Networking
It’s more about who you know than what you know. This is true in many career paths and academia is no different. As you get further into your field, you will start to notice department, faculty, and even university cliques. Meeting as many people as possible will open as many doors for you as possible.
Networking Tips
To get connected to your field, I suggest looking up societies/associations for your field. This is a very quick Google search with a huge payoff of opportunities to expand your career. These societies/associations typically host conferences, have job boards, and send out relevant emails for topics you are interested in.
When you go to conferences, don’t just focus on talking to the famous academics. Meeting early career professionals and building community with current grad students is useful not only for gaining insight into programs you are interested in, but also for making friends and feeling welcome in the academic community.
You will have to talk to people! Try to get comfortable talking to strangers, you will usually be discussing both of your research interests anyway.
Don’t be afraid to ask professors, grad students, or anyone you meet to get coffee! It is super common and people usually say yes. Take that opportunity to ask them what you want to know.
LinkedIn is not common in academia. It is a true blessing.