HR is not your friend or buddy. Doing something unorthodox isn’t going to win you and cred, so be careful about how you present yourself and your intentions. You build you contacts through other design professionals, business people, engineers, etc.
HR is sort of the gatekeeper or filter for the company you are trying to be a part of. ANY conversation that involves you, an HR professional, and a company you want to be a part of or are a part of should be considered like speaking with a detective or police officer. Think of the Miranda Rights when you speak about anything with HR in earshot:
You have the right to remain silent.
Anything you say or do may be used against you.
This isn’t meant to be distrustful of HR, it is best to know their purpose and what their function is.