[ SECRET POST #3204 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #3204 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 03 pages, 052 secrets from Secret Submission Post #458.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

Networking (especially in higher education): how do you do it?

[(Anonymous)]

How good are you at "networking" with professors and scholars and the sort? I'm really shy, and even when I push myself to be talkative, I think I just end up being awkward and forgettable. Right now I'm trying to find and contact potential PhD supervisors and I find it terrifying and awkward to try to make connections. Since I'm aiming for an academic job, I know networking is really important, and I genuinely want to meet more scholars and talk about their research, and talk about what I've done/want to do, but I can't help but massively judge myself and feel my stuff isn't worth talking about, or they'll think my ideas are stupid or something. I have pretty good relationships with my past supervisors and supervisors, but I feel really awkward bothering them for advice/recommendations/etc. I like writing and doing research but I know I need to seriously get my act together when it comes to being assertive with professors.

So how good are you at e-mailing, chatting face to face, and the like? If you applied for a PhD, how'd you go about pitching your ideas (if relevant)?

Re: Networking (especially in higher education): how do you do it?

[kallanda_lee]

Really shit, and sadly this has consequences, because I think the kids who did actually landed jobs through connections.

Re: Networking (especially in higher education): how do you do it?

[herpymcderp]

When you're trying to find supervisors, you really have to impress someone. It's not enough to just talk. You should have written a paper that they're immensely interested in or have some kind of goal that has a parallel with the research they're doing.

If it's a science career you're aiming for, you should have started this in your undergrad, and you should already have a good rapport with someone or experience in someone's lab that would act as a stepping stone to your future directions.

I'm sorry that I can't be much more specific than that.

Re: Networking (especially in higher education): how do you do it?

[(Anonymous)]

Not really helpful but:

I was accidentally placed in upper division courses in first year undergrad because I picked the most popular undergrad courses and of course (being a first year) was at the bottom of the barrel. So I was furious. But the teachers for those courses were actually really interesting and after taking their classes, I wanted to learn more of their subjects. Cue one teacher recommending me to a language professor and the language professor supervising my Bachelors' and Masters' dissertation. It's because of his contacts/recommendation that I got to tag along on four digs (I do archaeology) and he was the one who introduced me to my current PhD advisor. I'm immensely grateful to him, especially as I was a lackluster student -- I was missing two prerequisites and never got above a 70 [an A-, I think] despite all the additional effort and hours he put into me and just... have a lot of fond memories of him.

That being said, it's important to put yourself out there! I went to non-mandatory lectures, office hours, department parties (luncheons and dinners) and joined two additional digs, won a bursary and failed at so many other things. I lost my first choice of PhD advisor because he received an offer he couldn't refuse that, unfortunately, left him with no time to supervise. Keep in touch, socialise, and (if you're surrounded by more knowledgeable people), be aware of your place in the pecking order. I remember my first luncheon (this was second year), I was SO NERVOUS because I was seated across from literally the best translator in our field, so I drank like half a bottle of wine and got into a heated debate with him about TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES. Needless to say, I lost that argument hard. I am lucky that he's of good enough humor not to, say, reject my later petition to sign up for his class. Hahaha.

IDK how popular your section of academia is, but by and large, the people who remain aren't the absolute geniuses, but those who kept at it. The teacher who got me through the door? He was a (yearly) lecturer for twenty years and only got an offer for a permanent position three years ago.

Re: Networking (especially in higher education): how do you do it?

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you, it's really helpful to hear other people's stories! I do history, especially late antique stuff, and finished my MA. I had a great supervisor, but he didn't give me quite as high a mark as I had been hoping on my MA dissertation (it was still good, but I hear that many programs won't look at anything that isn't a high distinction). And with my anxiety, that's translated into being too embarrassed to bother him for help and guidance with PhD stuff. I'm currently trying to find potential PhD supervisors based on who I've cited in my paper, and such, and I think finding that right person is tough for me... and that's before I've even mustered the courage to e-mail them, explain my research and see if they are interested!

I did try to make a presence during my MA year, and god do I love that in the UK, virtually every academic event includes unlimited wine, otherwise I'd have been too shy to meet anyone all. But now I'm back home (which is the middle of nowhere), trying to figure out potential PhD programs for the future and save money.

And thanks for the last bit, that does make me feel a little better! I'm not the smartest, I found that out pretty quickly doing my MA, which was pretty discouraging. I don't mind my potential future academic career progressing slowly, I just want it to progress period. I know that perseverance and having the guts to put yourself out there are really necessary, so I'll try to remind myself of that as I try to contact people!