Building bridges

The story of V.

For example, there was V., who had worked as an otorhinolaryngologist in Ukraine for ten years. She arrived in the Netherlands with her child, with no knowledge of Dutch or English, and it seemed she had no chance of finding work in her profession quickly.

Although V. actively studied both languages and attended integration events, it did not produce the desired results. Over time, it became clear that the lack of work was having a strong negative morale effect on V.. I tentatively offered her help during a face-to-face interview, after seeking prior advice from our regular volunteer Petra - a LinkedIn and professional identity coach.

Networking as a means to improve the lives of newcomers

After a private consultation about modifying her LinkedIn profile specifically for V. and improving it, according to Petra's recommendations, she decides to use her network and writes a short text, which she coordinated with V. beforehand. You can read it here.

And something incredible happens. Within just one day, the publication received more than 500 responses, 90 comments and nearly 200 shares. According to Petra, the result exceeded all expectations.
How do you use the network to benefit newcomers?
We tried to understand the framework that everyone can use to leverage their network and help newcomers. Here are the main conclusions we drew:

• The timing of the publication was well chosen: Thursday, lunchtime, when people are tired from morning work but not yet ready for lunch. Moreover, it was before the Easter vacation, when people are more inclined to do good deeds.
• The quality of the publication: Petra, a former journalist, made the publication well-structured, clear and understandable.
• The publication was very personal and emotional. When I read it in advance, I got chills and tears. The human touch and emotional involvement are hooks that readers respond to.
• The call to action (CTA) was very clear: help a female doctor. Often in similar posts, it is not clear what kind of work the newcomer is looking for and how the reader can help, resulting in no response. Or there are posts in which a local person contacts the newcomer, but the focus in such publications shifts away from the newcomer, leaving the reader with an unclear message.
• The message of the publication is very positive: a newcomer with a child trying to integrate and be useful in the new society. The reader subconsciously feels the desire to help because of the courage and number of challenges the young woman faces in the new country.
• Prior to making the post, Petra and the woman worked together to update her LinkedIn profile so that it was clear, understandable and in line with the requirements of the Dutch job market. We wrote more about this in Petra's publication.
• There is information that the Netherlands has a shortage of doctors, and perhaps that is why there was such a strong reaction to the publication.
• The language of the post: Because Petra was targeting her own LinkedIn network, she wrote the publication in Dutch. It is essential to think about who will read the publication and what we want from these people. It has to be immediately understandable and it should not bother the reader.

Separately, Petra noted that although V. did not have a sufficient command of the language, she had already received an invitation to the first interview and eight other offers were promising. This is an incredible result achieved through an updated LinkedIn profile and effective networking.

Unexpected network response provides psycho-emotional support for newcomers

In this story, the Ukrainian community KOLO played an important role. It was there that V. met like-minded people and found Petra. V. says it is important to start with something simple and gradually work toward the set goal. It is worth emphasizing the importance of a sense of belonging in a new country and the support the community provides during difficult times.

This is how the V. himself commented on this story:

"For a long time I felt down, but suddenly I was greatly cheered when I received so much support from complete strangers. I've only just started using LinkedIn, I don't know all the algorithms yet, but I'm constantly getting offers and support! Someone offered to teach me medical Dutch, someone invited me for coffee, someone wrote, "I can't offer you anything, but I will share your contact with someone who can help. I feel that everyone sympathizes with Ukrainians right now. Moreover, in Europe they appreciate this profession very much, people understand that it is a good profession, but because of the war it is challenging for a young girl to integrate and she needs help. The Dutch are great people; they want to support us and give us advice."