Networking Strategies for Scientists

When you’re just starting your career, the biggest trap isn’t lack of skills, it’s letting your early career show up as underconfidence. My top tip: don’t just show up, lead with curiosity. This is something I’ve been following since 2019, right when I started my career. Within my first year at IBM, I was able to set up a meeting with Rob Thomas (SVP at the time) to discuss product vision and how data science and AI tools could be incorporated into IBM’s product lines. That didn’t happen because I had years of experience, I had none. It happened because I emailed him with specific details: I showed my work from internships, sent clear questions, and laid out an agenda of what I wanted to discuss. That clarity and preparation made it worth his time. And that principle has stayed with me ever since. Even today, when I meet VPs, CTOs, or startup founders, I make sure I’m not just there to listen, I come in with intention. Here’s how you can apply this: → Share something you’ve read (a new framework, case study, or article). Lead with, “I came across this, what’s your perspective?” → Ask open-ended questions that spark discussion, not just answers. → Reframe introductions. Instead of “I’m new,” try “I’ve been exploring X, curious how your team approaches it.” → Capture your learnings. After a talk, paper, or shadowing session, write 2–3 takeaways and share them, it signals thought leadership. → Remember: humility doesn’t mean invisibility. What’s funny is that sometimes when I’m speaking with top leadership, they’ll say, “Oh, I didn’t know about that.” That’s validation: years of experience aren’t the only currency. Your curiosity, preparation, and ability to share knowledge are equally powerful. Early in your career, people don’t expect you to have all the answers. But they do notice if you bring ideas, energy, and intent into the room. Confidence isn’t about pretending you know everything, it’s about showing you’re hungry to learn, and making others want to learn with you.

In my early career, I thought networking was all about building as many connections as possible. But I quickly learned that effective networking isn't about the quantity of your connections—it's about the quality. Throughout my career, the connections that have truly made a difference weren’t the ones where I just asked for help—they were the ones where I made it easy for others to want to help me. If you want to make others genuinely want to help you, it’s crucial to move beyond simply asking for favors. Instead, focus on creating value and building relationships where both parties benefit. So, how can you do the same? Here are four tactical tips to help you network effectively: ✅ Do Your Homework Before reaching out, research the person or company you’re interested in. Understand their work, challenges, and how you can add value. For instance, instead of asking a connection for job leads, do your own research first. Identify specific roles and companies you’re targeting, and then ask if they can help with an introduction. This approach shows initiative and respect for their time. ✅ Be Specific in Your Ask Whether you’re asking for an introduction, advice, or a referral, be clear and concise about what you need. For example, instead of asking, “Do you know anyone hiring?” say, “I noticed [Company Name] is looking for a [Role]. Would you be open to introducing me to [Person]? I’m happy to send you my resume and a brief write-up you can pass along, too.” This shows that you’ve taken the initiative and makes it easier for your contact to say yes. ✅ Offer Mutual Value When requesting a meeting or advice, frame it as a two-way conversation. Instead of saying, “Can I pick your brain?” try something like, “I’d love to exchange ideas on [specific topic] and share some strategies that have worked for me.” This not only makes your request more compelling but also positions you as someone who brings value to the table. ✅ Follow Up with Gratitude After someone has helped you, don’t just say thank you and disappear. Keep them in the loop on how their help made an impact. Whether you got the job, secured the meeting, or just had a great conversation, let them know. This closes the loop and makes them more inclined to help you in the future. Your network is one of your greatest assets—nurture it well, and it will be there for you when you need it most. What’s one networking tip that’s helped you build stronger connections? *** 📧 Want more tips like these? Join Career Bites - free weekly bite-sized tips to supercharge your career in 3 minutes or less: lorraineklee.com/subscribe 📖 You can also get behind-the-scenes stories, updates, and special gifts for my upcoming book Unforgettable Presence: lorraineklee.com/book

The fastest way to end a professional relationship before it begins is to make your first interaction an ask. It happens all the time. Someone starts a new job and immediately messages the CEO or a senior executive: "Can I pick your brain?" "Would you have 30 minutes for coffee?" "I'd love to learn from your career journey." It feels ambitious to the sender, but to the recipient, it often feels transactional. Think about it from their perspective. They don't know you yet. They haven't seen your work, your judgment, or your contributions. Yet your very first interaction is asking them to give you their most limited resource: time. The highest achievers approach this very differently because they understand that relationships are built before they're needed. One of the most valuable networking strategies I've learned came from my friend and co-author, Andy Lopata FLPI FPSA PSAE. He calls it the 24-7-30 Rule, and it's brilliantly simple. Within 24 hours of meeting someone, send a brief note reminding them where you met. Seven days later, share something relevant to your conversation, like an article, podcast, or insight. Thirty days later, reconnect again with something of value. Notice what's missing. There isn't an ask. There isn't a request for coffee. There isn't a request to "pick their brain." Instead, you're building familiarity, trust, and credibility one thoughtful interaction at a time. Most people think networking is about making introductions. The people who build extraordinary careers know it's really about mastering the follow-up. I recently chatted with Kate Snow of NBC News about how to do networking right...because opportunities rarely come from a single conversation. They come from relationships you've intentionally nurtured over time. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dr Ruth Gotian is a scholar and keynote speaker on success and high performance. 🎤 She speaks to organizations, President's Clubs, leadership offsites, and associations. 🔎 Her work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Fortune, Harvard Business Review, and Fast Company. ▶️ Press follow and set the 🔔 to "Always" to learn how the world's highest achievers succeed, and you can too.

“Everyone says network — but no one tells you how to do it when you hate small talk.” I’ll be honest — I’m not a natural networker. I’m the kind of person who overthinks every message before hitting “send,” rewrites it three times, and still feels like I’m being weird. I actually found my job by applying directly through the company’s career page (no referrals). But when I was trying to move from academia to biotech, I realized something important: If you stay in your own circle, no one outside it even knows you exist. So I had to find a version of networking that didn’t feel fake. Here’s what I did: - I stopped trying to “network.” I started trying to learn. I’d reach out to people in the industry and say something like: “Hello, I’m trying to understand what technical skills actually matter for roles like yours. I’m currently in academia and would love to use this time to learn new techniques if possible. Would you mind sharing your perspective?” That one question opened more doors than any “Can you refer me?” ever did. - I started commenting on posts that genuinely resonated with me. Not “Nice post.” Not emojis. Actual thoughts. That’s how you start showing up without being pushy. - I followed people who had already made the jump from academia to industry. Reading their posts taught me what industry values — resume language, interview etiquette, and overall mindset. And here’s what I learned: Networking isn’t about forcing conversations. It’s about curiosity, consistency, and showing up as yourself. You really don’t need to talk to 100 people. You just need 3–4 genuine connections who remember your name for the right reasons. So if you hate small talk — same. You don’t need to fake extroversion to build a network. You just need to start with one thoughtful message. Real networking doesn’t start with confidence — it starts with genuine curiosity :) #networking #Biotechcareer

Unpopular Academic Advice #11: I often hear graduate students say they do not know how to make connections or socialize with faculty at conferences. I do not consider myself to have particularly strong social skills. I am quite introverted, and my husband describes me as “the biggest nerd.” But I am sincerely curious about people. I ask about their research, careers, and stories. Often, out of courtesy, they ask me about my research in return. When I tell people about my research, I always try to make it interesting and naturally show my excitement. That is how they gradually get to know me. This apparently also works outside academia. When I first met my husband (a quantitative marketing PhD student who had little interest in demography at that time), I told him about my research on historical demography in China, specifically, sex ratios at sexual maturity and later-life mortality. He later said he was excited to see me again because he wanted to hear about my other interesting research. For anyone equally nerdy, the paper is here: https://lnkd.in/gSn927aD My advice: do not try too hard to “network.” Be sincere, be curious, and ask good questions. Nerdiness, properly deployed, can be a social skill.

BEYOND SMALL TALK: NETWORKING WHEN YOU'RE AN INTROVERT Let's bust a myth real quick: Being an introvert doesn't mean you're bad at networking. It means you're wired for deeper connections – and in today's quick-fix culture, that's to your advantage.    Fun fact: Research shows that introverts typically process information through a longer neural pathway, leading to deeper analysis and more meaningful interactions. Translation? While extroverts might excel at making fast connections, your brain is literally built for the kind of substantive relationships that drive real business growth.   Here are some ways to approach those “dreaded” social interactions your work likely requires.    🎯Go Deep, Not Wide  Forget the outdated metric of success where the size of your rolodex is what mattered. Focus on having one genuine conversation instead of ten shallow ones. Your natural ability to listen deeply and ask thoughtful questions is what builds real professional capital. In coaching, we call this "holding space" – and it's a rare skill in our hyperconnected world.   💡 Choose Your Arena Skip the noisy networking mixers and shine in smaller settings. Think intimate coffee chats, focused workshops, or online communities where you can contribute thoughtfully. The psychological concept of "environmental mastery" suggests that controlling your networking environment directly impacts your effectiveness and authentic presence.   🤝 Lead With Curiosity, Not Elevator Pitches Instead of relying on the old standard of "so what do you do?" conversations, get curious about others. Ask about their challenges, their wins, their insights. Research in interpersonal psychology shows that asking follow-up questions increases likability by 40% – and it's something introverts naturally excel at.   ⚡Share Your Work, Not Your Card Create content, share insights, or contribute to discussions in your field. Let your expertise do the talking. This approach leverages what organizational psychologists call "passive networking" – building relationships through value creation rather than direct outreach.   Remember: Networking isn't about becoming someone you're not. It's about leveraging who you already are.    Now I'm curious: What's your favorite way to connect that honors your introvert energy? Drop it in the comments! 👇

Networking can feel as awkward as a first date. You’re meeting someone new, trying to make a good impression, and hoping they’ll want to stay in touch (or at least remember your name). Uncomfortable? Sometimes. But it’s also an opportunity to build a meaningful connection. I know this firsthand. Ten years ago, I went on a lot of first dates. What set my now-husband apart? He asked great questions, listened attentively, shared openly, and didn’t dominate the conversation. Turns out, those same strategies work well in networking. Here’s how to apply them: 𝟭. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻) Ask thoughtful, open-ended questions like: “What excites you most about what you’re working on right now?” “How did you get started in your field?” “What’s a challenge you’re tackling that you’re passionate about?” Then, really listen. Engage. Ask follow-up questions. People remember how you make them feel–and feeling heard builds real connection. 𝟮. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 A bad date? Someone who talks only about themselves. A bad networking conversation? Same. Share your own stories, insights, experiences and interests. Find common ground, build rapport. On our first date, I asked my husband where he wanted to travel next. He said, “the Amalfi Coast.” As fate would have it, I was slated to host a University of Michigan Alumni trip there later that spring. That sparked a deeper conversation about the kind of experiences we value. 𝟯. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 A great date–and a great networking conversation–ends with both people wanting to stay in touch. Offer something meaningful—an interesting article, a relevant connection, or a thoughtful follow-up message referencing something specific you discussed. My husband ended the first date with, “I like you. When can I see you again?” I wasn’t sure if he was a rookie who didn’t know how to play it cool or refreshingly confident. Turns out, it was the latter. 𝟰. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗨𝗽  Send a quick LinkedIn message or email within 48 hours. Reference something specific from your conversation to show you were paying attention: “It was great meeting you at the event! I loved our conversation about (specific topic). Would love to stay in touch and hear how it progresses!” My husband followed up our first date with a note—and a photo of the wine I ordered that night, sitting in his grocery cart next to some celery. (Yes, really. See the photo below.) 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴) 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 It’s not about racking up LinkedIn connections—it’s about cultivating relationships. Which brings me to the second photo. My husband’s approach to dating eventually led to an invitation to the Amalfi Coast trip. Just not on the first date, like he likes to tell it. What’s your best networking tip or funniest dating story?

𝐒𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 '𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤' 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬? During our mentoring session, someone asked: "What's the least annoying, most effective way to network?" The panelists' answers surprised people. 𝟏. 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 One panelist: "When someone reaches out and it's very obvious they've read my work or looked at my website and custom-tailored a message TO ME specifically - I always reply. 99% of messages I get are generic. If I can tell you sent the same message to 100 people, I won't respond." In the AI era, this matters more than ever. Everyone can send "personalized" emails at scale now. Manual cold emails get lost in the noise. 𝟐. 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞-𝐭𝐨-𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝟓𝟎 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 Conferences aren't just keynotes - they're networking goldmines. Vendor booths, poster sessions, coffee breaks. This is where real connections happen. Can't afford registration? Offer to volunteer. Many organizers give free entry in exchange for helping at the registration desk. Medical device conferences bring together startups trying to get noticed. Scientific conferences have vendor halls full of companies looking for talent. Go there. Talk to people. Ask for coffee meetings. 𝟑. 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 Your current or former mentors, classmates, research collaborators - these warm connections are exponentially more valuable than cold outreach. Ask your mentors to introduce you to people in their networks. But be specific: Not "I want to get into neurotech" but "I'm interested in clinical trial design for brain stimulation devices." 𝟒. 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 People who successfully break into neurotech without traditional credentials got there by working harder early on. They didn't skip steps. They earned trust by delivering value first. 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: Quality over quantity, always. One thoughtful, personalized message beats 100 generic ones. One meaningful in-person conversation beats 50 LinkedIn connections. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝? 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬. 👇 𝐀𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝?

7 Practical Super Connector Tips for the more analytical, precise, and reserved This post is for you if… You value connection deeply Yet tend to approach it cautiously With a focus on correctness and preparedness You want connection to feel real but not reckless Intentional Not performative You see the socially engaged people laughing up circles and all of a sudden it feels as the entire room is for them You feel on the outside looking in at social events (Tip many others feel this way, you just don't know it) Here’s how to ease into authentic connection without sacrificing your nature: ⸻ 1 Prepare to Be Present You thrive on preparation soooo... use it to your advantage Before an event or conversation Jot down a few open-ended questions or reflections You’re comfortable sharing Presence isn’t just a feeling It’s something you can plan for Try this: “What inspired you to get involved in this work?” “I read something recently that made me think____have you ever experienced _____?” ⸻ 2 Redefine “Perfect” Connection isn’t about being polished It’s about being real Aim for the true response Not the perfect one It’s okay if your thoughts are still forming People connect through process not perfection Try this: “I’m still thinking through this, but here’s what I’m noticing…” ⸻ 3 See Vulnerability as Precision of the Heart Vulnerability might feel “messy” But think of it as honest clarity You don’t have to overshare Just acknowledge what’s real Try this: “I’m not usually one to jump into networking, but I do love meaningful conversations.” ⸻ 4 Focus on Shared Standards You love systems So frame connection around shared goals Ask what someone is building What they value What challenge they’re navigating Look for the overlaps Try this: “What systems or tools have helped you most in your work lately?” ⸻ 5 Give Yourself Permission to Pause Pausing is your superpower Let silence serve the moment You don’t need to fill it Stillness builds trust Reward your brain with this thought: “Stillness builds trust" ⸻ 6 Practice Low-Stakes Reps Presence is a muscle And small settings are your stage practice Start with 1:1s Small circles Familiar rooms Confidence builds with repetition And the uncertainty starts to fade (I practice connection everywhere I go—boldly Not because it’s always easy But because forming familiarity through relationship matters to me) ⸻ 7 Know That You Belong You don’t need to be bubbly to be magnetic Your calm Your clarity Your curiosity That is your shine Lead with it The right people will recognize it ⸻ In short: You don’t have to become more extroverted You just have to translate your strengths Thoughtfulness Clarity Intentionality Into connection Be real, not right Let your calm, composed presence Do the connecting And remember The most visible person in the room Isn’t always the most relational I often seek out the observers in the room They tend to offer the richest dialogue

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 (3-min read)   “𝑁𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑦. 𝐼𝑡’𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚 𝑎 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛, 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡𝑒𝑛.” — Jarod Kintz Most introverts dread networking events, and many skip them entirely. Smart introverts still show up. Shifting from dread to advantage takes a better system for preparing, engaging, and following up. Rest still matters. This post explores how to approach events strategically to maximize opportunity and reduce disappointment. The advice applies to everyone. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Start by curating your networking calendar. Choose events that align with your goals, industry, target audience, or values. Prioritize small roundtables and workshops where meaningful conversation outweighs crowd size. Research attendees and speakers so you know who you want to meet. 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 Authenticity remains your greatest strength. Rehearse your story so you can clearly describe what you do and why it matters. Confidence grows through preparation and practice. Prepare a few open-ended questions to spark richer conversations, such as: · What excites you right now? · What's the best thing that happened in the last few weeks? · What is something incredible about you that even your friends don't know? 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 Schedule quiet time before and after events to prepare and recover. Because events are draining, I set a clear purpose and plan for my time. Set a few specific objectives for each event, such as meeting five relevant people. Sometimes, I arrive early to ease into the environment when fewer people are around, which makes one-on-one conversations more likely. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 At events, I stay aware of my physical state. If I start to feel anxious, I focus on breathing steadily, sometimes using a calming technique like exhaling for four seconds and inhaling for one. To keep my energy steady, I pace myself by taking breaks. By checking in with myself regularly, I can often stay longer and get more value. Finally, jot down notes on what went well and what could be better. When you reframe events as learning opportunities, you may find more purpose. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝗨𝗽 Building on the connections you've made requires thoughtful follow-up. Within two business days, reach out to those who genuinely interest you. Be specific about what you appreciated and express your desire to connect again. Propose a clear next step. Consider offering a thoughtful "gift" such as a relevant article, a potential connection, or an upcoming event they would enjoy. Every conversation can become an opportunity to learn, share, and create value. With practice, you can curate those conversations more effectively. .