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25 Networking Opportunities for Expats

04 May 2014 2:00 PM | FIGT Blog Editor (Administrator)


Networking seems to be the key to finding most employment wherever you may live in this globalized world. Following are some ways that expats “network” in many countries:
  1. Official receptions, National days in embassies, farewell or welcome parties in companies, UN, NGOs.
  2. Social and private events and gatherings Dinners, parties, functions, cocktails, formal and informal drinks, Sunday lunch, coffees, teas, bars, clubs. Make yourself known and promote your skills as much as you can. Let people identify you as a “professional person” as much as possible.
  3. Private invitations Invite someone or get invited.
  4. Ask for professional meeting Meet people at a social level (dinner, party), then call back your contact and ask for a professional appointment (with an Ambassador, a manager…)
  5. Sports activities and clubs Mainly sports clubs, golf clubs (inside info and contacts for senior positions), gyms, mountain climbing clubs.
  6. Meeting someone by chance Expats seem to visit the same restaurants, same supermarkets.
  7. Go to the “in” places Markets frequented by expats, popular restaurants, coffee shops, and others.
  8. Through accompanying spouse’s contacts Getting inside information from spouses (of international employees), spouse’s contacts and spouse’s current or former colleagues.
  9. Friends Through friends in similar fields.
  10. Professional events Go around, check what is happening and attend meetings and conferences.
  11. Identify groups Professional groups are good ways of networking, including women associations, clubs and committees, professional groups, sectoral professional associations.  Join groups, penetrate them, participate in their meetings, talk to someone attending, try to be included on their mailing list.
  12. Through colleagues Former colleagues, former contacts from previous jobs.
  13. Word of mouth The expatriate community is big and very concentrated in some areas of the capitol city, so word of mouth is a very direct way to get information. The expatriate community is not hard to penetrate.
  14. School Expatriates’ children go to the same schools.
  15. Places of worship Widely used by locals, also some expatriates. These places are havens for networking. 
  16. Internet Electronic resources listed throughout this blog and recommendations by others in the country.
  17. NGO network Someone you contacted in an NGO can mention you to another NGO or share with you the opportunities in another NGO.
  18. Canvassing Someone who knows you will push you and promote you in a position.
  19. Conferences Attend conferences, workshops, seminars  (select those that are targeted to your career or where you know there will be HR professionals and executives.) Get the info in newspapers/magazines/ advertisements, Internet, the expat community, the Chambers of Commerce.
  20. Clubs and associations for expats Spouse organizations, such as the Local Expatriate Spouse Associations (LESAs) set up by UN organizations that are focusing on support for dual career couple, the Association for American Women Abroad, and other associations that are focused on expat communities.
  21. SMS, mobile phone calls Landlines can be challenging in some countries, so SMS and mobile are increasingly widely used and are an easy way to network (easy to send a message to several recipients). It is common in many countries to take your phone and say: Hello, I have heard you are doing this, could we meet?
  22. Email Widely used also in many countries. Same logic: Easy to send short messages to plenty of people.
  23. International hotels lobbies: info on meetings, seminars, conferences Check the event announcements in the lobby of the major international hotels, which host conferences, seminars, activities, meetings, which are often regional or international and are attended by many international staff. Also keep in mind that many expats frequent large hotels for their restaurants, bars, social activities, swimming pool, and other resources.
  24. Mingle with locals Leads developed through locals and expats.
  25. Extracurricular activities. Weekends away, safaris, cinemas, vacations at the beach, skiing trips.
What tips would you add? Add your comments and tips here!

Contributed by Susan Musich, Executive Director & Founder of Passport Career, a comprehensive, online global job search support system.  She is currently serving on the Board of Directors of FIGT and blogs atPassportCareer.com


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