Build networks
Strategies
Building and maintaining a professional network is an important part of your career. Part of this is making yourself and your research visible.
Some key strategies
- Join relevant professional bodies and get involved.
- Join an academic or professional network e.g. ResearchGate, or LinkedIn.
- Join a social media network and post regularly.
- Look for opportunities to attend conferences.
- Attend inhouse workshops and seminars offered at UniSA.
- Volunteer with a relevant organisation.
- Make sure all your profiles are up to date and linked.
- Make sure your publications reach the right audience.
- Publish with a quality journal or publisher.
- Add all publications including non-traditional publication to the Research Outputs Repository with the accepted manuscript.
- Publish open access where possible.
- Make sure your publications have a unique identifier (DOI, ISBN etc.) for tracking engagement in Altmetrics.
Tip: Always share your work through publisher provided share links.
Key UniSA supports and opportunities
- Media training opportunitiesAdvice from Communication and Marketing at UniSA. Includes videos on previous session including 'The 5 Biggest Mistakes Researchers Make with the Media'.
- Self-development workshopsEnrol in a range of courses to help you develop your soft skills.
- Volunteer connect databaseFind volunteering opportunities to connect to community and industry.
- Write a winning pitch to the ConversationWorkshop recording by Communications and Marketing at UniSA.
Advice from experts
Hearing from others is a great way to learn how to network, build your confidence and establish connections.
Australian experts
- The Whisper collective podcastCovers a range of issues for PhD students including networking, writing and self-care. Brought to you by Tseen Khoo, Jonathan O’Donnell, Narelle Lemon, and Inger Mewburn.
International
- Cramtime with Gradconnection podcastA podcast about the graduate job search and broader early careers experience. Hosted by Marketing Assistant and fellow recent grad, Karen, with special guests each month.
- PhDLifeBlog: And BeyondA blog for both Warwick students and anyone else who is a pre-PhD, PhD or post-PhD student. Part of the Research Exchange at the University of Warwick
- Voices of AcademiaA blog that brings together the voices of academics to discuss mental health and well-being in academia. Curated by a range of researchers and research students.
Employability skills and advice
Networking can help you create potential employment opportunities.
UniSA advice and support
- Business Career Mentor ProgramA scheme to pair UniSA Business students and recent graduates with experienced business professionals to enhance employability. See if you are eligible here.
- Executive Partners ProgramAvailable to high achieving postgraduate students to engage in a mentoring relationship with an experienced senior executive. See if you are eligible here.
- Researcher Development @ UniSADevelopment opportunities for early and mid career researchers (ECRs and MCRs). Also for HDR students and academic staff to enhance employability and support capacity building.
Advice from others in academia
- A big list of academic job interview questions (and how to answer them) (2019)A post by the Thesis Whisperer which includes questions received from students in real life interviews.
- Doctoral careers after your PhD (2 mins 12 secs)Associate Professor Inger Mewburn, Australian National University.
- HDR in conversation with Prof Inger Mewburn (2022)A webinar by Professor Inger (better known as @thesiswhisperer) that shares her team’s research on the post-PhD job market. Will help you enhance your understanding of the changed academic job market and how to approach the non-academic job market with more confidence.
- The top 3 skills needed to do a PhD are skills employers want too (2022)A Conversation opinion piece by Lilia Mantai, Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead, University of Sydney and Mauricio Marrone, Associate Professor, Macquarie University.
- Top things to know when applying for a PhD (2 mins and 47 secs)Associate Professor Inger Mewburn, Australian National University.
Conference advice from experts
- Going to a big conference (2022)A post by Dr Katherine an award-winning educator, author and researcher in Australian.
- Surviving the conference marathon (2019)A post by Dr Imogen Wegman, a project officer, University of Tasmania.
- When talking in seminars makes you feel like you don’t belong (2020)A post by Dr Katherine an award-winning educator, author and researcher in Australian.
Using social media to network
Social media can be a great way to promote yourself, your research and build connections with like minded people.
UniSA Support
- Get support with social mediaIncludes relevant advice and training from Communication and Marketing at UniSA with previous training sessions uploaded for ‘Do we need our own social media account?’ ‘Social media content creation and best practice’ and ‘Twitter for researchers’.
Career advice and student networks at UniSA
- Gradconnect Career Advice hubResources and advice on upskilling, career planning, applying for jobs, recruitment processes, on the job and diversity and inclusion.