Networking is crucial to accountancy firms, whatever their size. Generating and using personal contacts in the top echelon of the corporate community is invaluable when it comes to new business.

However, some firms still restrict networking to their senior management and partners, when younger members can be among their most valuable assets. It is vitally important to provide them with the opportunity to develop their own network before they are forced to go out on a limb later in their career with no idea of networking etiquette and few, if any, established contacts.

But learning networking skills is not the only benefit to younger team members and their firm. A major part of providing them with networking opportunities is not that they rub shoulders with the most senior businesspeople, but rather that they get to know the up-and-coming executives at the same stage in their career and build strong relationships with their peers. This is not only of great advantage to the young people themselves, but also to the firm ­ targeting the next generation of clients is essential to safeguard the future success of any business.

Younger team members need the support and encouragement of the firm to give them the confidence to build relationships and generate profitable leads. So how can firms work to make sure its new talent is getting in front of the right people?

Generating referrals
Rather than put undue pressure on younger employees to bring in big clients, firms should make sure they are rewarded if they do generate referrals.

Firms should lead by example, making sure trainees and younger members of staff see those in more senior positions networking, so that they can observe the skills that more experienced staff have built up over their careers. Managers should also set clear expectations that are reasonable and achievable.

Some organisations offer networking training, which helps to build confidence as well as develop skills. Training is an important part of any employees’ benefits package and will help retain the most talented members of your team.

Joining a networking group is an excellent way to boost contacts. There are organisations throughout the UK that have sessions specifically targeted at young professionals. This provides an unthreatening environment for junior employees to take their first steps into the world of networking.

All employees, from the senior partner to the newest graduate, should have their own set of business cards. This makes younger staff feel valued, as well as presenting a professional image of your firm.

Make sure everybody who goes to a networking event knows exactly what your firm offers and can describe its practice areas to prospective clients and can speak knowledgeably about the business.

Encourage staff to pick up lists of attendees at networking events. This can serve as a memory prompt and the event itself can be a good route in to talk to people with whom they might not have made contact on the day.

Encouraging junior employees to network can be of great long-term benefit to the firm. While their circles may not contain today’s big hitters, tomorrow’s entrepreneurs and managing directors have to start somewhere and a strong relationship from the early stages of their career can potentially win lucrative contracts in years to come.

In addition, giving younger team members responsibility for developing new contacts will help to retain the best talent ­ there is nothing like bringing in and working with a new client to help create a sense of loyalty to a firm.

Daniel Charles Mouawad is the chief executive of pro·manchester