Networking has a bad reputation among scientists. Many people feel that networking is about pretending to be interested in other people in order to get some benefits from that contact.
Networking is not about selling yourself though, it’s about being interested in other people and their work, and about finding common ground and seeing where you can help each other. Networking is about investing in a relationship without trying to get something in return immediately. Sometimes you get help unexpectedly from someone you met some time ago, or from someone who knows someone you have met. Networking is about building relationships. Imagine yourself at a conference with interesting people you want to meet during a coffeebreak. You then need to present yourself, your work and your ideas in a couple of minutes. At the same time you need to listen carefully and find common grounds.
In this workshop we will discuss the do’s and don’ts of networking in an academic setting and we will practice the necessary skills.
Rosemarie Bertens (1966) studied law and has over 12 years experience as a trainer. Her speciality are communication skills. She is enthousiastic, passionate with a focus on the people behind the results.
Henry Smit (1964) had a professional education as a trainer and is a self-employed trainer since 1989. He combines this work with his earlier work experiences in ICT and sales.
Both trainers work for Brigitte Hertz, training programmes for scientists. www.bhertz.nl