Networking

Let’s talk about frustration particularly during a recession.  I’m talking about the frustration of a rejection in your job search.  Many PhDs are experiencing this kind of frustration in their post-pandemic job search. It’s important for you to understand that Cheeky Scientist has been through this before.  Cheeky Scientist actually came out of the financial crash of 2008 when we were in a recession.  I can tell you firsthand that the mood of the public changes during a recession.  There are fewer jobs.  There’s a greater sense of urgency.  This causes people to get more rejections. And rejection leads to…

LinkedIn is an excellent resource for networking, and it makes the whole process easier than ever before. But LinkedIn should not be the only place you are meeting industry professionals. You need to attend in-person networking events too. Meeting in person allows someone to get to know you at a far more significant level than the internet alone will allow. The amount of rapport and relationship-building that can occur during a 10-minute, in-person interaction could take months if attempted over the internet. There is no substitute for face-to-face networking – it’s what we as a species have evolved to do.…

Are you submitting your resume to online job postings? You might be surprised to learn that your resume is never even seen by a human being. 98% of Fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking software, according to Jobscan. Large-size firms (those that employ more than 500 individuals) receive many thousands of resumes every week. The only way their hiring departments can be functional is by using tracking software to weed out unqualified candidates. This puts applicants in kind of a tough spot - optimize your resume to get through the tracking software or get used to rejection. Even highly qualified…

If you underestimate the power of networking, you’re going to make things really hard for yourself. Are you exclusively relying on applications and resumes? If you are, that’s called putting all your eggs in one basket. Don’t do that. Lou Adler, CEO of Performance-Based Hiring Learning Systems, reports that 85% of jobs are filled by networking. This isn’t surprising when you consider that networking is the only way to get referrals. According to Undercover Recruiter, only 7% of job applicants get referrals — but those who do get referrals account for 40% of those who get hired. By the time…

You know that you need to network. You’ve heard of informational interviews and want to try them out. But what if you say the wrong thing? What if you put in all this time meeting someone, talking to them, following up with them and the connection leads to nothing? Here are 5 things that you should not say while networking at an informational interview.

Networking is the only foolproof method for PhDs wanting to transition into an industry career. Learn the 5 effective networking strategies that give you an edge in the job market.

The ideal time to start focusing on your job search is now. No matter if you have just started your PhD or if you are unemployed and want a job ASAP, the best thing you can do it start now. Balance Careers reported that roughly it takes one month to find a job for every $10,000 of the paycheck you would like to earn. So, as a PhD if you want to earn $90,000 per year, your job search could take about 9 months. BUT this is an estimate. Depending on the effort your put in and any networking efforts…

No one is coming to knock on the door of your lab and offer you a job. Getting a job requires strategy. Large companies, like Google, Microsoft, Pfizer, etc get 1,000s of applications per job opening. If you are relying on luck to make you the 1:1,000 that gets hired, you are going to be waiting a long time. Instead, you should be strategic. Realize that, according to JobScan, 98% of Fortune 500 companies use applicant tracking software to screen resumes. And understand that employers care more about your soft skills than they do about your specific technical skills. Inside…

If you are using the internet as your main tool for learning about new job opportunities then you are missing out on the vast majority of available jobs. You’re seeing just the tip of the iceberg, as they say. For example, PayScale reported that between 70-80% of jobs are not advertised. Many companies do not advertise positions because the role will be filled through a referral faster than the advertisement can be made. Other companies incentivise employees and prefer candidates who come with a referral. The Association For Talent Development reported that you can expect to earn 6% more if…

LinkedIn is a huge professional networking platform and it is growing. Hootsuite reported that 2 people join LinkedIn every second and, LinkedIn currently has more than 590 million users. This is an incredible resource for you to leverage. If you are not using LinkedIn you are missing out on a powerful resource. Plus, Forbes reported that 45% of the people on LinkedIn are in upper management. This is a place where you can connect with and learn from company leaders. Within the vast network of LinkedIn you will be able to find people in the companies and positions that you…

You cannot ignore the social component of hiring. If a hiring manager or recruiter already knows someone who is a great fit for a new job opening, why would they waste time looking for someone else? They won’t. They will hire the person they know, and you would never have even known that a position was open. Many jobs (up to 85% according to some reports) are never advertised because they are filled by networking. So you are only aware of 15% of the available job openings if you don’t network.

Behind every job opening there is a person who will decide who gets hired. A person who you will need to make a connection with and prove that you are the right fit for the job. But your efforts to connect with that person should start way before you are in the interview. You should start by networking with people who work at the companies where you want to have an interview, where you want to get hired. You should start networking with the intention of getting a referral.