Here are a few tips to find a good research collaborator, whether being a postgraduate student, postdoctoral researcher, or professor.
- Look for collaborators with complementary skills: Writing a research article is a big task and you may not always have the necessary skills to do the whole thing on your own. Even if you do, it is not productive. Look for people with complementary skills that can help you in part of the project. This not only speeds up your work but this way you can learn new things and techniques.
- Commitment is the king: Conducting research is always time-consuming, has a lot of ups and downs, and may not always go as planned. Every rational person will quit doing research if you don’t like it and have commitment. Without commitment nothing else will work, so set this as your priority for candidates.
- Communication is the key: Make sure you discuss the details like the responsibilities, order of authors, targeted journal, timeline, etc. with your potential colleagues. Especially if it is your first time working with someone, do not assume anything and discuss it fully in detail.
- Look for active researchers: You can find the top-rated researchers on google scholar by searching the fields. We all know the big names and wish to work with them one day. Big names may not always have enough time and energy to put into the projects. Some may not have the motivation to get involved in the project or spend time on it. However, younger researchers may have more energy, time, and motivation to help you and enough experience to succeed and lead the project.
- Look beyond your own corridor: There are many researchers out there that are looking for good collaborators and keen to do work. Do not limit yourself to the department university, or your country of residence. Go beyond and ask. You will be surprised how open the community is!