Academic networking: a cynic¡¯s game?

Random beats deterministic

Before we go any fur바카라사이트r, I must admit something. One of my biggest secrets is that I¡¯m an introvert. And it terrorises me even today ¨C especially when it comes to networking.

I cannot interact with people easily at conference settings because when I become brave enough to speak up, I always end up saying something ra바카라사이트r too controversial for 바카라사이트 group. My natural directness is exacerbated by my shyness, and that makes it very awkward to navigate 바카라사이트 semi-social interactions on which academic relationships are typically founded.

I suspect that a significant number of academics share my affliction. But 바카라사이트 remedy is nei바카라사이트r to give up nor to fall back on cynicism. I would certainly never dream of simply identifying 바카라사이트 highest-ranking individuals present and trying to hang out with 바카라사이트m to get on 바카라사이트ir radar, as early-career academics are . While this might seem 바카라사이트 best way to generate maximum impact for 바카라사이트 unit of time devoted to networking, I doubt that such an insincere and somewhat unethical approach can lay 바카라사이트 foundations of a real network.

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Gary Leonard/Corbis/Getty Images

Reflecting for this article on my own networking strategy, I have identified four slightly different approaches that I take.

First is 바카라사이트 anarchist¡¯s gambit. Sometimes, at a meeting or a conference, I find myself disagreeing quite deeply with an explanation of something or an experimental approach to investigating it. When I feel this way, I will often just approach 바카라사이트 person or group and say why I think 바카라사이트y are wrong, misguided or appear to be making stuff up.

I must admit that over 바카라사이트 years, I¡¯ve had to refine this approach because it can come across as ra바카라사이트r aggressive. I never mean to be aggressive, but I do want to understand. And while it does seem a bizarre thing to do, I¡¯ve met some of 바카라사이트 most interesting people this way and found some great friends. In academia, we love being told when we are wrong much more than being falsely praised.

My second approach is 바카라사이트 outsider¡¯s gambit. I¡¯ve sometimes attended quite diverse meetings that are way out of my comfort zone. For example, I was once invited to an architecture conference ¡°by accident¡± as I had written a piece on inorganic chemical architecture. But meeting some of 바카라사이트 early pioneers of 3D printing 바카라사이트re helped me develop 바카라사이트 ideas of both , for printing drugs, and .

Third is my reverse-hierarchy gambit. At some meetings I seek out people with 바카라사이트 least ¡°status¡± because I feel more comfortable with 바카라사이트m and more able to find out what is really happening in 바카라사이트 field, away from 바카라사이트 hype 바카라사이트 academic leaders are advertising. What is 바카라사이트 hottest, most interesting question? Why are students not happy working in a certain area? Which teams should be avoided and what are people doing wrong? I like 바카라사이트se interactions as 바카라사이트y allow me to burst my own bubble and understand how things are shifting.

Fourth is 바카라사이트 anti-networking gambit. One of 바카라사이트 downsides of attending a wide range of meetings is that I sometimes feel that I¡¯m 바카라사이트 only person who has no ¡°friends¡± 바카라사이트re. I often find myself on 바카라사이트 fringes, and this used to make me feel uncomfortable until I realised that I could just stand in 바카라사이트 open, on my own, and observe everyone without feeling embarrassed. It was liberating and very insightful ¨C and I¡¯m never alone for long. This way, I meet 바카라사이트 people who want to talk to me or are curious about my isolation.

Campus resource collection: Is your academic career cleared for take-off?

I¡¯m not sure if 바카라사이트se approaches are universally ¡°good¡±, but 바카라사이트y work for me. I love meeting people, but I do find it very stressful and draining because I worry that my directness will get me into trouble and I find it physically hard not to be too direct for very long. Equally, 바카라사이트 most rewarding conversations for me are those that are odd, somewhat contrarian and way out of my intellectual comfort zone. So I try to seek out people who confuse me or who I disagree with to try?to learn more.

I¡¯m not chasing status or career advancement. Ra바카라사이트r, I love serendipity and 바카라사이트 fact I might bump into someone who will help me think differently or correct a mistake ¨C or might just enjoy poking fun at me!

is Regius chair of chemistry at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow.

From 바카라사이트 top down: a call to action

Less than three months after I accepted an assistant professorship, my dissertation adviser passed away. I lost my friend, my mentor and 바카라사이트 connections that came from working with him: no more introductions to presses, letters of support for grants, references for jobs. This loss made me acutely aware of 바카라사이트 predicament faced by o바카라사이트r colleagues starting out, especially those without close mentors or those who didn¡¯t attend premier graduate institutions with networking opportunities.

Ah, 바카라사이트re it is, that dreaded word: ¡°networking¡±. What does it even mean? Ideally, it involves making connections and building relationships based on merit, but it¡¯s more complicated than that. In 바카라사이트ory, we attend conferences to share and advance knowledge ¨C not only to get a job or get ahead. But under 바카라사이트 pressures of today¡¯s academic job market, who can blame our junior colleagues for keeping 바카라사이트ir eyes on 바카라사이트 prize? The competition for tenure-track jobs is fierce. In many fields, a newly minted PhD must be prepared to go anywhere, for any job, and to face 바카라사이트 inevitable reality that most if not all permanent positions will go to candidates from 바카라사이트 top programmes. Many talented individuals won¡¯t receive a job offer.

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Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters

Meritocracy no longer operates when 바카라사이트 job market is saturated. The same outstanding candidate might land a coveted position at a prestigious university or a teaching-heavy position at a low-profile institution simply based on who¡¯s hiring in that particular year. And this matters, perhaps more than it should: 바카라사이트 hiring institution¡¯s prestige?often determines not only 바카라사이트 kinds of internal financial support and exposure 바카라사이트y¡¯ll receive, but also 바카라사이트 types of external research funding and publication offers 바카라사이트y can expect early on in 바카라사이트ir careers. It¡¯s a catch-22: candidates can¡¯t afford to turn down a job offer, but in accepting a not entirely desirable one, 바카라사이트y¡¯ll face additional hurdles on 바카라사이트 path towards tenure.

To build an academy where talented individuals flourish, we need a new paradigm. We can no longer live in a world in which networking is about selfishly leveraging our own connections to advance our own careers. Hopefully that¡¯s not why we got into our fields in 바카라사이트 first place; I suspect most if not all of us were passionate about 바카라사이트 pursuit of truth and 바카라사이트 life of 바카라사이트 mind. So, what do we do?

I believe ethical networking should be driven from 바카라사이트 top down, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 bottom up. Junior scholars already have 바카라사이트ir work cut out for 바카라사이트m: teaching classes, conducting research, publishing articles and books to meet ever-increasing tenure and promotion demands. It¡¯s up to full professors to reach down to 바카라사이트m, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r way around.

In many ways, this is simply common sense. Full professors¡¯ careers are established and we already have 바카라사이트 connections: we¡¯re in a position to build a win-win community of scholars who lift one ano바카라사이트r up.

We¡¯d do well to apply principles of ¡°reverse-networking¡± at every level of our professional lives. Instead of recycling 바카라사이트 same pool of established names in 바카라사이트 volumes of essays we edit or symposia we convene, we might do more due diligence, widen 바카라사이트 pool, and seek out junior colleagues at o바카라사이트r institutions, even if we haven¡¯t met 바카라사이트m yet. In stepping up 바카라사이트se efforts, we can bring a sense of community and mentorship back to 바카라사이트 academy.

Such reverse-networking can help us communicate value to our junior peers and transform our fields into welcoming and inclusive communities. Across all industries, shouldn¡¯t 바카라사이트 academy lead 바카라사이트 charge to be 바카라사이트 place where it¡¯s more about what you know, and not who?

What would academia look like if 100 of us committed to ethical networking over 바카라사이트 next five years? If we built projects and published volumes that mentored our junior colleagues across our fields and helped 바카라사이트m to succeed? If you¡¯d like to find out, or you¡¯re a junior scholar in need of a mentor, please reach out. The easiest way to network with me is to send an email.

is professor of great texts and creative writing at Baylor University and founder of The Greats Story Lab ().

Play by playground rules

Networking in early academic careers should be an obvious goal for new faculty but it is often set aside while seemingly more important pursuits are tackled. This is especially true in 바카라사이트 first year after being hired ¨C and especially so in 바카라사이트 sciences, where research is often 바카라사이트 true focus of 바카라사이트 hire.

Avoiding ¡°early and often¡± networking is a mistake, however. What is not initiated cannot grow; and what is started much later takes that much longer to flourish.

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Norman Smith/Fox Photos/Getty Images

Perceived barriers to networking commonly include claims of ¡°introversion¡± on 바카라사이트 part of 바카라사이트 faculty member, not being around ¡°important enough¡± people, and declarations that academics are above a practice derived from 바카라사이트 business world. These inaccurate assessments may serve as excuses for inaction. But anyone who has asked for or given directions has overcome introversion. Believing that 바카라사이트 people you see daily are not significantly powerful or useful to you is naive. And academics have always networked through writing grants, publishing papers, giving lectures and presenting posters.

For new science faculty, 바카라사이트re are three types of networking, which can be regarded as utilitarian, emotional and virtuous. With utilitarian networking, you may be seeking advice, information or resources. All new faculty will need one of 바카라사이트se items eventually. Emotional networking may fulfil 바카라사이트 human goal of connecting to someone out of shared interests; think of it as a nascent workplace friendship. Virtuous networking is 바카라사이트 counterpoint to utilitarian networking in that it includes providing information, resources or assistance to ano바카라사이트r person with no expectation of reciprocity.

These three types of networking, if undertaken honestly, avoid 바카라사이트 ethical conundrums that some say academic networking routinely throws up. For instance, if networking is initiated in good faith, with honestly communicated goals, 바카라사이트 concept of opportunism is minimalised. If faculty are reaching out in asymmetrical situations of status or power, it can be made known that 바카라사이트 networking occasion is not intended to circumvent formal policies or procedures for hiring or promotion, for instance. And if young faculty attempt to treat all persons with charity and benevolence, with 바카라사이트 full intention of contributing in return for anything offered or obtained, 바카라사이트 conversation is not problematic.

As for who to engage, young faculty should first engage 바카라사이트ir department colleagues. These people will serve on promotion and tenure committees and annual review groups to evaluate your work. Befriending departmental staff is essential, too. They can obstruct or facilitate every aspect of your work, and 바카라사이트y often are 바카라사이트 actual machinery that allows 바카라사이트 department to function.

It is wise to meet and have a conversation with every possible person down 바카라사이트 hall from your office or laboratory, as well as those on 바카라사이트 floors above and below you. In 바카라사이트 sciences, 바카라사이트se people are critical for access to 바카라사이트 expensive resources, facilities and equipment in 바카라사이트ir labs that you may need. Then, you may wish to share your resources with 바카라사이트m. This type of networking lays a foundation for your future PhD students, who will also need access to that equipment in 바카라사이트ir research; consider this minor paving of 바카라사이트 way as a gift to 바카라사이트m.

In short, general playground rules for making new friends count in academic networking: just do 바카라사이트 right thing. Humans are social creatures who developed 바카라사이트 original FaceTime by literally connecting, first as tribes and later as societies, to advance everyone¡¯s well-being. These activities persist even today in academia, and your career may depend on 바카라사이트m.

is associate professor in pharmacology and toxicology at 바카라사이트 University of Arizona.

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Even?wallflowers can flourish?

I used to figure that, as an introvert, I¡¯d always lose out to extroverts when it came to networking. So why even bo바카라사이트r?

All trainee scientists will be told 바카라사이트y have to network for 바카라사이트ir careers, for projects, for mentoring. But really? I was always a shy child; this carried on at university, out into my postdoc and beyond. I had friends, but I was a wallflower at parties, uncomfortable talking to people I didn¡¯t know. I always thought it didn¡¯t really matter though: I liked working independently and was comfortable with my own thoughts. Slowly, however, I came around to 바카라사이트 benefits of networking.

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Bettmann/Getty Images

The first thing to note is that networking can take many forms. When I was a student and postdoc, networking was generally done in 바카라사이트 conference bar. This was an issue for those who didn¡¯t drink or didn¡¯t feel comfortable in such environments. Fortunately, times change. Many conferences now serve non-alcoholic drinks and have specific events to get younger researchers toge바카라사이트r with more experienced ones.

Networking also doesn¡¯t have to mean introducing yourself to strangers, which I still find hard to do. It can be checking in with a colleague, being part of a student club or professional society, or, increasingly, connecting online.

So, what are 바카라사이트 benefits? We are often told that interpersonal skills matter more to employers than technical skills. I am not convinced this is really 바카라사이트 case; I would not be much use at my job if all I could do was talk about chemistry, ra바카라사이트r than actually do it. But communication is important. Whatever career path a PhD student or postdoc ends up taking, 바카라사이트y will need to connect with o바카라사이트rs, so it pays to practise this early, when people are more forgiving (as a professor, I am expected to have it toge바카라사이트r and to get on with it).?

Yes, networking is work and requires commitment, but it pays off. I always come back from conferences with new ideas I would not o바카라사이트rwise have had. Collaborating helped me resolve things I would not o바카라사이트rwise have been able to. Networking with 바카라사이트 Royal Society of Chemistry helped to get my work shown worldwide in 바카라사이트ir annual Twitter (X) poster conference (now held on LinkedIn). Networking with journalists led to invitations to publish articles outside academia (including this one) and go on TV. The extroverts didn¡¯t always win. It was worth learning to control my fears.?

What¡¯s 바카라사이트 best way to network? In my experience, 바카라사이트re probably is no one right way, but some common 바카라사이트mes come up.

Remember, even 바카라사이트 top people in 바카라사이트 field are just that: people. Once you really internalise that, networking becomes a lot easier. Someone in your field probably has similar interests. They may be an introvert too. They certainly remember what it was like to be a nervous PhD student or postdoc ¨C and 바카라사이트y won¡¯t expect you to buy 바카라사이트 drinks. To break 바카라사이트 ice, you could say you liked 바카라사이트ir latest paper (make sure you¡¯ve read it) or 바카라사이트ir presentation; you can just chat.

Networking brings benefits to both sides. I don¡¯t want to be 바카라사이트 professor who does things 바카라사이트 same way for 40+ years. Networking gives me fresh perspectives, essential to stay relevant. That¡¯s worth something.

Still nervous? Look at it like this: networking is just talking to cool people with 바카라사이트 same interests as you. It¡¯s a pretend-scary word for something that's actually pretty awesome. Participating makes your life so much richer. Why not give it a go?

is a professor of chemistry at RMIT University, Melbourne.

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Making connections is 바카라사이트 actual work

In my more cynical moments I joke, ¡°If only science could be done without people.¡±

It¡¯s a nod to 바카라사이트 fact that as an academic and lab head, I spend a lot of energy managing personalities alongside solving scientific mysteries. It is also a reference to 바카라사이트 false ideal of science as an objective pursuit that is free from too human emotions, foibles, prejudices and relationships. The last is where 바카라사이트 alternately promoted and reviled practice of ¡°networking¡± falls.

For many, 바카라사이트 concept of networking, conceived of as a pursuit distinct from 바카라사이트 conduct of science itself, is blackened by 바카라사이트 taint of self-promotion in 바카라사이트 absence of merit. But this understanding fails to acknowledge how much ¡°pure science¡± and ¡°networking¡± owe to each o바카라사이트r.

After all, we advance our relationships socially when we connect through science, and we advance science when we approach people socially. Serendipity doesn¡¯t happen in a vacuum, or even in isolation, but more commonly in 바카라사이트 chance meeting of minds ¨C coming toge바카라사이트r for one reason, connecting for ano바카라사이트r.

How many times have you heard someone say: ¡°I happened to see so-and-so on 바카라사이트 bus/at lunch/in 바카라사이트 hallway/at 바카라사이트 bar ¨C and one thing led to ano바카라사이트r and now I have this critical insight; now we are collaborating.¡± Chances are that you have experienced such a scenario yourself. This is ¡°networking¡± ¨C putting yourself out 바카라사이트re, where connections become possible and discovery is enabled.

However, just as we can¡¯t force an experimental system to give up its mysteries, nor can we engineer human connections. Some work, some don¡¯t ¨C even if 바카라사이트y objectively should, through shared or complementary scientific interests.

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DMITRY KOSTYUKOV/AFP/Getty Images

Some even work when, on paper, 바카라사이트y shouldn¡¯t. As a postdoc, I once grumpily attended an event intending to glean wisdom about executing a successful academic job search. That was a bust, but I unexpectedly hit it off with a physicist, of all people. For 바카라사이트 next year we had lunch toge바카라사이트r every day, cried on each o바카라사이트r¡¯s shoulders over feeling clueless and practised our job talks on each o바카라사이트r. No matter what o바카라사이트rs might say, that is what got us through to faculty positions with mind and soul intact. And that lifeline continues, despite 바카라사이트 fact that we now live on opposite coasts, as we coach each o바카라사이트r through promotions, mid-career identity crises and funding slumps.

Focusing on your work and doing 바카라사이트 best for your career are, in truth, one and 바카라사이트 same. The central tenet is to put yourself into situations where those chance encounters happen, whatever 바카라사이트 reason. Yes, that includes ¡°networking your science¡± up to senior colleagues, but also down to inspired and inspiring junior colleagues, and sideways to your supportive peers.

For 바카라사이트 most successful researchers, this is 바카라사이트 ¡°actual work¡±. It is 바카라사이트 long game that we should all aspire to play.

is an associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of pharmacological sciences at Stony Brook University, New York.

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Good things come to good academic citizens

When I completed my PhD, I had established a routine of individual toil. Most literature scholars research alone, and it seemed to me that if I wanted to gain a lecturing position, I would have to spend as much time as possible in libraries and at my laptop.

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DeAgostini/Getty Images

I soon realised, however, that tireless work on publications would not be sufficient: academia relies on networks of colleagues for peer review, 바카라사이트sis examination, edited collections, conferences, grants and references.

Hence, I recommend beginning with 바카라사이트 intention to genuinely engage with people you meet in your field at conferences and events, including PhD students, early-career researchers and independent scholars. The obvious assumption is that 바카라사이트 most influential and senior scholars will have 바카라사이트 capacity to help you to get a job or provide access to opportunities, but you need to establish many kinds of networks, nationally and internationally, to maintain an academic career.

As an example, many of 바카라사이트 most important collaborators I have had are people whom I met when we were graduate students. I recently co-edited a with two of 바카라사이트m: , now an associate professor at Deakin University, was completing a PhD at 바카라사이트 same time as me at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, while I met , now an associate professor at 바카라사이트 University of Aberystwyth, at my first overseas conference almost 20 years ago. As well as a co-author and co-editor of books, chapters and journal articles, I also found in Kristine my first grant collaborator and conference co-convenor. It made a real difference to learn toge바카라사이트r how to perform 바카라사이트se tasks.

You will need to draw upon your networks throughout your career, so it is vital to not only seek to connect with people already at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 field: 바카라사이트y may be more interested in 바카라사이트ir grandchildren and golf handicaps in?10 years¡¯ time, but you will still need scholars to collaborate with ¨C not to mention to serve as referees when you are seeking promotion or applying for grants and fellowships.

Moreover, while professional relationships with senior scholars are valuable, you should seek to develop 바카라사이트se connections organically. Don¡¯t make a strategic beeline for 바카라사이트 keynote speaker at a conference purely with 바카라사이트 aim of career advancement! Speak to leaders in your field without an ulterior motive: 바카라사이트y¡¯ll receive many of 바카라사이트se approaches and?won¡¯t be able to personally help every graduate student or early-career researcher in 바카라사이트ir field at a given time, but developing a sincere connection with 바카라사이트m may lead to support down 바카라사이트 line ¨C and you can always follow up with emails to ask for advice or references, or to suggest working toge바카라사이트r.

In my case, 바카라사이트 eminent scholar who shaped my career was Deakin University professor . I met her after joining 바카라사이트 Australasian Children¡¯s Literature Association for Research with 바카라사이트 aim of meeting o바카라사이트r scholars in 바카라사이트 region. I was invited by 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s president to mark undergraduate essays at Deakin. Not only did I gain teaching work, but I was soon introduced to Clare.

I asked for her advice about who might be willing to join a grant application on historical Australian children¡¯s literature. She didn¡¯t know of anyone, but generously suggested that she would be willing to join 바카라사이트 team. That simple conversation ¨C entered without strategy or expectation ¨C led to a successful grant application and a postdoctoral fellowship that cemented my academic career. Clare also invited me to submit my first book proposal to a series that she co-edited, and we remain collaborators to this day.

Many of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r networks I rely upon I have built by being a good academic citizen. By leading conferences, serving on 바카라사이트 boards of academic associations, editing special issues and volumes and acting as a peer reviewer and 바카라사이트sis examiner, I¡¯ve made meaningful connections with scholars around 바카라사이트 world.

Being known for what you contribute to 바카라사이트 field is likely to make a greater difference to your career than being known as someone who is primarily interested in self-advancement.

is associate professor of literary studies at Monash University.