Ex-colleagues and social media represent the most important networking group for accountants interested in developing their career and their business, rather than the traditional old school tie, according to research from specialist accountancy recruiter Marks Sattin.

Its survey found 56% of accountants saw former colleagues as their top source for networking, followed by social media sites such as LinkedIn, cited by 30%, and university friends (21%). Two thirds of those polled had profiles on LinkedIn, although only 39% of accountancy employers have a presence on the site.

In comparison, far fewer found family members (8%), members' clubs (4%), sports clubs (5%) or old school connections (4%) to be useful or important for getting on in the workplace.

More than half (52%) of the accountants questioned said they had worked with or been employed by an ex-colleague in a new job.

Dave Way, managing director of Marks Sattin, said: 'The importance of ex-colleagues in your future career should be a strong deterrent to anyone thinking of "going out with a bang" when they leave a job. You never know when current colleagues might prove useful in the future.'

The survey also showed that 4% of respondents identify their own gender as an important network, rising to 14% among women. Way suggested the ubiquity of social media and the rise in university attendance were helping to make networking a much less exclusive process, and so broadening opportunities.

Way said: 'There are many causes of gender inequality in the workplace, but one that has often been raised is the fact that members' clubs, sports teams and old school ties all favoured men when it came to networking. However, as these institutions' influence diminishes, there also appears to be a greater focus on women-only networking, and women's career progression in general. This is a gap that should close organically over time.'