Niche in the Spotlight - Coaching Expats

We love to celebrate the success of our coaches many of whom are doing great work within fascinating niches. Today we are looking at working with coaching expats with Dominika Miernik.

What is your niche?

I am helping expats and expats partners in their career development and to overcome personal challenges which may occur during international transfers or while living abroad.

What made you decide upon your niche?

My personal experience as an expat and expat partner. My niche was obvious to me since I started my Diploma with The Coaching Academy. I wanted to combine my personal experience as an expat, my background in recruitment, psychology and career counselling. From the beginning I started to attract those types of clients so I think my niche found me even before I enrolled on the coaching course. Now I am working with my private clients and also as a freelance with some expat support organisations.

Why are you so passionate about your niche?

Living and working abroad can be very exciting but can be also a cause of anxiety, stress and homesickness. You can feel helpless, alone, lost and uncomfortable. There are many expats, especially women, suffering in silence, not asking for help or they don't know how or where, who to ask to support them. I have started my personal experience as an expat many years ago, as a student, an employee and expat partner. It was and it is a beautiful journey, a constant personal growth and I want to help others to have the best of it. I am working with clients almost all over the world and it is so enriching for me and for them. It helps to see everything from a different perspective.

What benefits do you see your clients get?

Confidence, clarity and action plan. Trust and believe that they can achieve their career and personal goals. Insight into how they may be holding their self back from taking their career and life to the next level while living abroad. Self-confidence is the biggest obstacle that some of my clients are facing and through coaching they were able to restore their energy and motivation to continue their personal and professional development.

How do you market myself?

I am using social media to promote my services, mainly Linkedin and Facebook. I got a few clients via Linkedin and my first client found me there, too. I am delivering also free workshops about career change and how to adapt to live in a host country. I am running a blog and taking part in international networking events. The most important thing is to position yourself as an expert, understand what are the needs of your clients and give them what they want. I am still learning a lot about marketing.

What other services do you offer?

I offer workshops about career development or career transition. I am thinking about delivering webinars. I am also helping people who want to work at what they love. I am passionate about working with small groups, there is a special energy in it, so I am developing my first online coaching programme.

What sort of challenges do you help people with?

I help expatriates with their career development or career transition. I work with expats partners (following their spouse on the international assignment) who want to continue to work while living abroad. With people who are looking for a new job or want to follow their passions or people who are thinking to coming back to the home country (repatriates) and are looking for new career opportunities. I am supporting them with cultural integration, role assumption, new responsibilities, career problems, family care and reducing stress caused by living abroad or returning to a native country. It is not only about writing CV, job search and interview techniques but gaining self-confidence, obtaining a balance between different areas of life, dealing with cultural shock and rejection phase.

Do you have a coach myself?

Yes, I have my Business Coach who is helping me with my business development and marketing. I am constantly investing in myself. In the past I worked with Life and Career coach who helped me to achieve my personal and professional goals. Recently I have started to work with Social Media Coach to improve my social media presence.