Why I Joined ‘here we are global’

I joined here we are global in Copenhagen where I’ve lived since 2014. By the time I was introduced to the concept of here we are global, I had been through every private HR consultancy, public job center, professional network and support organization you can think of. Some of these groups were aimed at expats, others at spouses. Each and every one of these groups helped a little bit, but I felt that there could have been a way to combine different services in one place.

In August 2017, I met the founder of here we are global. At that point, I had been doing research on transitions and seriously considering going back to school for an MBA degree. I was inspired by my reading of Michael Watkins (Harvard Business School) and Herminia Ibarra (INSEAD) who highlight different types of transitions, but signal the importance of keeping a track of time to make experiences count.

When the founder, Jannie Aasted Skov-Hansen, pitched the concept to me, it became clear that here we are global combines network, skill-based learning, and opportunity explorer into one platform:

“a network of communities in 15 + countries, developed and organized by professionals who support each other during transitions from their most recent host country to a new destination.”

In my opinion, the most important feature of here we are global is its focus on making transitions a smooth and productive experience where members can stay connected, active, and engaged. Jannie talks about both geographical and professional transitions.

At here we are global, members go through a structured, customized introduction after which they are supported in becoming proactive players in this international network. A second important feature of this network/community is its emphasis on continued skill development. Both the customization and the skill development are made possible through a competency matrix that Jannie herself developed. The matrix allows individual members to navigate a crowded space of options, support channels, and helps to prioritize a plan of action.

Jannie knows and understands that uncertainties of expat life are a double-edged sword: all of us experience a break in our social networks, but some of us also make an unexpected jump in our career trajectories when opportunities come together. To make the most of our dual career mobility experience, we – the community of professionals on the move – need a platform like here we are global.

here we are global member Petek Jinkins is a Technical Writer, HR professional currently located in Copenhagen Denmark and part of here we are Denmark’s start up team.