#7 A good networking technique to succeed in the job market
Hello everyone,
Welcome to my website and my 7th blog post.
NETWORKING is critical to get a job in the job market. 60% of jobs in the biotech industry are through networks.
But:
1. How to network to get a job?
2. How much time do I have to give to translate Networking into a Job?
3. Are there tips and tricks to accelerate the Networking – Job transition?
This will be the topic of this blog.
I started my networking by first creating a detailed LinkedIn profile.
1. The LinkedIn photo, tagline, profile description, creator mode, and daily engagements define your professional character to the community.
2. The professional character, along with skills tabulated in LinkedIn, becomes your CV.
3. Your volunteering work and certificate courses showcase your interest and growth profile.
Combining these three aspects gives a complete picture of the credibility you bring to the table.
My LinkedIn profile with a very specific tag line
The tagline specifies my interest in the biotech industry.
A detailed blog on LinkedIn profile and engagement is coming soon. Do check out my previous blog on volunteering work and its impact. If you have completed this much work, you have completed 50% of the work.
A detailed profile:
1. Makes you fit well within the LinkedIn algorithm. Thus, increasing your chances of getting relevant job alerts.
2. It helps you start STRATEGIC NETWORKING.
My first job was to understand the job profiles in the job market. Towards that, I performed 2 things:
1. Connect with alumni who have transitioned to the industry and with known people with industry experience. These connections amplify your outreach.
On the one hand, you can see what these people are talking about online. While on the other, you can write to them on LinkedIn, asking for a short time to speak and understand their work profile, how their industry works, current trends, and their opinion of what jobs can be a good fit for you. PEOPLE ALWAYS HELP. But the LinkedIn request for connection needs to go out with a specific question. If it's too general or just a connection request, people might not respond.
If you are writing to someone for the first time, don’t write to ask for a job. At first, you must get connected with them, make yourself familiar, should have interacted with them for 4-5 times over at least 6 months, after which you can ask directly in person or write to them online saying that you are looking for an opportunity and if they can help. This is very important. A network needs to be created and built before asking for help. So, start 1 yr in advance.
This method helps you create professional connections with people you already know. But how to connect with IMPORTANT STRANGERS?
2. This is where I conducted in-person networking. Biotech corporations, like venture funds, incubators, and accelerators, will always organize events, talks, etc., open to the public. They do this for outreach, networking, and discussion about new ideas.
These events help you learn updated knowledge about the industry, meet new companies working on novel projects, and meet different kinds of people within the industry all in one place!
You can take 2-3 such events to understand how people connect research with business and start companies.
Utilize the following 2-3 events to ask questions after the talk. Thus, giving yourself a spotlight.
Talk to the speakers (founders, CEO, CSO, etc.) to learn how they transform research into a product.
A good conversation will give you knowledge. After the meeting, you can mention that
“It would be great if you could connect with them on LinkedIn”
Stem Cell Therapy meeting at BioInnovation Institute. Organized by Miltenyi Biotec
Prof. Agnete Kirkeby talks about her work on developing a cell therapy for Parkinson’s patients.
If you use this method of strategic networking with known and unknown people, your network will grow exponentially.
Use this exponential expansion to showcase your persona:
1. Post about industry developments you like and consider essential developments.
2. Like and comment on others’ posts about your perspective on important news.
This will help in maintaining the connections.
Remember… Always keep it real… Show your genuine efforts… It always has a significantly higher long-term benefit.
To showcase your technical credibility, take courses on industry skills you learned from your networks, like Project Management, Sales and Marketing, and Clinical Trial Management. Reputed institutions online are providing good certificate courses. Share the certificates on LinkedIn to promote your continuous learning curve.
Also, perform volunteer work in industry or short internships to increase experience. These updates and your hyper-expanding network will boost your profile views, and people will get to know you better personally.
At a REBBLS core group meeting
REBBLS is a volunteer-based, non-profit networking platform in Copenhagen for biotech industry professionals and bio-entrepreneurs
By this time, you are 1 yr old on LinkedIn and have created such a good persona of your skills that whenever you ask anyone, “Hey, I am looking for a job in the industry”, they will always help you.
Sometimes, people make strategic decisions about their internships and convert them into jobs. That’s why internships and volunteering work are of great importance.
THIS METHOD ALWAYS WORKS BECAUSE IT IS BUILT-ON DILIGENCE AND TRUST.
If you have much time to finish your studies or research before getting a job, increase your industry skills and freelance work profile. That will increase your credibility. Check out my previous blog on why personal expertise and experience matter in the industry.
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See you soon… 🤟
