Networking for Nerds: Find, Access and Land Hidden Game-changing Career Opportunities Everywhere

by Alaina Levine, Nobel Laureate Brian Schmidt (Foreword)

Networking for Nerds provides a step-by-step guide to understanding how to access hidden professional opportunities through networking. With an emphasis on practical advice on how and why to network, you will learn how to formulate and execute a strategic networking plan that is dynamic, multidimensional, and leverages social media platforms and other networking channels. An invaluable resource for both established and early-career scientists and engineers (as well as networking neophytes!), Networking for Nerds offers concrete insight on crafting professional networks that are mutually beneficial and support the advancement of both your career goals and your scholarly ambitions. "Networking" does not mean going to one reception or speaking with a few people at one conference, and never contacting them again. Rather, "networking" involves a spectrum of activities that engages both parties, ensures everyone''s value is appropriately communicated, and allows for the exploration of a win-win collaboration of some kind. Written by award-winning entrepreneur and strategic career planning expert Alaina G. Levine, Networking for Nerds is an essential resource for anyone working in scientific and engineering fields looking to enhance their professional planning for a truly fulfilling, exciting, and stimulating career. professional planning for a truly fulfilling, exciting, and stimulating career.Networking for Nerds provides a step-by-step guide to understanding how to access hidden professional opportunities through networking. With an emphasis on practical advice on how and why to network, you will learn how to formulate and execute a strategic networking plan that is dynamic, multidimensional, and leverages social media platforms and other networking channels. An invaluable resource for both established and early-career scientists and engineers (as well as networking neophytes!), Networking for Nerds offers concrete insight on crafting professional networks that are mutually beneficial and support the advancement of both your career goals and your scholarly ambitions. "Networking" does not mean going to one reception or speaking with a few people at one conference, and never contacting them again. Rather, "networking" involves a spectrum of activities that engages both parties, ensures everyone''s value is appropriately communicated, and allows for the exploration of a win-win collaboration of some kind. Written by award-winning entrepreneur and strategic career planning expert Alaina G. Levine, Networking for Nerds is an essential resource for anyone working in scientific and engineering fields looking to enhance their professional planning for a truly fulfilling, exciting, and stimulating career.

Genres: Academia, Self Help, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2014

Reviews

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basic networking advice with some helpful tips for young scientists and engineers. The author is a science communicator and so her advice, based on her personal experience, seems more geared toward other extraverts like her.

[Mark Yashar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some useful tips and advice regarding professional networking, particularly for those who are extraverted. The chapter on social media networking might be appeal to a wider audience.

[Adel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating is 2.5 rounded up to 3.0.

As a Ph.D. student in academia, the book's style is very similar to the scientific books usually published in scientific oriented journals. This made it looks very familiar and easy to digest, at least to me.

About the book content:

There are many interesting ideas and tips that I found useful and applicable during networking. I wish I had read it a few months back, I'm sure it could've eased my decision and widened my perspective while I was at an important point in my career.

She, Alaina Levine, values human connection or networking. It further shows how such a professional and informative gathering or talks could lead to something unexpected. The author also emphasizes the win-win strategy of networking and shows very nice ways to follow up with new people you met recently.

In my opinion, this book is most beneficial to those who are seeking or about to seek a new career.

The drawback of the book is on many occasions you feel like the author is speaking the same language of the authors of cheap self-help books though the premise of the book doesn't suggest that. On some of these occasions, the author seemed to try hard to sell out ideas and show ways to network that they either made little sense or were overstressed. I was annoyed with these because you feel like the author thinks you, as the reader, are that naive.

All in all, the book introduces you to some concepts and tricks to apply to networking you most probably didn't hear before. If you are seeking a new career and if you don't mind the language of cheap self-help books-like on some occasions then you should grab a copy and read it. It's an easy read book so to speak.

[Michael L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Levine offers comprehensive advice on professional networking. As examples of her thoroughness, she lists different versions of a colleague's "brand statement" for different audiences, she describes in detail how to write a thank you note, and she explains etiquette at sit-down meals at conferences and restaurants. She devotes most of the social media chapter to LinkedIn. She writes in a conversational style, for readers who are scientists and engineers, who would understand passing references to "nanosecond" and "picometer." While I was already familiar with networking techniques, such as volunteering in professional organizations, I think early career professionals, including academics, would benefit from this book.

[Kit Yung Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good tips for "nerds" - meaning those in academia and/or in STEM. Littered with many many MANY examples from Levine's own life. However, the gist of the concept (put yourself out there, have good etiquette, follow-up, etc) are repeated so many times it's pretty boring after a while. Would recommend looking through the content page and going to the chapters you think will benefit you the most and just read those few. You'll grasp the concept without having the go through the whole book.

[Anna]

I just can't be interested in this enough. Not giving it stars because it wouldn't be fair, since it's been awhile that I've even opened the book. I found use for Alaina Levine's advice to a point, but reading it feels like it's just the same thing over and over. Also she feels a bit too opportunistic to my taste. I understand the point of networking, but then you have to at least send a quick reply if someone messages you... I don't know. I think I can find my way without this book.

[Jeffrey Ning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alaina G. Levine is impeccable networking guru despite the book’s target audience for STEM professional. Any one can benefit from her chapter takeaways, insights, how-tos and tips plus advices for maximising your networking potential.

[Touhid Kamal · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there’s one book that gives you all the information on networking, this is the one.

[Anya · Rating 5 out of 5]

packed with actionable advice, so it makes no sense to try to read *and* do it all in one go. actually, really helpful advice. this book is better than you think. do yourself a favor. read it :)

[Gry M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful book if you're new to networking and in STEM. The first chapters are the best.

[Mary Geer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful book for PhD students looking for a job, whether interested in industry or academia.

[Curtis · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I saw the title and the brief blurb for this book, I couldn't wait to pick it up. Networking advice for a nerd like me? Sign me up! Except, sadly, it's not really for a nerd like me. This book would have been better titled something like "Career Networking Advice for New Academic Scientists & Engineers" because that's really what it is. Though billed as appealing to nerds across the spectrum, it doesn't really have much to offer outside the context of scientific academia. What's there is sound and likely very useful, just not really something that could easily be cross-applied in very many alternate contexts.

(I should have questioned the "nerd" aspect when I noticed two grammatical errors in the subtitle...)

[Esteban Martínez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Va un poco más allá de lo obvio, o intuitivo. Sin embargo tener algo estructurado sobre como hacer networking creo que es útil. Es para gente de ciencia y tecnología, lo dice desde el título, para otro tipo de personas creo que será menos innovador de lo que ya es.

[Özge Can · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have met Alaina Levine in 2015 at one of her talks in a conference (AGU) and I was really impressed by her ideas and enthusiasm so I decided to buy the book. I really enjoyed a book although as mentioned in other reviews it might not be very easy for introverted people to use these strategies and there a lot of common sense ideas as well. What I particularly like that it gives a big motivation for upping our networking game! I'd definitely suggest this to people in science

[Muhamad Sandy Hasanudin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually, after I've read this book I think this isn't really for nerds.
This book is fit you if you are seeking a career in science and engineer fields, which is fit me too.