But here’s an uncomfortable truth: career advancement beyond the bench requires connections-and lots of them.

I’ve observed a consistent pattern among laboratory professionals who successfully transition to broader roles: they all developed strategic networking skills, often against their natural inclinations. The good news? Networking for scientists doesn’t have to mean becoming someone you’re not.

Why Laboratory Professionals Need Networks More Than Most

Our profession faces unique challenges that make networking especially valuable:

1. Invisibility: Laboratory work happens behind the scenes, making your contributions less visible to decision-makers.

2. Specialization: Our technical focus can create knowledge silos that limit awareness of opportunities.

3. Limited Exposure: Daily bench routines may restrict interaction with professionals from other healthcare domains.

4. Misperceptions: Many outside our field don’t understand the breadth of our capabilities beyond technical skills.

Strategic networking directly addresses these challenges, creating visibility and opportunity.

Reframing Networking for Scientific Minds

If traditional networking makes you uncomfortable, consider these mindset shifts:

• It’s Information Exchange, Not Self-Promotion: Approach networking as gathering and sharing valuable information.
• Think Hypothesis Testing: Each new connection is an opportunity to test assumptions about career paths.
• View It As Professional Research: You’re investigating career ecosystems with the same rigor you apply to scientific questions.
• Focus on Mutual Value: Authentic networking is about finding intersections of mutual benefit, not extracting opportunities.

Strategic Network Development: Let me share a practical approach

For laboratory professionals, I recommend this structured method:

1. Internal Laboratory Network

• Build relationships with colleagues across departments
• Connect with laboratory vendors and service providers
• Establish rapport with clinicians who utilize your services
• Engage with hospital administration when possible

2. Professional Community

• Join the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria and the Young Medical Laboratory Scientists forum and communities like this
• Participate in specialized professional groups in your area of focus
• Attend workshops and continuing education events
• Contribute to online forums and discussions

3. Broader Healthcare Ecosystem

• Connect with professionals in adjacent fields (pharmacy, nursing, medicine)
• Engage with healthcare technology and informatics professionals
• Build relationships with regulatory and accreditation representatives
• Network with academic institutions and researchers

4. Commercial and Business Connections

• Develop relationships with diagnostic company representatives
• Connect with healthcare consultants and advisors
• Engage with healthcare entrepreneurs and innovators
• Build contacts in healthcare financing and investment

Practical Networking Tactics for the Laboratory Professional

Networking doesn’t require personality transplantation. Try these approaches:

1. Lead with Questions: Scientific curiosity is your strength, ask thoughtful questions about others’ work.

2. Share Specialized Knowledge: Offer insights about laboratory topics relevant to their interests.

3. Volunteer for Cross-Functional Projects: Seek opportunities that connect you with professionals outside the laboratory.

4. Participate in Hospital Committees: Quality improvement and patient safety committees offer visibility.

5. Leverage LinkedIn Strategically: Build an online presence that showcases your expertise beyond technical skills.

6. Attend One New Event Quarterly: Gradually expand your comfort zone with new professional environments.

Let me share a success story about the network effect in action;

A former colleague of mine, introverted and very bench-focused, made a deliberate effort to build connections outside the laboratory. Over 18 months, she:

• Joined two hospital committees
• Attended quarterly healthcare technology meetups
• Connected with five diagnostic company representatives
• Built relationships with the hospital’s procurement team

The result? She received three job offers without formally applying, ultimately accepting a role as a diagnostic consultant that doubled her income.

Networking didn’t change her personality, it simply made her capabilities visible to a broader audience.

Let me help you with a networking growth plan

Start with these manageable steps:

1. Identify three professionals outside your immediate team to connect with this month

2. Schedule one coffee meeting with someone from another healthcare department

3. Update your LinkedIn profile to highlight your broader capabilities

4. Join one professional group or committee

5. Reach out to a former colleague to reconnect

Remember: Your laboratory expertise is valuable far beyond the bench, but only if others know about it. Strategic networking simply ensures your capabilities reach those who need them.

Start with these steps and see for yourself how much growth you will experience.

Written with love,

Nancy.