Half the jobs here seem to go through people who know people, and I know exactly nobody. Cold applications vanish into the void. For those who cracked it — how did you build a professional network from zero in a new country, without it feeling forced or transactional?
Joined a professional association tied specifically to my field, rather than a general expat group — far more directly useful for actual job leads.
Following, cold applications going nowhere for me too.
Research is its own world, but for me it was mostly about saying yes to every coffee in the first months. I made a rule: if anyone suggested a coffee, I said yes and fixed a date that week. Most of those coffees led nowhere, but three of them led to collaborations, and one to a friendship. It felt forced at first. It stopped feeling forced by month three.
A professional group in my field, even though my German was shaky. People were patient.
Leila's coffee rule is brilliant. I'm going to try it.