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Dear <<First Name>>
These days, if you’re not on LinkedIn or any equivalent jobs platform, you’re either sitting on a large inheritance, or seriously out of touch with the industry. For freelancers in particular and job seekers in general, having a digital presence is now perhaps as essential as being qualified to work to begin with.
A network of peers and industry members is something that was essential in the offline era, does it not make sense that professional networking would be equally, if not more important in the digital age? I remember starting online networking in 2004, a move that was particularly helpful for me - as I moved cities and countries, I was able to remain in constant touch with my established network, able to leverage it for various purposes as the need arose. For a Global Mobility Professional, a network that travels everywhere with them is priceless.
Looking back at that time and analysing the power that was afforded to me by my digital professional network, I got to thinking about how this could be used to empower job seekers everywhere. That is how the HireMeGroup was set up: allowing professionals to hack the Swiss Job Market with strong business connections, both offline and online.
Pinpoint the platform where you will find Hiring Managers and Clients for your industry.
LinkedIn may be the ‘de facto’ professional networking platform for the masses, but certain industries are known to frequent alternative digital platforms. The publishing and writing industry, for instance, can be found on Twitter and Goodreads. Photographers and videographers have made their home on Vimeo, YouTube and Instagram. The bottom line: Inhabit the right digital spaces so you can make the right connections.
Understand that a digital presence takes longer to pay dividends.
The internet era is the era of scams and fake profiles. It takes longer to build trust with a stranger than it would through only real-world meets. You can speed the process along by building your digital home, ideally a blog that acts as a thorough resume for visitors. Once you’ve interacted with someone online, directing them to your blog would allow them to access not only your professional biography but a way to contact you. Remember to use blog tools (WordPress, Medium or whatever platform you choose) to set up a sign-up/contact form so people can easily reach you.
Support and develop the community.
Self-promotion is a big turn-off, you should instead focus on promoting other people’s work. A great way to be a positive influence in your network is to endorse other people’s work (on LinkedIn or otherwise). It is especially helpful for people who are modest or doubt their own achievements (a condition known as imposter syndrome). By fostering a communal and supportive network, you can create goodwill among colleagues and with peers in general. It is essential to creating the right image online.
Be genuine when you meet people IRL (In Real Life).
A general assumption about digital presences is that they are heavily curated, that is, they contain cherry-picked information that may not be representative of the entire picture. By showing that you’re as nice, if not nicer, in real life will be a pleasant and welcome surprise to all who meet you. Be genuine in providing help, be genuine in general and good things will happen to you.
It’s not easy to find and publish your digital identity. That’s why professional support groups like our HireMeGroup exist. I hope the tips above can help you identify and maximize your digital presence. If you still feel lost and in need of help, you can always contact me and arrange a meeting.
The HireMeGroup gives you immediate access to a trusted circle of like-minded professionals. They’ve been in the digital game for a while and can help you expand your network faster! In any group, shared experiences are the key to building relationships and trust, while also providing growth opportunities through feedback from the group and the coach.
If you’re ready to join the HireMeGroup, or are still undecided and would like to know more, simply reach out to me and we can discuss your targets to get started.
I’m planning next HireMeGroup for this fall. You can always start individual coaching with me before the next group.
Kind regards
Angie
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Upcoming Events
16 May 2019
Expatise Academy, Rotterdam
***
22 May 2019
Save the Date: Relocation Talk
"Enhancing the Expat Experience"
5 pm to 8 pm
KOSMOS
Zuerich
(Pls mention me if you contact the organizer.)
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