People in academia aren’t exactly known for being the most social creatures. However, relationships are important in every single industry. You need to get out there and make connections through academic networking, even if you are naturally more of an introvert. Go to events and talk to the other people at your place of work. Here are some benefits of building your network in academia:
1. Gain Important Career-related Connections
We all want to move forward in our careers through our merits alone. However, the truth of the matter is that academic networking can help you achieve career advancement in higher education. When you make friends with people in academia, they can tell you about jobs or other opportunities, such as grants, you may not have previously been aware of.
2. Meet Intelligent People Who Can Go Over Your Work
Accuracy is of utmost importance for career advancement in higher education. If you have errors in your hypothesis or even your spelling and grammar, it can affect your credibility. In academia, your credibility is all you have. If you make friends with careers in higher education, they can go over your work before you publish it. They may be able to point out errors. They can also give you reassurance. They may even be able to challenge you to encourage you to be better at what you do.
3. Have Fun
It can get old going home and going through the same ritual every day. When you build relationships, it can shake things up a bit for you. You may even find yourself having a bit of fun. The good news is that you may even find people who have the same definition of fun as you, whether that means playing Dungeons & Dragons, reading scholarly articles, solving equations, or all of the above.
4. Make Lifelong Friends
Friends are an important part of life. Not only is it nice to have people to encourage you professionally, but it’s also nice to have people who are there for you on a personal level. These are the people who will help you in your own personal journey through divorce, bad health, or problems at work.
When you work in careers in higher education, you need to get out there. Go to different events that include people in your field. Socialize and talk to people at these events. When you are done, make a point to continue those new relationships.
Need more support in building your network in Academia? Looking to advance into a position as an Adjunct Professor? Wondering if your CV hits the mark and will get you the job? Simply stuck or wondering how to advance your career? Let’s Talk! I can help you get there!