The art of creative networking and how you can get started

By Hollie Jackson Ireland, Research Culture Communities Intern

Your network is a valuable resource and development opportunity through which you can gain and provide publication and career opportunities, career support and improve your social well-being. All you need to do is google ‘the importance of networking’ and you are faced with a plethora of detailed blog posts including this example by Dr Troy Heffernan discussing the importance of networks for career advancement in academia which links through to his full research paper Academic networks and career trajectory: ‘There’s no career in academia without networks’.  To build your own network and reap the many benefits from it, networking is essential.  

What is networking?

Networking is a set of particular learned skills and behaviours in a social context which allow you to build personal and professional connections. Yet it is something that strikes fear in many people’s hearts.  

However, it may not be networking itself that is dreaded but the method by which networking is carried out. I believe a reason networking is sometimes viewed negatively is due to activities often not considering those who struggle to put themselves out there in social situations. 

That is why I am so passionate about creative networking and why it was important to me to create safe spaces for both PGRs (via my virology PhD) and Research Professional Staff (via my internship) to network and connect. In this blog I will be taking you on my creative networking journey to show you why it is so important and how you can get creative with your own networking.  

Why am I passionate about creative networking?

People want to connect and network but aren’t always comfortable doing so – I am one of these people! 

When I became the PGR representative at the Centre for Virus Research, COVID-19 restrictions had eased but people were still feeling isolated and lonely. I wanted to tackle this, at least for my immediate community. For my first event as a PGR representative, I ordered pizza as an incentive and organised festive-themed crafts. Somehow, despite being in a room full of people, I never felt uncomfortable. In fact, I found it easy to talk to everyone – the crafts acted as a buffer and a conversation starter.  

At that point a lightbulb went off in my head. Networking doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, it’s an excuse to have fun! 

An experience of creative networking with PGRs

Thinking outside the box and figuring out the best way to have fun, the theatre kid in me remembered how fun dressing up was. And so, my biggest networking activity to date was created: the ‘Murder at the Hilton Hotel’ murder mystery! Six of my wonderful colleagues were cast as suspects and all other attendees acted as detectives set out to solve the murder. In the end, only one pair were able to correctly guess the murderer, but everyone had fun!  

Helping people to have fun, can increase their level of engagement and in turn, allows for more authentic connections to be made. By creating fun memories with effective networking, you can begin to positively associate networking with excitement, not dread.  

Creative networking with the Research Professional Staff (RPS) Network  

In my role as the Research Culture Intern with the Research Culture and Researcher Development Team, I have been working closely with Dr Elaine Gourlay, Research Culture Specialist (Communities and Collegiality). One of the main responsibilities of my internship is to co-lead on networking events for the new Research Professional Staff Network. This is a fantastic network built for Research Professionals by Research Professionals. If you are interested in learning more, please read the network’s information page here. 

Opportunities to network, connect, and come together through social events have been named as high on the list of priorities by members of the RPS Network, yet the members of these job families have historically not had these opportunities abundantly available to them. Hence, the creative networking approach in which we design networking activities to be accessible, enjoyable and to enable connection between as many members as possible, is even more valuable. These creative approaches are especially important when people are new to networking as it helps build confidence in their own networking skills and is a fun yet structured way to ease people into networking.  

Festive-themed human bingo 

My first opportunity to bring creative networking to the network was the RPS Network’s Festive Fun event. To both break the ice and allow attendees to get to know each other, I decided we should play a game. In this case, I made festive-themed human bingo cards. 

Each bingo card contains 16 boxes containing different characteristics (e.g. owns a festive jumper, likes mince pies etc) and you get people to write their name beside one of the characteristics they have, before moving on to other people for the next item. This not only encourages people to have to chat, but it also allows them to get to know each other without having to think up questions.  

A creative take on charades 

Based on a game I played at an event hosted by Nocturnal Arts & Events, this is not your typical charades! Instead of ‘Titanic’ or ‘Willy Wonka’, you’ll find yourself acting out ‘I was cycling to the shop while eating an apple when a pigeon flew at me, and I fell down a hole to France’. 

This version can be described, at its simplest, as chaotic and unhinged. The charades have no logic and require some excellent physicality to act out which results in lots of silliness and laughter. This complexity helps people engage their brain creatively and to try communicating in new ways to convey meaning.  

My advice to people getting started with creative networking 

Step 1 – identify what activity you would like to do – this can be a more traditional activity (e.g. speed networking) or something you would like to take part in (e.g. escape room). The key is to choose an activity that can keeping people busy so they are able to focus more on connecting with others and less on their nerves. 

Step 2 – consider how this activity might be tweaked to add a personal or fun element that encourages participants to get involved. Bonus points if you can find a way to include an element of competition. 

Step 3 – always consider how you might react if you saw this being advertised and how you would feel taking part. Your job as the organiser is to create an activity that is entertaining but also that makes everyone feel included and genuinely eager to participate.  

Embrace the idea that networking events can be silly and fun, and just because you are at work, doesn’t mean the activities have to be stiff and formal. No matter our age or experience, we are all kids at heart who simply want to enjoy ourselves. So, let’s allow ourselves to have fun!