sort of connections do you want to make?
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Make some plans for the rest
of the conference
• Think about a list of topics, or specific people you
want to talk to at this conference
• Make a plan of how you will do so
• What questions will you ask?
• Can tailor questions from these “informational
interviews”
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Any final questions?
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SWE Graduate Student WE14 Selected Events
Thursday Sessions
•
Graduate School Networking, 11am, LACC
Concourse
•
How an Advance Degree Can Help You Reach
Your Career Goals , 1:30 pm, LACC502A
•
Fostering an Inclusive Environment for
Graduate Students in a Growing Department –
Lightening Talk 1:30 pm, LACC 502A
•
Funding Your Graduate Education – Lightening
Talk, 1:30 pm LACC, 502A
•
Science, Technology, & Public Policy – How
policy intersects with engineering and how to
get involved – Lightening Talk, 1:30 pm LACC,
502A
•
Career Planning with MyIDP – Lightening Talk,
1:30 pm LACC, 502A
•
Tips on Finding and Being a Mentor in
Graduate School, 4pm, LACC 511A
•
Networking in Academic Settings, 4pm LACC
505
Friday Sessions
•
Fellowship Opportunities for Academic and
Research Projects in Engineering outside in the US,
1:30pm, LACC 505
•
Graduate Rapid Fire Session 1, 2:45pm, LACC 505
•
Engineers in Informal STEM Education: From
Casual Contributions to Careers 4pm, LACC 501C
•
Preparing Powerful Application Essays, 4pm, LACC
504
•
Graduate Networking Reception – hosted by Owens
Corning, 5pm, LACC 405
Saturday Sessions
•
Effective Writing for Graduate Funding, 10am,
LACC 514
•
Strategies for Obtaining Your First Academic
Position, 10am, LACC504
•
Graduate Rapid Fire Session 2, 10am, LACC 502
•
Tips for Teaching in STEM, 1:30pm, LACC 505
•
Building Support Networks in Graduate School and
Beyond, 1:30pm, LACC 503
•
Industry and Academia – You Can Do Both,
1:30pm, LACC 405
•
Women in Academia & Grad Student Reception –
2:45pm-4pm, LACC 503
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