Technology and online resources offer ways for people to connect in a digital world.
Online communities bring together individuals, whether for social reasons, to pursue hobbies or engage in work-related interests. These digital communities can create real and useful professional connections – both virtually and in real life (IRL). They help people build personal and professional networks.
GoinGlobal references websites and apps that can facilitate networking to enhance your career or personal development and offers advice about how to be successful. You will find an abundance of localized resources in each of our Country and Global City Career Guides, in the main navigation find the sections on Professional and Personal Networking, Individual Networking, and Networking Online.
Here is an abbreviated excerpt from the GoinGlobal Ireland Career Guide:
Ireland
Networking Online and IRL (In Real Life)
Online communities help newcomers settle into a new location by connecting them with people who have similar interests or who are fellow foreign visitors. The following tools can facilitate both virtual and IRL (‘in real life’) events that bring together groups of like-minded individuals. Gatherings can be purely social, or organized around professions, work interests or hobbies, but they all offer social connections that can be used to make professional contacts.
Networking Tips
- Search for potential groups and events using keywords relevant to your areas of interest.
- Look for active groups with strict rules and moderators.
- Attend as many events as you can, and, if virtual, introduce yourself in the chat.
- Be an engaged member or participant; offer insights, answer questions, share other group members’ posts.
- For professional groups, post only work-appropriate content.
Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.ie/
Eventbrite is one of the world’s largest event and ticketing platforms, broadcasting millions of events happening around the world every day. You can search for events by criteria such as city, date and price. Events are grouped in categories, which allows for better-targeted searches. There is a ‘Local Events Directory’ that is organized by city. Events in Ireland range from sci-tech and business and professional events to concerts, sporting events and social gatherings.InterNations
https://www.internations.org/ireland-expats
InterNations defines itself as the largest online community for people living and working abroad. It has chapters in Dublin and Cork in Ireland, with communities of expats from India, UK, US, France, Italy, Brazil, Poland and other countries. InterNations allows you to connect with other residents, both online and offline, through online discussion forums and regular networking events. Basic registration is free of charge, but additional features require a fee. Every registered user will be informed of the local InterNations’ ambassador, who facilitates events and networking opportunities in the area.Meetup
https://www.meetup.com/find/ireland/
Meetup is the world’s largest network of local groups, with each group including people who share a specific interest. This makes it easy for anyone to organize a local group or to find one already in place. It is active in dozens of communities in Ireland. Visitors to the site can search for local groups in different communities.
Use GoinGlobal to find Networking Outlets
GoinGlobal has reliable and current career and employment resources for the U.S. and over 70 other countries – 120 locations worldwide. Contact the career staff at your college or university for support in high-level networking and for getting the most out of GoinGlobal resources.*
- Reference networking websites and apps using our Career Guides.
- Explore country-specific cultural assessment and assimilation tools with CultureWizardTM.
*Access to GoinGlobal’s resource database is provided through subscribing institutions. Contact your college/university’s career center or library for access instructions.
