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Your Complete Guide To Real Networking For PhDs (Not Just A Means To An End)

“Networking?” For PhDs?

The whole idea of networking always seemed strange…. Kissing up to strangers with small talk all for personal gain? No thanks. Wouldn’t people know I’m just trying to use them? 

Well, if the industry hiring manager can’t see my value through a resume and CV, then I don’t need them anyway. I’ll always have academia!

…Except I know those secure academia jobs are getting slimmer by the year (and never pay what we deserve to begin with).

Okay, fine, I’ll network—but only at a few conferences where I know I’ll run into people who can help me. 

…Well, that didn’t work. It’s almost like people knew I was trying to shoehorn my way into a position without making any effort to actually get to know them or care. 

Wait, that’s not the whole point of networking? 

Nope. Turns out I was approaching networking for PhDs from the entirely wrong angle. I had the wrong goals, the wrong attitude, the wrong approach, the wrong interpersonal skills—I was doing everything wrong. 

Now, you can learn from my mistakes. Here’s everything I learned when I turned into a networking machine:

Why is Networking So Hard for PhDs?

We’re independent people. We like working alone (or at least having control). When we need something, we take charge and get it—without asking anyone for help. 

Honestly, we can also be a little arrogant. 

“It’s not about what you know, but who you know.” Yeah, right! This is why we went for the doctorate and didn’t finish school until our mid-thirties or forties—for a resume that speaks for itself so we don’t need to ask anyone for help.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly where the problems with networking for PhDs all start. 

  • We assume everyone else approaches networking like we do, so we ask for things right away—and look selfish. 
  • We stay in our academic comfort zone where we’re automatically respected, so we never connect with people who have no reason to care about our title. 
  • We take rejections personally and we aren’t committed to the relationships, so we never follow-up or form long-term connections.

Breaking down that idea of networking for PhDs (and the ego) is the key to leveraging your experience into industry.

The Complete Guide to Networking for PhDs

The fact is: networking matters. 

82% of employers prefer to hire referrals from other employees. As a referral, you’re 4x more likely to get the offer too.

Networking doesn’t have to be as awkward as we make it in our heads. You might not believe me, but networking can actually be enjoyable—fun, even! 

I do know, however, that once you commit to the strategies below, you’ll be surprised at the long-term and expansive range of benefits. You might even make some friends! (No, seriously.)

Set Clear Short- and Long-Term Goals for Networking

You should have clear goals for each event you attend and, long-term, networking as a whole. 

For example, your goal isn’t to walk out of a conference with a job offer. That’s unrealistic. Instead, make it a goal to get contact info from three people and follow-up later casually.  

Broaden Your Idea of Networking for PhDs

It’s not your fault. PhDs don’t like wasting time. That’s why we have a habit of only attending conferences and seminars that relate to our immediate work. 

Unfortunately, this also holds back the potential behind networking for PhDs. Expand your horizons to other events that spark your interest. It will also serve as a nice reality check about how much you actually know. 

Play the Long Game with Networking for PhDs

Everyone at an event is there out of self-interest too, just like you. We have to indulge and acknowledge this as we connect with people. Become an excellent listener and make a genuine effort to care.

People are busy. If they ignore your first message, that doesn’t mean they’re rejecting you—it means they don’t know you. Always follow up and keep at it.

Don’t treat events like a means to an end. Focus on the value you’re building through friendships. 

Realize No One is Beneath You with Networking for PhDs

As PhDs, we tend to only network with people at an organization or company we feel can “do something” for us. Huge mistake!

No one is beneath your conversations or time.

Spend time getting to know people of all skills and titles. They all have unique insight and some might have the capacity to help more than you’d think.

Stop Taking Advice from Career Academics 

There’s a reason they haven’t gotten out of academia yet—no matter how much they project and deflect blame. Plus, let’s be honest… they’re bitter about the whole thing and don’t want to see you succeed. 

You need to connect with other PhDs who already made the switch recently, not decades ago. They understand the modern landscape of industry in your specific field, the dynamics, and the transferrable skills you need.

This type of networking with other PhDs is invaluable. 

Boost Your Interpersonal Skills and Let Your Guard Down

We must accept that not everyone is going to like us—and they don’t even have to respect us just for our doctorate. 

Let your interpersonal skills do the talking. Your PhD knowledge is just the foundation. Try letting your guard down; displaying some vulnerability encourages others to trust us.

That’s how people make genuine friendships beyond sharing surface-level interests (and PhD fields).

Stop Self-Sabotaging: Understand the Networking Basics for PhDs

Look, it’s not easy putting yourself “out there.” Networking is uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and totally out of our element as PhDs. 

However, that’s exactly why networking is so important for PhDs too. We need the connections we build to keep us down to earth and understand our own limitations too. 

And I promise: networking isn’t something you “just can’t do.” I thought that too. I just needed to realize how I fit into the situation, boost my interpersonal skills, set real goals, and take it easy. 

Once you do that, you can stop self-sabotaging every potential connection. 

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.

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ABOUT ISAIAH HANKEL, PHD

CEO, CHEEKY SCIENTIST & CAREER SUCCESS MENTOR

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 professionals transition into top companies like Pfizer, Tesla, Amazon, Pearson, Google, Apple, Intel, Dow Chemical, BASF, Merck, Genentech, Home Depot, Nestle, Hilton, SpaceX, 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

Here's What Others Are Saying

"I'm happy to share that I'm starting a new position!"

Norhaziland Mohamed Zaid

Norhaziland Mohamed Zaid

Senior Development Scientist

at Haleon

"I just wanted to say that I officially accepted a job! I want to thank everyone at Cheeky Scientist for all the help and support. Overall, my job search went pretty smoothly and I have CS to thank for that. I am now convinced that making connections and networking is how you find jobs, and once I began implementing what CS teaches, I started to see more results. I hope this helps others who are in the job search process!"

Jack Schultz

Jack Schultz

Research Computer Scientist

at Southwest Research Institute

"I started working with you all back in October 2022 and it took me about four months to secure my new role. I actually had two six figure salary offers in the learning and development arena! One was from a prestigious HBCU and the other one was with a scientific research organization. I signed my six figure offer letter for a Head of Talent Development role with the scientific research organization on March 1st. I negotiated and received a $7,500 increase in salary and I also received an increase in my relocation package. I cannot thank you all enough!"

Dr. Rhonda Anderson

Dr. Rhonda Anderson

Head of Talent Development

at Southern Research

"I am delighted to announce that I have accepted the role of Research Scientist with a base salary of 90k. The cheeky scientist resources have helped me immensely and I am really grateful."

Amninder Singh Sekhon

Amninder Singh Sekhon

Research Scientist

"You will not believe it..... I got them up another 60K and they changed my title!"

Ryan Hendricks

Ryan Hendricks

Project Manager, Rapid Industry Solutions: On-Set Virtual Production

at SMPTE

"I am BEYOND ECSTATIC to finally say I am starting a new position as Patent Examiner in Biomedical Engineering at USPTO!"

Jo Ramos

Jo Ramos

Patent Examiner in Biomedical Engineering

at USPTO

"I am grateful to Isaiah, Meera, Abha and all the CSA for their constant help and support. This was my transition from academia to the healthcare industry...I accepted this offer as I am in urgent need of a job as my current lab is closing soon. Thank you!"

Divya Amin

Divya Amin

Program Coordinator

at University of Missouri Healthcare

"Thank you for your advice, Isaiah! I’m super excited and grateful! I would never negotiate the salary and the other details of the offer if it weren’t for Cheeky Scientist. Thank you again"

Marta Silva

Marta Silva

Policy Analyst

at Health Canada

"I'm happy to share that I am starting a new position as Senior Scientist at Eikon Therapeutics!"

Hank Cheng

Hank Cheng

Senior Scientist

at Eikon Therapeutics

"I'm happy to share that I'm starting a new position as Founder at Relearning Earning!""

James Wadsworth

James Wadsworth

Founder

at Relearning Earning

"It feels incredible when you are able to check in with yourself and figure out what is it that you really want. After a long and exciting journey....I am elated to start a new chapter."

Nadzeya Kukhta

Nadzeya Kukhta

Technical Specialist

at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP

"I'm excited to announce that I have accepted a position as an Innovations Analyst at Cleveland Clinic. Looking forward to using my background to help commercialize healthcare innovations!"

Joe Thomas

Joe Thomas

Innovations Analyst

at Cleveland Clinic

"Thank you for your support. I greatly benefited from your DD talks on the importance of networking on LinkedIn and resume-building tips. Your team member Meera was very helpful in building my LinkedIn Profile and resume. Thank you!"

 Taranum Sultana

Taranum Sultana

Research Administration

"Thanks to Cheeky Scientist, I now have an offer letter in my hand and a new career in the industry, which makes me incredibly happy and excited for the future. The training Cheeky Scientist provided was successful since it helped me to carefully consider my skills and improve how I approached my job search. I gained more confidence talking to recruiters and engaging in on-site interviews thanks to the many training modules and live sessions Cheeky Scientist offered. I had a lot of back-and-forth interactions with prospective employers as offers came in, and Cheeky Scientist helped me be a good negotiator. Through Cheeky Scientist, I could ultimately search for, negotiate, and select my best career route."

Vishnu Modur

Vishnu Modur

Clinical Trial Associate/Manager

at Medspace

"I am happy to share that I'm starting a new position as a Research Scientist at Cellecta, Inc.!"

Chaitali Saqcena

Chaitali Saqcena

Research Scientist

at Cellecta, Inc.

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