How to Build Your Professional Network in a New Country

Why build a professional network abroad?

• Connects you with potential employers
• Advances professional growth prospects 
• Connects you with experts in a specific field 
• Helps you acquire useful knowledge about a particular field
• Keeps you updated with the latest trends in a field 
• Connects you with professional guides and contacts

How to Build Your Professional Network in a New Country

Networking is crucial when you want to build a successful career or advance your professional prospects either in your native country or abroad. 

In fact, it is more important to build a professional network in a foreign country where you have gone to build or advance your career. 

When you network, you connect with other professionals belonging to the same field as yours, which will keep you updated about trends in your sector and also about prospective job opportunities abroad.   

You have to develop skills in networking when you are working abroad so that you can get into long-term relationships that will help you satisfy your future goals in your career.

There are several ways of building your professional network. Some of these are as follows. 

Look for people who can have an impact on you

Networking is not just about connecting with a lot of people but also the type of people you make connections with. Search for individuals in your own field who have the ability to change your career path for the better. If there are people more experienced than you, they could act as your mentors and tell you what you should or must not do. They just could be like your professors who would have guided you.     

Seek useful connections online

These days, professionals make use of social media optimally and professional platforms for networking, such as LinkedIn. In fact, LinkedIn is one of the best ways to look for experts or peers in your field and connect with them. Besides LinkedIn, there are Facebook and Twitter, which will help you connect with people from your area. When you chat with some of them for a lengthy period, your relations with them can lead to a special bond abroad. 

Once you establish yourself on social media, other people like you will want to connect with you and get in touch with your classmates in university who could be working in a profession similar to yours.   

Make use of your contacts to network 

If you are currently working work in an office and maintain good relations with your colleagues, ask them to put in a word to their friends about you to connect with them.

Know what drives you 

Once you start networking seriously, think about what makes you tick and if the same aspect drives you. It may or may not be related to the profession you are in. For instance, you may be a civil engineer who is a fan of a particular sport. Befriend professionals who also follow the same sport. There is a possibility of connecting with people who pursue different careers, which may, in fact, be better suited for you than your existing profession. You could switch to a better career. 

Support your connections 

When you network, do go out of your way to support the careers of other members in your network. When the network gets to know that you are being helpful, there will be others there who will extend you help similarly. This will make your network stronger. 

Form strong bonds 

When you network with others overseas, put in some research to know about them in real life, apart from their work. You may discover that you share some common traits, and that will only help you bond better with them. This will better your relationship with them.

Attend events to network 

When you are residing abroad, a good way to spend your leisure time is by attending events. There, you will run into people from different walks of life and get to know about other professions, which will only enhance your knowledge about different verticals. This will help you to be more informed. 

While at these events, exchange business cards with your details so that they can get in touch with you and would probably need your help. You can also share knowledge and experiences with other expats like you and their experiences when they also landed in the new country. You can find some common ground here.  

Be active on social media platforms 

If you keep updating your profile, a stranger may happen to be interested in your experiences or could want to be a part of events you would be attending on a regular basis. Whatever it may be, your profile will attract people who share some of your interests or experiences. When you develop a network online, it can be as helpful as your persona in real life, which could lead to new opportunities.

Build long-lasting relationships online

Getting into a long-term relationship professionally does not happen overnight. When you manage to establish an affinity with a peer, that relationship might last for a lifetime. What’s more, it will be mutually beneficial.