A Happy New Year 2019 to you. May it bring you health, happiness and lots of success in your projects.

The holidays are over and you are probably already getting back-to-work blues. That’s alright, most of us  experience a form of adjustment and maybe even feel a little overwhelmed at the change of pace

I thought I could ease myself in slowly by starting on Thursday already and then it hit me like a snowball. Friday, I was working away in a frenzy and did about four loads of washing at the same time. (I know, multitasking is not good for the brain, but every machine run is a bit like a smoking break – not that I smoke…but you get the gist.)

Since a long time I haven’t written a to-do-list other than the ones, I write to structure my housework. However, on Friday I wrote one and still many items are open because the client work, lecture and workshop preparations were more urgent than many of those small tasks.

I thought I should share with you my plan for starting this week in a mindful way even though it is packed.

Here’s a quick rundown of what I will do to get myself prepared. Hopefully, I have the energy to return to that to-do list every day of the next week.

• • Put away the holiday decorations – I know that’s the hardest part but it’s time to say goodbye to the holidays and throw out that Christmas tree (if you had one). I keep all cards but they go into a box and the decorations box is stowed away in the attic.

• • Start a new diary – Literally, it’s a new year and worth to get a new diary.

• • Fix your sleep cycle – I feel that far too many of us enjoy sleeping late during the holidays as group conversations go late into the night or you just can’t stop binging that new show on Netflix. From Monday I’m setting the alarm at 5.15 AM every day. Then I’m automatically tired at 10 PM and can go to sleep easily. On Saturday and Sunday, I will try to get up around 7 AM. Then it is easier to readjust. Ensure you do the same for the kids and encourage your spouse/partner as well.

• • Reconnect with yourself – The holidays can be a fun yet hectic time of the year and when the endorphins wear off, you may find yourself drained. Schedule some ‘me’ time and recharge yourself! Try to establish your weekly practices* again. If you have no time at all to yourself write down at least 10 wishes for the year.

• Cut down on snacks and reduce your alcohol intake back to normal – However delicious those holiday leftovers may seem, perhaps it’s best if we get back to giving our bodies healthier nutrition and rejuvenate our bodies! And while we now have all these New Year receptions coming up it is also better to bring down your alcohol level to normality. Maybe have herbal tea one or two nights a week.

With an ever-increasing number of professionals moving to another country for work, the holidays are the ideal time for a visit home and catching up with family and friends. It’s a magical time, with expats getting to re-experience their favorite memories – perhaps visiting that ice-cream store with a childhood best friend, reconnecting with an extended family member. These visits are why a lot of expats end up forming stronger bonds with their loved ones back home. Sometimes, we also want to be back in our own homes, our own lives and with our current friends. You might experience a bit of emotional turmoil, jet lag and other typical signs of travel.

That said, I know that for a lot of people, these vacations are a bittersweet affair. Returning might reinforce the feeling of loss at what was sacrificed for the sake of your career: the familiarity and comfort of ‘home’, relationships and even support networks. For those returning after a very long time, they might even find themselves feeling alienated in their own home and country, as they’ve gotten acclimatized to their new environment. Maybe you are happy to be back in the host country and suddenly realize that you are happy but that your spouse still hasn’t found that job he was looking for. And that you would feel better if your spouse had an identity again.

If your spouse has been looking for a job in Switzerland for more than six months and is desperate please send him my way.

We will offer the next #HireMeGroup starting 26 January 2019 and I have two spots left. Meetings will be held on three Saturday mornings from 9 AM to 12 PM in a new location in 8032 Zurich.

We will arrange one meeting per month on 26 January 2019, 16 February 2019, 9 March 2019. If you want to sign up or have a friend who needs to join us please reply to this email and let me know how I can reach you by phone.

Have a great start in 2019!

Angie

With our HireMeGroup we hack the job market in Switzerland through developing strong business connections.

Have you been looking for a job or a new job for more than six months?

Have you written over 100 online applications without getting a positive response – EVER?

And are you sure that there are jobs in your field but you just never get a chance to show that you could excel at them?

And are you worried that you will never be able to feed your family, that your kids will never get the education they deserve and that your partner despises you for being at home?

Then it’s time to work with us. Because these are all good reasons to join our upcoming HireMeGroup with Angie Weinberger.

You will receive guidance from our experienced Global Mobility Coach Angie Weinberger and the support of a group of like-minded professionals. Angie is the author of “The Global Career Workbook”.

Hack the Swiss Job Market!

With the HireMeGroup you’ll hack the Swiss Job Market.

You’ll feel more self-confident in your job search and understand how to network even if you are introverted. Most of our clients find a job during or shortly after the HireMe! program.

Program Dates:

Meetings will be held on three Saturday mornings from 9 AM to 12 PM in a location in 8032 Zurich. We will arrange one meeting per month on 26 January 2019, 16 February 2019, 9 March 2019.

Arrange a meeting with Angie now to discuss and agree your personal goals for the #HireMeGroup. These should be completed before the start of the Group.

Fee CHF 1’200 + VAT per participant, payable before the start of the program.

Group size: Maximum 6 participants.

Prerequisites:

• Valid residence permit (L, B or F) for Switzerland. If you have an L-permit you can also join us. We are open to recognized refugees.
• The group will be run in English but in case you’d prefer to join a German group, please let us know.
• We will not accept more than six people per group to ensure that everyone has enough air time.
• Participants have to come to a new location in 8032 Zurich. If you live too far away ask Angie for 1:1 online coaching options.

Still deciding?

Not sure if a group coaching program is right for you? Here are some of the reasons why you might select a group, over an individual, coaching program

• Wider accountability not just to the coach but also to others in the group
• Gain immediate access to a trusted circle of like-minded professionals
• Expand your network faster – in a group, you will not only exchange experiences but also networks
• Receive feedback from the coach but also from others in the group
• Get access to our expertise at a lower cost

Not ready yet but you might want to join a group in the future?

Sign up for the Global People Club Sandwich.

Here is an outline of the content we usually cover in the HireMe! Groups. However, it’s not a training so content and discussion topics will always be customized according to the needs of the group on the day of the event.

Outline

Build your professional network in Switzerland or elsewhere

Refine your personal brand

Improve your professional presence online

Style your job applications to Swiss recruitment practices

Write effective Letters of Motivation

Learn the art of storytelling in interviews

Improve your stories

Deepen your understanding of your personal values

Improve your Executive Presence in Interviews

Set weekly targets at a healthy realistic pace

The Global Career Workbook

The Global Career Workbook will be used as a guide through the program.

Facilitator / Coach: Angie Weinberger