Naturejobs journalism competition winner Rachel Harris reports.
It can become easy to believe that skills developed during a PhD are suited only to academia, so it’s always refreshing to learn about the value of doctoral training in other settings. I went to the Naturejobs Career Expo London 2016 to see what else I could use my skills for.
Rachel Harris
For the past four years I’ve been working in science communication (SciComm), and academia. I’m now mid-way through my PhD — I’m studying on Alzheimer’s disease and I know I would be finding research a lot tougher if I were not involved with science communication.
Rachel Harris doing some SciComm at Bristol Neuroscience Festival this year
Guest contributor Rachel Harris
Getting the conversation started is half the battle{credit}iStockphoto/Thinkstock{/credit}
As a science undergraduate I always assumed networking was for other people in different careers. Scientists spend a lot of time working independently, so I wondered why we would need business cards and contacts. I, like many others before me, was naïve. Now as a PhD student, I know it’s about who you know, not (entirely) what you know. Being able to use connections is vital in getting access to opportunities that may otherwise slip by unnoticed.
Though a little slow on the uptake I have completely woken up to the power of building a network. This all happened when I attended the British Neuroscience Association 2015: Festival of Neuroscience, without knowing anyone else. After warming up and having a few conversations, I realised that I genuinely enjoy meeting new people and having a good talk. I spoke to several PhD students in my research area, editors and industry supervisors, and reconnected with researchers from my previous institutions. This made the conference a much more interesting and productive experience than if I had only attended the academic talks.
Making long-lasting connections with everyone you meet is going to be difficult, but by starting a conversation you’re not going to lose anything either. Coupled with the relative ease of keeping in contact, even after long periods, making new connections is simpler than ever. Based on my experience at the Festival of Neuroscience, and others I’ve had over the last few years, I thought it would be useful to share some networking tips I’ve collected along the way. Continue reading