Guest post from Dr Charis Cook, Innovation Manager, BBSRC.
Although institutional staff profiles and social media make it possible to make contact with people you’ve never met, face-to-face networking is still absolutely essential: if a person can put a face to a name your request is more likely to be passed on to the right person or responded to quickly.
Some people love networking, but other people would rather hide in a bathroom than drink coffee with strangers. So using the unscientific approach of Google, office anecdotes and personal experience, I’ve generated these top tips:
Go to the PraxisUnico conference! Seeking out the right opportunities gives purpose to your networking, and the annual PraxisUnico conference is an excellent starting point for commercialisation professionals. BBSRC and five other Research Councils will be there too, so come and say hello! You won’t miss us – we’re the ones with the appointment booking system based on post-its. You can also hook up with us via email or the conference app, or just drop by.
Beyond PraxisUnico, think about where you can meet the contacts you need: if you need specialist IP advice, go to a CIPA lecture or IPO event; if you are struggling to engage with a particular university department, find out when their postgraduate symposium is; or if you want to drum up interest from businesses in a particular sector, scout out some industry events.
Plan your approach. Most networking opportunities are trailed by a few emails and a list of attendees, or you may already know that relevant people will be present. Plan who you want to speak to and what you want to say. Ask an open question and be prepared to listen, but have your elevator pitch ready.
Seize opportunity. Planning isn’t everything – making conversation with a previously unknown person can be extremely rewarding, and if not at least you’ve met someone new.
Follow up your conversation: You may have brokered a meeting but in any case, follow up with an email or a phone call. At the very least try and find them on LinkedIn. For some more advice on networking from the professionals, co-founder of Green & Black’s and entrepreneur Josephine Fairley wrote an article in the Telegraph with some general advice on networking, and the founder of US networking scheme Network Under 40, Darrah Brustein, gives 17 good tips in Forbes.
RCUK at PraxisUnico Representatives of six Research Councils (AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC, NERC and STFC) will be at PraxisUnico 2015 and we are happy to speak to you about our schemes that encourage knowledge exchange and commercialisation. From collaborative hubs to follow-on funding to small innovation vouchers, there are opportunities for all kinds of researchers and industry to get involved. Most schemes are managed by an individual whose job it is to encourage applications, support applicantsand facilitate engagement. Some of these people will be at the conference, and we are happy to discuss different opportunities and to direct you to the right contact.