GRASP
Networking for HDR students - building connections, not contacts
November 26th, 2025, by
Does the thought of networking give you heart palpitations and sweaty palms? Would you rather go to the dentist than attend the next networking event? If so, you’re not alone. Many HDR students feel anxious about networking, especially when it’s framed as a high-pressure, transactional activity.
There are no shortages of YouTube videos, articles, blogposts and workshops that promise to teach you how to network quickly. You can learn how to “Master Networking in 14 minutes” or read the “Top tips for Networking alone”. However, most advice is aimed at people in corporate roles and takes a very transactional approach.
Fortunately, there is some good advice out there for HDR students – advice that recognises networking as an important skill for researchers and something that can be part of your everyday life.
James Hayton is a PhD coach who believes that doing a PhD should be a positive experience. He writes that networking “starts with the smaller, personal connections you make with the people around you, rather than thinking in terms of building a professional network just to help your career”.
He sees networking as engaging with people, not just building a professional network for career advancement.
Practical advice
- Be in the right mindset. If you find yourself worrying about being rejected, feeling like an imposter or being an introvert, remember: these feelings are common, but they don’t have to hold you back. If you let them, they can become a self-fulfilling prophecy that isolates you from others.
- Be interested in others. Ask about their research, their experiences, or their supervisors. Start with people you have already met. Share links to articles or blogs and show that you have listened to what they say and that you are genuinely interested in them.
- Building networks. You might have joined LinkedIn, but if all you do is put up a profile and add connections without contact, you are just collecting a long list of names. Be active in the networks you join.
- Be proactive. Once you make a connection don’t depend on others to follow up. Take the initiative to reach out and continue the conversations you started or ask questions that will help you to build relationships.
Where to network
- Engage with others face to face or online. Since COVID, there are many more opportunities to meet others in online environments, including conferences that will allow you to extend your networking.
- Keep your profiles up to date. Do you have an ORCID, a LinkedIn profile or a Google Scholar profile? Make sure they are current and connected.
- Share your work. If you have a LinkedIn profile, consider publishing on LinkedIn. You can share ideas or insights, showcase your work, research or achievements. Other strategies include linking details of your published articles in the tagline of your email address and posting on various social media platforms.
- Conferences. Volunteer to help organise seminars, workshops or conferences. This is a fantastic way to meet local and international experts in your field, and it gives you a natural reason to contact them.
- Cold emailing. Send an email to someone that you haven’t met before. if you have read someone’s article, blog post or attended their conference presentation, reach out via email to share your thoughts. This can lead to productive collaborations and conversations, and who doesn’t like to get feedback on their work!
- Professional societies. Join academic or professional societies in your research area. Shared interests make for easy conversation starters. Explore networks outside your immediate field to broaden your knowledge in adjacent areas. If you can’t find a group that suits you, why not start your own community of practice?
Maintaining relationships
- Stay in touch. Reach out regularly once you have made a genuine connection. Congratulate others on their achievements such as published articles or awards. If you see an article that may be of interest to them, share it.
- Be helpful. Offer support, whether it is proofreading or sharing resources, without expecting anything in return. Why not share the achievements of others on your networks. Promoting someone else’s achievements is often easier than promoting your own, and by highlighting their work within your networks, you encourage reciprocity.
Resources
At the Curtin Library, programs like Find Your Tribe and Thesis Fest are designed to help HDR students meet across disciplines, share experiences, and form connections. You can meet other students or researchers during Thesis Bootcamp which is held both online and in person.
Final thoughts
Networking during your HDR journey isn’t just about collecting business cards or mastering small talk. It’s about building genuine relationships and supporting each other through the ups and downs of the research journey. It’s about making connections to new colleagues and researchers in ways that enhances your experience - and theirs.
Successful networking happens when you are your authentic self. If you think of it as connecting, collaborating, or simply interacting with people, it becomes much less daunting and far more rewarding.
Sources used
I have incorporated several ideas from James Hayton’s blog post on Networking Tips for PhD students. He is a PhD coach and writes on topics relevant to HDR students.
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Photo by Conny Schneider on Unsplash