By Cecile Bruil

“Have fun networking”, I hear the closing speaker of the Science Communication Conference say as he guides us from the comfort of a lecture hall into the canteen area. I am standing there with a stack of orange stickers in my hand, waiting for the right moment to start ‘networking’, and exchange my little orange sticker like some token of my immaculate skill. The hall quickly fills with groups of people chatting and exchanging socials. On the other side of the hall, groups of people standing quietly, unsure of how to behave themselves and trying their best to become invisible. 

It is a skill to ‘network’, and a necessary one to reach career goals, find new partnerships, and gain insights. But how do you become better? Scientists are not necessarily known for their refined social skills. Yet, communicators are supposed to be. So as a student in science communication I ought to get better at this; to hopefully be able to exchange my little networking stickers during the next conference I visit. 

At the beginning of this year, a collective of scientists published a ‘Quick guide to networking for scientists’ to give you the tools to improve your communication skills (if there is one thing scientists know how to do, it is writing an academic paper). Here are their suggestions:

1. Have a goal in mind before going to the conference. Figure out from the schedule who is speaking, and try to think of specific questions you have and topics you find most interesting for your expertise. In other words, find your targets and focus on them.

2. Practice dynamic speaking beforehand. It can be hard to come across as casual during a conference. Therefore, it is suggested that you practice either with someone already skilled, who can act as your ‘mentor’, or make use of ChatGPT by prompting the tool to provide feedback on your sentences. Get a feel for how to be both professional and informal at the same time. 

3. Don’t be shy. Try to talk to someone who you are interested in. Maybe join the group of people standing around them and listen actively. Even if you do not get the chance to speak, your attitude will speak for itself. So maintain eye contact, listen actively, smile, and be polite. 

4. Reaching out digitally afterwards. Do not be shy to contact the people that made a lasting impression to thank them for their new insights. Keep the connection genuine, do not make the other feel like they are only used for their knowledge and skills. If you are less successful, do not feel discouraged. You can still follow them on LinkedIn but maybe stay away from personal messages until a later time. 

Networking is all about the balance between being professional and casual. It is a skill that can evolve over time if you put effort into it. I hope some of these tips can help you during upcoming social events. I, for sure, will try to implement them. So at my next conference, I can hopefully be one of those people chatting in groups and exchanging stickers like a pro.

If you want to read up on more tips the researchers have, click here or use the DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tips.2023.10.004