Cheeky Logo
Ready To Get Hired?
Apply To Book A Free Call With Our Transition Specialist Team

How To Network In Graduate School

I wasted the first three years of my graduate school career networking the old fashioned way. I would go to internal seminars with the same people over and over again, arriving just in time and leaving right after it was over. Once or twice a year I would go to a conference and stand in front of some last minute poster I made like a used car salesman begging people to care.

I only went to the conferences that I could get funding for and I never left with anything more than a headache. Then, like everyone, by the time I reached my last year of grad school I complained about not having any business connections or career options outside of doing a postdoc.

How To Network

Networking is a kind of second job (without pay) that takes up at least half of your time. It’s not something that just happens. Too many graduate students think that towing the line, getting published, and having an almighty Ph.D. is going to lead to a bunch of great opportunities. But this just isn’t true. If you want to get ahead, you have to start building your network. You should spend at least half of your time connecting with as many other people in the field as possible and following up with them consistently.

The new rules of networking in graduate school involve both online and offline techniques targeted at key opinion leaders as well as your peers. These rules focus on building connections, not just in academia, but also in business and entrepreneurship. But don’t get overwhelmed. And don’t try to do everything at once. Instead, gradually branch out and slowly increase your risk tolerance until you’re comfortable contacting anyone, online, in person, or otherwise. Here are the new rules:

The New Rules Of Networking

1. Quit worrying about letters from your adviser and committee.

These letters mean absolutely zero outside of academia and even if you’re goal is to be a professor one day there are always other people who will write you a letter, especially if you follow the rules on this list.

2. Throw your CV in the trash.

Resumes, CVs, whatever, they are all worth a lot less than you think. Quit spending hours and hours updating these things. Ignore them until the last possible moment, like after you already have the job you want. Your biggest opportunities are going to come from face-to-face connections, not well-crafted CVs.

3. Go to NEW seminars.

Stop networking with the same 10 people in your department. Go to some different seminars. Quit being lazy and walk over to another part of your campus. And don’t arrive the standard 5-10 minutes late and bolt for the door during Q&A. It’s annoying and makes you look sloppy and unimportant. Show up a little early and stick around after to talk to the people around you. 5 minutes is all it takes to make a couple of new connections.

4. Prep for seminars you go to.

Come to each seminar with one question that is useful to the audience but will give the presenter a chance to look good and show off his or her knowledge, not a question that you hope makes you look smart.

5. Talk to presenters after each seminar.

Don’t ask them a question or ask them for a favor and don’t be that guy or girl who talks to them forever and makes everyone else form a line and wait. Instead, pay them a compliment and get their card or email address and leave.

6. Go to industry seminars.

The people giving these presentations are your gateway to a career in industry. Suck it up and learn about their product, getting their contact information is worth it.

7. Reach out to your favorite authors.

You know those peer-reviewed journal articles you spend your life reading in graduate school? It takes a group of very dedicated people a very long time to create each of those articles. And guess what, these people are underappreciated. You know this. So, show them some appreciation. Find their email addresses and tell them what you liked about their article or ask them an insightful question.

8. Go to conferences on your own.

Find a way to go to as many conferences as possible. Max out your credit card, sleep in your car, find a couch on Airbnb, do whatever it takes because getting face-to-face with decision-makers is your best career investment.

9. Create a business card even if you’re a student.

Any card will do. Just put your name on it and “Ph.D. candidate or similar.” Put a short elevator pitch or business objective on the front of it and a bulleted list of your skills on the back.

10. Collect business cards and write notes on the back.

Don’t walk out of the conference with 50 cards and not be able to remember anything about the people on those cards. Right after you meet someone, get their card, and write down what you talked about or something personal about them on the back. You can do this while you’re still in front of them. They’ll feel special.

11. Spend as much time as possible at the exhibitor show.

Go to every exhibitor booth you can. But don’t go during exhibitor or poster hours, because that’s when these people are busy selling. Instead, go 30 minutes before when everyone is there killing time before the rush. Don’t tell them you’re a student and don’t ask for anything. Just make small talk and tell them how much you like their company, how much you like them, and so on. Get a business card from everyone you talk to.

12. Create an online presence.

After you meet people, if you made a good impression and if you follow up, they’re going to search for information on you. They’re going to Google you. The worst thing that can happen is they don’t find anything about you. If they search your name and nothing shows up, you’re not important and you’re a risk. Take away the risk. Control the conversation. Offer something. The easiest way to do this is to build up your online presence, or platform. This is easy. Just create some professional social media accounts, start a blog, join some relevant LinkedIn groups, or, at the very least, comment on blog articles related to your field.

13. Follow up until you feel stupid and then follow up some more.

Networking is all about following up. Making a connection means nothing. You have to connect, then give, give, give, and give some more before one day, when the timing is just right, you ask. That’s how it’s done. Either you make time for the giving or you’ll never receive and you’ll sit in some postdoc position for 20 years wondering what happened to your life and career.

Whether it’s a salesman you met at an exhibitor show or a first or last author from a Nature paper you reached out to, keep the connection going, even if they don’t get back to you. And focus on giving. Email them a nice note every two weeks. Act like you’re their assistant. Send them articles they might be interested in or anything that could help their career or help them build up their reputation or network.

You’ll only get what you want after you help other people get what they want. Follow up until you make an emotional connection. Then, and only then, ask for something in return – like a reference or a job.

To learn more about transitioning into a non-academic

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.

Book a Transition Call
Get Free Job Search Content Weekly

ABOUT ISAIAH HANKEL, PHD

CEO, CHEEKY SCIENTIST & SUCCESS MENTOR TO PHDS

Dr. Isaiah Hankel is the Founder and CEO of Cheeky Scientist. His articles, podcasts and trainings are consumed annually by millions of PhDs and other professionals in hundreds of different countries. He has helped PhDs transition into top companies like Amazon, Google, Apple, Intel, Dow Chemical, BASF, Merck, Genentech, Home Depot, Nestle, Hilton, SpaceX, Tesla, Syngenta, the CDC, UN and Ford Foundation.

Dr. Hankel has published 3X bestselling books and his latest book, The Power of a PhD, debuted on the Barnes & Noble bestseller list. His methods for getting PhDs hired have been featured in the Harvard Business Review, Nature, Forbes, The Guardian, Fast Company, Entrepreneur Magazine and Success Magazine.

Isaiah Hankel, PhD

Similar Articles

Your Professional Brand Is Academia. 5 Questions To Change It

Your Professional Brand Is Academia. 5 Questions To Change It

By: Isaiah Hankel, PhD

What’s your professional brand?  As a researcher, my conclusions are based on proven facts and quantifiable results. The concept of something as subjective as brand or image had never felt particularly relevant to me.  I’d heard the question, of course. When you’ve been looking for a job for over a year, you’re bound to come across the idea.  But now, face to face with a recruiter who had turned me down for a job, I was really trying to come up with an intelligent answer.  “What’s my brand?” I asked. I guess feigning ignorance was one way to go.  “Yes,…

Don’t Ignore These 6 Powerful PhD Job Search Trends

Don’t Ignore These 6 Powerful PhD Job Search Trends

By: Isaiah Hankel, PhD

What does your job search strategy look like?  If you had to describe it in 2 or 3 sentences, what would you say?  I ask because, if you’re reading this, you’re in the market for a job. Working with PhDs for more than 10 years, I’ve learned one thing is true above all others: The right job strategy is what’s going to get you hired. That’s right: I’m saying that a concrete job search methodology is more important than anything else in your job search.  It’s more important than your skills, your degree, your personality – more important than you,…

A No-Excuses Look at Virtual Networking

A No-Excuses Look at Virtual Networking

By: Isaiah Hankel, PhD

A lot of PhDs ignore a crucial part of their job search – virtual networking. You may think that because you’re spending a lot of time going to conferences, attending lectures, setting up face-to-face meetings, and checking in with one or two connections when you need a reference or referral that you’ve established your professional network.  Virtual Networking Casts A Wider Net, Even After The Pandemic Nope, you’re networking by halves if you’re only networking in-person. I kept seeing a former colleague of mine at conferences really making the most out of his time networking in person. Everybody knew this…

A Pitch-Perfect Elevator Script For PhDs In Industry

A Pitch-Perfect Elevator Script For PhDs In Industry

By: Isaiah Hankel, PhD

I had heard of the term “elevator script” before my first industry interview.  Was I sure what it meant? No. But I got the gist of it: introduce yourself in a compelling way during an interview or networking session. Don’t annoy someone in an elevator. I dismissed the idea of learning more about it than that If I remember correctly, I told myself that it was nothing more than a remedial gimmick. One of those unnecessary “life hacks” that clueless people gobble up to calm their nerves before an interview.  Definitely not something a PhD graduate with a background in…

How To Get A Referral Without The Messy Emotions

How To Get A Referral Without The Messy Emotions

By: Isaiah Hankel, PhD

Towards the end of my PhD, I felt like I was racing time. And time was winning. I was frantically trying to wrap up loose ends in my research, finish writing my thesis, all the while trying to find a job. I knew I wanted a job in industry. In fact, I knew exactly the job I wanted. I just didn’t know how to get there. I was sending my resume off into the abyss of the internet, but I wasn’t getting any replies. I couldn’t fathom what I was doing wrong. The whole thing felt pointless. Now, looking back…

5 Insider Rapport Building Tips (or, How To Make In Person Networking Non-Dreadful)

5 Insider Rapport Building Tips (or, How To Make In Person Networking Non-Dreadful)

By: Isaiah Hankel, PhD

Like many PhDs, I’m an introvert. That means my tendency is to avoid face-to-face interactions at all costs. But when it came time to search for a job in industry, my introverted tactics weren’t working. I was reaching out to people online, even getting a few responses, but in the end, all my efforts fell flat. After months of this, I was right where I started – unemployed. Then, I started noticing what my colleagues were doing; the ones that were getting job referrals and interviews at least. They weren’t just reaching out to people online, they were also attending…

6 Credible Networking Scripts That Make Employers Pay Attention

6 Credible Networking Scripts That Make Employers Pay Attention

By: Isaiah Hankel, PhD

Just as “location, location, location” is the mantra of real estate, “networking, networking, networking” should be your mantra during your industry job search. During the final year of my PhD, I finally conceded – the only way I was going to get a job in industry was through networking. So, like many PhDs, I fired up my computer, hopped on LinkedIn, and clicked the blue “connect” button until my fingers ached. I sent out the same message to each new contact telling them about all my wonderful accomplishments before I asked them for a job. You know what happened after…

Master The Informational Interview (And How To Land A Referral)

Master The Informational Interview (And How To Land A Referral)

By: Isaiah Hankel, PhD

By the time I started my industry job search, I was desperate. I was nearing the end of my PhD and I was consumed with what seemed like a million last-minute tasks – final experiments, last drafts, and defense presentations. I felt like I didn’t have the time to dedicate to my job search. And what little effort and time I did put into it was haphazard. My attempts involved repeatedly clicking the LinkedIn “Connect” button and uploading the same resume to any online job posting I could find. To make matters worse, I wasn’t even sure what job I…

6 Ways PhDs Waste Their Time At In-person Networking Events (And What You Should Do Instead)

6 Ways PhDs Waste Their Time At In-person Networking Events (And What You Should Do Instead)

By: Isaiah Hankel, PhD

Networking in person is key to getting a job in industry. Despite knowing this, I avoided doing it at all costs during my PhD. I tried it a few times at scientific conferences, but nothing happened. It seemed pointless. Not only that, but it was down-right scary. And so, like many PhDs, I gave up. I allowed myself to make excuses. I thought “I’m way too busy to attend all these networking events”… or, “I don’t need to network – if I just send out enough resumes online, I’ll surely land a job”. But boy, was I wrong! I can’t…

Top Industry Career eBooks

63 Best Industry Positions For PhDs

63 Best Industry Positions For PhDs

Isaiah Hankel, PhD & Arunodoy Sur, PhD

Learn about the best 63 industry careers for PhDs (regardless of your academic background). In this eBook, you will gain insight into the most popular, highest-paying jobs for PhDs – all of which will allow you to do meaningful work AND get paid well for it.

Industry Resume Guide for PhDs

Industry Resume Guide for PhDs

Isaiah Hankel, PhD

Learn how to craft the perfect industry resume to attract employers. In this eBook for PhDs, you will get access to proven resume templates, learn how to structure your bullet points, and discover which keywords industry employers want to see most on PhD resumes.

AI & ATS Resume Filters

AI & ATS Resume Filters

Isaiah Hankel

In today's competitive job market, understanding the impact of AI is crucial for career success. This involves ensuring your resume stands out in the digital realm, mastering your online presence, and being aware of how AI assigns reputation scores. Discovering how to leverage AI to your advantage is essential, as it plays a pivotal role in shaping professional opportunities.

Complete LinkedIn Guide For PhDs

Complete LinkedIn Guide For PhDs

Isaiah Hankel

The LinkedIn tips & strategies within have helped PhDs from every background get hired into top industry careers.