You’ve just started a new job in a new city. You love the job and your colleagues are great but you can’t hang out with them every night of the week, can you? For one thing, every office discussion will become a repetition of chat the night before; for another, drinking with your colleagues isn’t exactly the path to great business success.

So what do you do?

Find a business networking event. It is a well known fact that networking is crucial to successful business; the difficulty is finding the right event with the right people, where you won’t have to listen to a sales pitch every two minutes. Finding the right network isn’t easy – for every good event there are two bad ones – but with a bit of logical thinking and research, it is possible to find the one best suited for you.

Firstly, networking groups are designed for different professions and people. From entrepreneurial networks to groups for CEOs, there’s a wide range of networks out there. Think about what it is you do – not just what sector you work in, but your position within the company. A managing director or head of department isn’t going to get much value from an event filled with juniors in their first year out of university.

Once you know the type of network you want to join, think about the group itself. Do you want to be driving 50 miles to attend your business networking events? If not, a national group might not be for you; never fear there are a lot of networks that bring together local companies and don’t consist of an extended drive out of town.

If it’s a local network you’re after, check for notices in libraries and cafes. Read industry related magazines and subscribe to newsletters targeted at your sector, as these are guaranteed to list any business networking events relevant to their industry. If you’re looking for an opinion, rather than just a list, ask your colleagues at work; they may have been to one or two and will be able to offer advice as to which one you’d get the most out of.

Once you’ve chosen your group, always ask to try one of the business networking events as a guest, before signing up as a paid member. There’s nothing worse than signing up to a network, only to find it’s not at all your scene.