Peer support
Meeting staff in your local area is vital for career development.
Networking exposes you to new ideas, research avenues, and contacts. The more people you know, the more support you have.
Research staff societies
An increasing number of research staff or postdoc staff societies are forming across the University. These societies can help you to:
- meet other researchers and integrate into school/centre life
- access local information relevant to your school/centre and research discipline
- locate opportunities for discussion and collaboration
- attend talks and seminars relevant to your local work area and your career development
- join in valuable social and networking opportunities
Current staff society websites:
- School of GeoSciences Research Staff Organisation
- Little France Postdoctoral Society
- School of Biological Sciences - BioDocSoc
- Physics and astronomy research staff society
If you are interested in setting up a research staff society in your area, here is some help on setting one up:
Meeting others outside the University
There are many benefits to increasing your networks outside the University. It is a natural part of academic life. You may already have a substantial network in your discipline area.
External contacts may provide additional sources of advice for career purposes. Networking via conferences and similar arenas is still a common route of hearing about job opportunities, and meeting potential employers.
This article was published on Jun 4, 2011