People network for two basic reasons: to expand the pool of potential job opportunities, and to find sales/partnering opportunities. In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the common career networking mistakes, tips for getting the most out of networking events, and career networking resources available to biotech professionals in San Diego.
Common career networking mistakes
The most common mistake that people make is to treat networking as a chore that you do when you’ve lost your job, or your company has imploded. In reality though, networking is one of those critical skills that is an integral part of managing your career. Moreover, networking can help you understand the good and the bad about the companies in your community. You’d be surprised at what you’ll learn over a beer.
But beyond simply identifying your next position, networking is a invaluable way of learning from others in your profession, and learning how to take the next steps in your career. It can help you find that mentor that point you in the right direction and keep your career from stalling.
Failing to budget enough time for networking is another common mistake. You’re busy managing the job you have, and not really thinking about the next step in your career. Your weekends are filled with hobbies and family commitments, and networking is often one of those activities that just falls off the list.
Budget one day a month for networking, and treat the process like a game not a chore. Identify the types of people you want to connect with, and use LinkedIn to keep “score” of the numbers of new connections that you’re making at the events.
Don’t use LinkedIn as a surrogate for face-to-face networking. It’s easy to simply reach out and connect, but unless you’re actively engaging with them, you’re not getting any real value out of the relationship. Moreover, if you’re connecting with everyone and their grandmother, the recommendations that LinkedIn gives you for potential new connections will be diluted to the point that they cease to have any value for you.
Tips for Improving Your Network
Here are a few tips to improve your network:
- Do your homework – before the event, take a look at the attendee profiles for the people who have RSVP’d. Most of the networking groups use either their own networking software or Eventbrite or Meetup.com to manage the event, and each of these platforms let you view the profiles of the event attendees. In some cases, the software will let members attach their LinkedIn profiles to their Eventbrite or Meetup profile and this makes it easier to research potential new connections. Make sure that you include your LinkedIn URL in your Meetup.com profile. Identify what type of person you want to connect with, and review the attendees to identify the ones that fit that profile.
- RSVP Early – with some events, your chances of connecting with your target audience will improve simply by RSVPing early to the event. The reason for this is that as people checkout who’s coming to the event, they’ll see your profile and decide that they want to attend as well. I’ve noticed the attendee list for some events will snowball in the last two weeks before an event, so make sure that you check the event site multiple times.
- Bring business cards – I know it’s old fashioned, but it works. People are more likely to connect with you if your card says something about you. A big mistake that I often see with people is using some cheap service to create business cards that look cheap. They often only have the person’s name and their personal email address. Take a look at a printing service like Moo. Add a graphic to your card to make it stand out. Use a professional looking email address for professional interactions – something like “g4merboy@gmail.com” says the wrong thing about you. Put some keywords on the back of your business card that say what kinds of skills you bring to the table. Make sure that you add your Twitter handle, blog (if you have one) and your LinkedIn profile link. If you use Facebook for professional networking, make sure that you include it as well. But also make sure that you segregate your Facebook connections into professional and personal groups.
- Bring a notepad – bring something to scribble notes on or use Google Keep
- Create an elevator pitch – this is a short verbal statement of who you are, what you do and what you bring to the table. It helps to write it down and practice it. Remember to keep it short, and keep it memorable. You might start by crafting a personal mission statement, and then elaborate on it a little bit. You want it to be short enough that you can memorise it, and long enough to be interesting. If you run out of ideas, look at your LinkedIn summary and see what you can borrow from that.
- Use the LinkedIn app – Occasionally, despite your best-laid plans, you’ll run out of cards at an event. If you’re lucky the other person also has the LinkedIn app installed on their phone. Here’s a neat trick to pass along to everyone you meet at the event, ask them to open LinkedIn, tap the My Network icon at the bottom of the screen, and tap the Find nearby (OFF) icon at the top of the screen. This turns on a hidden little feature in LinkedIn, like a personal radar, that says “I’m here, connect with me”. It also lets you see who else at this location has their radar turned on. The names of the people nearby appear at the bottom of the screen, and you can tap their profile cards to request to connect with them.
Networking Resources
Here are some local groups that can help you get started:
AWIS San Diego – the American Women In Science meetup group is a great way to connect with other scientists and entrepreneurs in the San Diego area — no, you don’t have to be a woman to attend.
Biotech Beach Brewery Meetup – is another local meetup group for biotech, pharma, and healthcare professionals.
Connect – connect is an organisation that brings together entrepreneurs in the various tech & biotech communities in San Diego, with investors and resources that they need to succeed. The connect meetup group can help you identify potential investors.
San Diego Pharmaceutical Project & Portfolio Management Meetup – this group is dedicated to helping pharmaceutical project and portfolio managers network and learn from one another.
SDBN – San Diego Biotechnology Network is one of the most popular networking groups in San Diego. It was started by local biotech marketing maven Mary Canady, and remains a fixture of the San Diego Biotech scene. They host speed networking and other events. The next one is scheduled for August 1
SDEE – San Diego Entrepreneur Exchange is a great resource for connecting with other biotech entrepreneurs in the San Diego area. They host a monthly Happy Hour at New English Brewing. If you have an idea for a biotech startup, want to work for one, or want to partner with one, this is the place to meet. The next one is scheduled for August 16
Suds & Science – Suds & Science is a networking group that combines both a networking event and a learning experience. They meet at breweries in San Diego, and you connect with other professionals and learning something new and science-related.