Expat Networking: Keep your Network Global While Staying Local

In a recent blog post, Jason Alba of Jibberjobber responded to a question from a blog commenter, "How do you network with groups that are far away?"

Jason gave five great suggestions, including:
1) network locally anyway 
2) search Google and Yahoo groups,
3) look on LinkedIn, and 
4 and 5) contact group organizers and big networkers in your new target market by phone.
(Please visit his post for more on his suggestions, as well as his blog in general as it's a great career management resource). 

Given most of my expat clients are looking for jobs in other countries or building portable businesses and marketing their services well beyond their local market, most of them are using "far away" or transnational networking strategies as part of their larger career or business development plan.  Which strategy is best depends on a person's goals, but here are five more ways to build your network outside of your local community:

1) Industry Association Memberships

Most industries have a professional association that operates on a national or international level.  Joining one can give you access to a membership directory of people around your state, country or even around the globe.  Membership also gives you access to committees, working groups, training opportunities and events - some of which may be facilitated  virtually so location does not inhibit people communicating and/or working together.

2) Other online networks

In addition to LinkedIn,  there are many professionally oriented online networks out there to explore, such as Xing, Plaxo, Ecademy, Ryze, and Ziggs, just to name a few.

3) Blog

Blogs are a great way to grow your thought leadership and build your online brand, but they are also a great way to build community.  If you are not ready to start your own blog to start connecting with others, then search out blogs written by those in your field and/or location of choice.  Make comments and watch who else is active on the site who you might connect with. There are many blog directories out there to help you find the right blog- Technorati being the biggest.  I encourage expats to visit the expat-blogs site to reach out to those in their country of choice.

4) Social Networks and Media

Leverage the global reach of social networks like Facebook and Flickr or microblogging tools like Twitter to connect with like-minded people who don't live in your area. Professional goals should not necessarily be the driving force behind connecting here however - join groups and engage with others who have common interests and start building relationships that way. Once trust and rapport has been built then people will be in a position to better help one another.

5) Writing

Write articles for websites or for on and offline publications.  Write a guest post on someone else's blog.  If you write on a topic of interest to you, those interested in the same topic will find you - no matter where you live.  The more powerful the writing, the more likely you will have people attempting to make contact, or visit your blog or website.

YOUR EXPAT SUCCESS TIP:  Choose one of the 5 strategies mentioned above and commit to taking one action in the next week to build your network in your non-local community of choice.

YOUR THOUGHTS?  That's another five....Can come up with another two or three?