Offline and Online Presence is the Way Forward for Global Mobility Coaches

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.
A network of peers and industry members is 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 and 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 how this could be used to empower job seekers everywhere. That is how the Global People Club was set up: allowing professionals to hack the Swiss Job Market with strong business connections, both offline and online.
Say you’ve joined a professional networking group like HireMe. How can you develop a digital presence that lets you take full advantage of the networking opportunities? Here’s the quick lowdown on how to do just that:
1- Pinpoint the Best Social Platform
LinkedIn may be the ‘de facto’ professional networking platform for the masses, but specific industries are known to frequent alternative digital platforms.
Photographers and videographers have made their homes on YouTube and Instagram. The bottom line: Inhabit the right digital spaces to make the right connections.
2 – Play the Long Game
The internet era is the era of scams and fake profiles. Building trust with a stranger takes longer than it would through only real-world meets. You can speed the process by creating 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 your professional biography and a way to contact you.

3 – Support Your Community
Self-promotion is a big turn-off. Instead, focus on promoting other people’s work. Endorsing other people’s work (on LinkedIn or otherwise) is a great way to positively influence your network. It is beneficial 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 peers. It is essential to create the right image online.
4 – Meet People IRL (In Real Life)
A general assumption about digital presences is that they are heavily curated, containing cherry-picked information that may not represent the entire picture. Showing that you’re as lovely, if not nicer, in real life will be a pleasant and welcome surprise to all who meet you. Be genuine in providing help and be authentic in general, and good things will happen to you. I recommend you meet at least one person for lunch per week.
5 – Join a Group with Potential to Meet Socially
It’s not easy to find and publish your digital identity. That’s why professional support groups like our Global People Club exist. We are building a community for our clients and former clients and we also meet at events and cultural happenings in person. I would love to have a “Stammtisch” (I would call it the Global People Club Lounge), but at the moment, we are basically using a WhatsApp group to meet with each other in Zurich. We can also connect you to groups in other expat hubs.
I hope the tips above help you identify and maximise your digital presence.
INVITE TO MASTER CLASS “Finding a Job Through Relationships” – A Master Class on Job Search Strategies for Lifestyle Expat
DATE: Thursday, 20 March 2025
TIME: 12 PM to 1.30 PM (including Q&A)
LOCATION: ZOOM
Hosted by: Angie Weinberger, Expat Coach, Inclusive Entrepreneur, and Founder of Global People Transitions.
Fee: 97.00 EUR (incl VAT)fd
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