It’s a trap that nearly all of us fall into once we secure a job—the job gets 100% of our focus, and we soon stop paying attention to what else is out there: companies, vacancies, networking events, and new trends and tools.
This is crucial for everyone to avoid, but it’s especially important for expats. Why? When changes occur—such as losing our job or becoming unhappy with our current position—we find ourselves at a loss. We have no idea what’s available; we haven’t networked in years; we don’t have extended friends and family in the country; and the job market and employment landscape are always continuing to evolve. Excel skills, for instance, are no longer as sought after as they once were, with other tools and skills now in demand.
Recently, I’ve been working with multiple professionals who are experiencing just this problem. For 3, 5, and 9 years, they have been solely focused on the job and company they committed to… and there is nothing wrong with that—until suddenly, they’re informed that “We are cutting jobs” or “We are reassigning this division to another country.” Then reality hits with a “What now?” and it feels like starting all over again: CVs, LinkedIn, networking, creating profiles on all the various new platforms or custom recruitment platforms. It’s hell, I know.
But what if it didn’t need to be this way? What if we stayed in the know, updated our CVs and LinkedIn every six months, reviewed job sites to see what roles and companies were hiring, and went to a networking event once a quarter? Or kept up to date with the new tools or platforms that are popular? Imagine having your contacts organised, so you have an established network that you can directly contact in companies you’re interested in, get a referral, and skip all those automated replies: “Thank you for your application, unfortunately.” All this peace of mind with just a little bit of effort every six months, with multiple opportunities in the next few months to network and expand your knowledge of the Brno job market. What will you do?
There are many ways to avoid this trap, but I can share these useful steps from my own experience and those I work with:
- Self-evaluate your own experience, skills, education, to understand your value better, identify areas that might need training, upskilling etc.
- Create a hit list of companies you want to work for, a top 10 for example, and in your own time start networking with these companies to make direct contacts in them for future opportunities.
- Attend networking events to stay relevant with new trends, companies, emerging roles etc. Expand your LinkedIn connection monthly.
Actioning any of the above on a semi-regular basis can only be an advantage if the worst happens and you find yourself searching for new opportunities.
On the more positive side, for those who want to accelerate their careers and progress, this is the first step. Small consistent efforts to change could have a big impact in the future.
Upcoming networking events to know about
