![\"ElisaLazzari-smaller\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.nature.com\/naturejobs\/files\/2016\/08\/ElisaLazzari-smaller.jpg\" "\\"ElisaLazzari-smaller\\"")
<\/a>{credit}Jean Branan{\/credit}<\/p><\/div>\n
A LinkedIn profile is a professional must-have: whether you are a professor, a postdoc or a grad student, it\u2019s always helpful to expand and maintain your network. It becomes even more important when you start planning the next step in your career, especially if you\u2019re thinking of transitioning outside of academia. Sometimes, though, it\u2019s easy to feel your profile isn\u2019t worth much, because you don\u2019t know many people or you\u2019re not actively doing much networking. Why go through the hassle of building and maintaining a LinkedIn profile?<\/p>\n
\u201cA PhD means you can come up with the perfect solution for a problem after three years, but a company needs something in three weeks,\u201d says Dr. Andrew Green, associate director of UC Berkeley\u2019s Career Center, California. \u201cThey take on the risk, so they hire people they know.\u201d Sounds simple, but it\u2019s almost the opposite of academia, where we\u2019re used to believing a CV is enough to speak for us. So, how do you find out if you have what it takes, and if you\u2019ll even enjoy a role at a specific company?<\/p>\n
Having few professional contacts is normal, especially early in your career. But on LinkedIn most valuable connections aren\u2019t just first-hand, they\u2019re friend-hand. <\/em>\u201cStart with people that you know: your lab mates, former colleagues, friends from college,\u201d suggests Green, \u201ca practical and actionable network.\u201d Then, browse through their connections. \u201cIf you were to ask me to introduce you to someone, I may come up with two or three names, but on my LinkedIn network you\u2019ll see them all,\u201d says Green. \u201cYou could ask me directly to provide you with an introduction for [all of] the profiles you\u2019re more interested in.\u201d<\/p>\n Join alumni groups from your undergrad or graduate programs. Once you (re)connect, you can explore the other groups your contacts belong to. Look for professional groups, societies and associations. Is there a local chapter or an annual meeting? Don\u2019t miss opportunities to meet people in person. The most valuable and genuine information comes from people<\/a>, and it\u2019s not always available online or in print.<\/p>\n If you want to have a clear understanding of what a given job requires, there is no better way than having an informational interview<\/a>. Even if it sounds formal, it\u2019s just you asking for few minutes of someone\u2019s time, over coffee or possibly a phone line. What should you expect? Think the opposite of a first date: you can comfortably ask the uncomfortable questions (How much is the salary? If I don\u2019t like your company, who are your competitors? What is the ecosystem around this profession?), with no pending expectations on the other side (Thanks for the coffee, but I can\u2019t offer you a job!). If you both realize you\u2019re talking with the wrong person, it\u2019s even likely they\u2019ll refer you to someone more fitting. Networking can be challenging or awkward, so even something small, like being part of the same group on LinkedIn, could make a difference. \u201cThe chances of getting a position just by sending your CV are in the low single digits \u2013 people are overwhelmed by applicants,\u201d Green says. Do you feel you need some good luck to increase your chances? You could find it at bottom of your coffee cup, at the end of an informational interview.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Elisa Lazzari is a postdoctoral fellow at the Health Sciences Department of the University of California, San Diego, where she studies malignant reprogramming in blood cancers. Outside the lab she enjoys binge watching Netflix series and writing. You can find her on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Suggested posts<\/strong><\/p>\n LinkedIn tips for scientists<\/a><\/p>\n Informational interviews: The right push for your career?<\/a><\/p>\n Can scientists really have work\/life balance?<\/a><\/p>\n What did your job search teach you?<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Naturejobs journalism competition winner Elisa Lazzari … Read more<\/a> Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n