You’ve had years of higher education courses, collaboration with others, immersion in your field, and studying. Yet, you still don’t know it all. None of us do. But somewhere out there is a person who is an expert on the same things you’re not and vice versa.

In research, the “two heads are better than one” saying is so much more than a cliche. It’s a fact of life that you must embrace if you want a more thorough experiment that includes other perspectives and a deeper knowledge base of the topics you’re not as widely entrenched about.

That’s why finding the ideal research partner is something many scholars spend years considering before they start a new project. They know that without the right person collaborating with them, they won’t be able to do justice to their exciting, innovative idea, so they put it on hold until they find this “perfect” partner.

But you don’t have to wait until someone else sweeps in and publishes “your” study or until the right person magically shows up in your career path. You already have a network in place that could introduce you to them, as long as you use some of these strategies.

Why Finding the Perfect Research Partner Can Be a Needle in a Haystack Search 

The project you’re considering will go much further with a partner who fills in the gaps in your research knowledge. Everything aligns easier because you’re working with someone who is an expert in the areas that would otherwise be questioned if it were only you doing the work.

For instance, say you’re working on a project that focuses on chemical dependency and the side effects of a particular drug. Your hypothesis claims that taking this drug in conjunction with another common medication produces an allergic reaction that could be dangerous or life-threatening. When you apply for a grant, the potential funders want to know how you are an expert in allergies and the immune system when your specialty is in Clinical Pharmacology. You need a research partner with a specialty in Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

How do you find someone that not only has that specialty but is looking to collaborate on a project and works well with you? It can be challenging, especially if you don’t know where to start. But this part of your planning is vital to the success of your experiment and shouldn’t be rushed. It will make the entire project more efficient from start to finish, and the advantages of working together are plentiful.

Networking Strategies You Might Be Overlooking

While it’s assuredly worthwhile, it’s not easy to establish the collaboration, then sustain it throughout the experiment. Working with a partner who knows their stuff but doesn’t have a strong rapport with you can increase your chance of failure rather than success. Over half of the inter-organizational collaborations will fail, chiefly because of personality conflicts and assumptions. When the researchers begin their partnership by discussing what each person expects from the collaboration, it sets the stage for a productive, successful relationship. 

So, now that you know how to start out on the right foot, the question is: How do you find that “needle in a haystack” person to begin this advantageous working relationship? Here are some strategies that can point you in the right direction. 

1. Know your research objectives. What are your achievable objectives? What techniques do you plan to use to reach them? When you focus on those targets, you’ll have a clear path to explore that will lead you to the next step.
2. Recognize your areas of strengths and weaknesses. What are you confident that you’ll be able to accomplish from those objectives? Those are the strengths you bring to the research collaboration. The rest are your weaknesses, and you’ll want to find a partner who can fill in those gaps.
3. Use your network to pinpoint someone who can cover your missing gaps. Finding the right partner isn’t something you should do because you know someone who knows someone looking for a job. Use your social media and scholarly platforms, like Impactio, and in-person network to reach out to other scholars and create a sort of “want ad” for the type of researcher you’re looking for. Include the knowledge they must have, as well as their philosophical traits, work habits, and other factors that you know are essential in your collaborative relationships. 
4. Reach out at conferences and webinars. Don’t just rely on social media and phone calls to spread the word. Attend as many conferences and webinars as possible that would entice the researchers you’re interested in working with to them. Find out who is attending, if possible, and read up on their research projects. Determine ahead of time how their work and yours intersect, and try to engage them with this information.

Most importantly, connect with potential collabs before agreeing to work with them. Approach this interaction as you would an interview for a job. Yes, they have the skills you need, but if other strong aspects of their personality and ethics could doom your project to failure, you need to know before you begin the project.

Communicate any potential conflicts you foresee arising at the “interview” portion of the process, and find out how they would respond to those challenges. Make your objectives transparent, and clearly state what their job responsibilities would cover and how they may deviate as the project ensues. If you wouldn’t hire them to work for you long-term, they may not be a good fit for your research relationship.