LinkedIn is arguably one of the best tools available for building networks and connecting with people. The beauty of LinkedIn is that it allows you to actively search for people who share similar interests as you or who may be able to help you with a question or issue you have. You can connect with people by being active, joining as many groups as you can and getting involved in discussions in forums and on group pages. As an expatriate, it can help you to find friends in your host country, search for jobs, get your questions answered and become part of a world-wide group of people who understand what life away from home is really like.
You can join up to 50 groups at any one time, so what groups should an expat join? Here’s our list of 16 LinkedIn groups that all expats should join.
The Expat Network
Current members: 35,141
Describes themselves as: “A Network for expat networkers, expatriate services professionals, Human Resources, recruiting managers.”
Expats
Current members: 3993
Describes themselves as: “Professionals who are, have been or will be Expatriates. The ones who accepted and enjoy the ‘global challenge’ who love to experience different cultures and way of living. The group is meant to help each other on developing an international career.”
Expat Focus
Current members: 4554
Describes themselves as: A group for anyone living or working abroad or thinking about a move overseas. Whatever your interest in global relocation issues – employment overseas, property/real estate abroad, expatriate financial advice, international schools – join our growing expat network here.”
Expat Careers
Current members: 10,409
Describes themselves as: “The premier worldwide, all industry expatriate job site. We provide job seekers with direct and free access to vacancies and offer recruiters a unique opportunity to advertise these vacancies to the best, most forward-looking individuals within their industry.”
Expat Global Network
Current members: 622
Describes themselves as: “Helping Expats Be Successful in Today’s Global Economy. For first time expats, long-term expats, repatriates, coaches, HR, recruiters or relocation professionals looking for expat resources worldwide.”
How to Emigrate
Current members: 178
Describes themselves as: “Formed to bring together leading products and providers for discussion.”
Living Abroad: Networking for Expatriates
Current members: 3991
Describes themselves as: “A group for all people currently living – for any reason – in a country other that of their country of origin. This may involve expatriates, people with 2 nationalities/citizenships, students abroad, project team members temporarily relocating, immigrants, as well as international job seekers.etc. Member networking is strongly encouraged.”
ExpatExchange
Current members: 314
Describes themselves as: “A group for anyone moving abroad or interested or involved in international relocation.”
Expat Women Entrepreneurs
Current members: 291
Describes themselves as: “The purpose of the group is to connect, network, share ideas, and support each other to thrive in business and expat life.”
Trailing Spouse Network
Current members: 350
Describes themselves as: “The group is to connect, network, share ideas, and support each other to thrive in business and expat life.”
Families in Global Transition
Current Members: 790
Describes themselves as: “The unique FIGT collaborative conference forum recognizes the universal challenges of relocation and allows individuals and relocation advisors to exchange ideas toward realizing successful transitions.”
Global Career
Current members: 163
Describes themselves as: Global Career is a service created by Crown Relocations to help support and assist partners find jobs in their new country of residence. This support group on Linkedin is a venue for these professionals to network, exchange views and information with each other and benefit from each other’s experiences.”
Going Global
Current members: 2129
Describes themselves as: “Interested in a global career path or looking for ways to expand your international work and living experiences? Connect with professionals, expatriates, students and world citizens to truly take advantage of having a global network.
Expatriate Women
Current members: 35
Describes themselves as: “We, women abroad, face other problems and concerns than men, especially when living away from home in a foreign country (both, working abroad or taking care of the family). We have different needs and sometimes we want to talk and to be understood by a woman. So this group intends to give us a platform to unite, to share our personal experiences and tips.”
Definitely Not Trailing
Current members: 10
Describes themselves as: “When our partners agree to take expat assinments, we research and find homes for our families and schools for our children. We make sure that our families lives function in our new countries and we build new social networks for ourselves and our partners. We are definitely NOT ‘trailing spouses’.”
Forum for Expatriate Management
Current members: 6090
Describes themselves as: “The Forum for Expatriate Management is the first major organisation designed solely for Global Mobility practitioners.”
Do you know of any useful expat groups on LinkedIn? Please leave a comment and share details of them with our community.
