Network: How to... Network

Networking - the human, as opposed to the computing kind - which the dictionary defines as the art of forming business contacts through informal social meetings.

Why is it important?

HR needs to come out of the closet and raise its profile - networking can help it to achieve this both inside and outside of the company. Internally, establishing a network of company-wide contacts from different departments will help HR to understand the business as a whole and vice versa; external contacts can help find that next job - it is estimated that 60 per cent of positions are filled by networking.

Is it just a case of getting out and talking to people?

Well, that and a bit more. Everyone can network, but it reaps the best rewards when you learn how to be good at it. The main thing to remember is to be proactive about meeting people at all times and this means getting out to events and gatherings (conferences and seminars as well as social events).

It can be a good idea to start your own network, says Carole Stone, author of Networking: The Art of Making Friends.

"Tell colleagues that your door will be open from 5-6.30pm every Thursday, for instance, and lay on some wine or tea and coffee," says the networking guru, who warns not to be disheartened if no-one turns up initially. "It will build through word of mouth." And if your aim is to raise your profile with the board, invite your boss to talk for a few minutes at one of the sessions, she says.

When out at events, Stone offers some guiding principles to maximise your networking opportunities:

- Get a list of names of who's going to be at the event so you can target the people you want to meet

- Do your homework before the event so you have opinions about what is being discussed

- Get people's names right

- Exchange business cards

- If a person you want to meet is busy talking to other people all night, politely interrupt, just as you're leaving, to introduce yourself and say you would like to discuss an idea with them. Always leave things so that you are the one empowered to do the calling

- Keep abreast of the news and have opinions ready

Heather White, author of 360 Degree Business-to-Business Networking Skills and founder of Magic of Networking, www.magicof.co.uk, says you should have at least 10 trusted people in your network and that you should work as hard for the network as the network does for you.

At events, White says it is better to ask questions than talk about yourself, and suggests you have at least 10 generic questions memorised to keep the conversation flowing.

Remember too that the internet is an excellent place to start networking via the growing number of forums on sites dedicated to HR - especially if you want to start to set up an international network.

Where do I network?

Trade and professional associations are the obvious places to start, but your networking should know no bounds. Women often have more networking lifelines thrown at them than men because of the various women's groups that exist.

Initially, try to set up one social and one more work-based (a conference or event) networking opportunity each month. The following organisations and groups offer good starting points.

Business and Professional
Women UK Leading organisation for working women. Its events attract high-profile speakers such as former director of MI5 Stella Rimington.  The website offers regional links.

www.bpwuk.org.uk

Demos The government think-tank's events offer prime networking opportunities if you want some heavyweight discussion. Its website will let you swot up before you go.
www.demos.co.uk

Carolyn Mumby Another women's champion. Its 'start networking' link below has an excellent list of places to network - how does Westminster Day at the House of Commons Terrace Dining Room grab you?
www.carolynmumby.co.uk/Connect/Links_page.htm

CIPD Industry bodies are always a good place to start - check out the CIPD's events list.
www.cipd.co.uk

The Work Foundation Plenty of core events on subjects such as work-life balance that are open to non-members as well as members.
www.theworkfoundation.com/events

Books:

Winning Office Politics by Andrew J DuBrin

How to Work a Room: The Ultimate Guide to Savvy Socialising in Person and Online by Susan RoAne.

The Personnel Manager's Yearbook 2002/3 published by AP information Services

Websites

 www.hrzone.co.uk - UK-based with well-populated forums discussing all HR topics.

www.hr.com - US-based and excellent to lay the infrastructure for your international networking.

www.fastcompany.com - For broader business networking, join one of the US magazine's Company of Friends - there are plenty of active users based in the UK.

Other sources The events column in Personnel Today, the noticeboard in your own company and the noticeboard in the town hall.

If you only do five things

1 Try to attend an event once a month

2 Visit a different department in the company every week

3 Spend an hour in one of the HR forums on the internet

4 Make at least two new contacts per month

5 Get people's names right

Case study: Jacqueline de Baer on networking

Has networking helped raise your profile?

Rather than using networking to raise my profile, I network to gain greater understanding of prospective clients. Talking to senior figures can give you tremendous insight into the companies they work with.

How do you set about doing it?

They always say that you're two steps away from the person you want to meet. It's a mindset more than anything else. You have to be opportunistic and make things happen. You also have to put yourself in circulation.

What have been the greatest networking opportunities for you?

Recently, two senior appointments I made came through my membership of the Academy of Chief Executives.

Is there any networking advice you would give to HR people who want to forge a better relationship with the board?

I was brought up to believe that you should always speak to people on their level.  So if you want to forge a better relationship with the board, you should speak to them as if you are a board member about matters that are of relevance to them.

Top three tips

- Keep yourself in circulation - just as if you were single and wanted to meet someone

- Speak to people on their level

- Keep your eyes open - people are often gateways to opportunity

Jacqueline de Baer is the founder of de Baer plc, a London-based corporate clothing company, and has twice been nominated for the Veuve Cliquot Business Woman of the Year Award.