How to Find Job In New City
Finding a job when relocating to a new city can prove challenging and frustrating. In fact, some careers’ experts say it’s near impossible to successfully run a long-distance job search until you actually make the move.
You feel it deep in your bones. A restless need to blow this taco stand for a fresh start in a brand new place. Maybe it’s the lure of a particular city that’s calling you, or the promise of friends and family. Or maybe you’d just like to be where things are happening in your industry. Regardless of the reason, moving is both exciting and anxiety-producing. And number one on the list of stressors is figuring out how you’re going to live.
Although slightly more difficult option is to find a job before you move, thus eliminating the stress of worrying about how you’re going to pay your rent and allowing you to focus on settling into your new home. While some of the logistics, such as scheduling interviews, can present a challenge when job searching remotely, this shouldn’t deter you from trying. The most important thing is to have a plan and be ready to leave (i.e. give your two-week notice) as soon as you’re hired in your new city.
This is how you go about finding a job in a new city:
Learn as much as possible about your new city.
This one may be a no-brainer, but it’s important. You know try to know your new city as well as you can, so when you apply to work at companies you’ve never visited, you have an idea where they are in town and how you’ll go about getting to them. Understand nearby eateries and hotels, and travel time required to get there from wherever you may stay in town. Before you leave town, let people know where you’re going. Find out if they know anybody there, because even if they have no job leads, or you have no idea what kind of job you want, the key is to make connections, to have a name you can call on. You never know where it may lead or to whom your dentist might be related. I made a great friend this way in Dublin, and got a job through another friend I met through that first friend. And why not use your Facebook status to ask your 721 “friends” if they know anyone you can connect with?
Find and Target Specific Companies.
Once you’ve done your research and identified companies where you’d like to work, follow them on LinkedIn and don’t be afraid to reach out directly to their recruiters and staff. In addition to going through the traditional channels and filling out applications, introduce yourself virtually and try and arrange meetings for when you’ll be in town. Even informational meetings are helpful to get your foot in the door and establish new contacts. Big moves are the perfect times for big courage. Don’t just sit back and wait for the job to pop up on Indeed.com. Go after the companies you’d most like to work for. Build a proactive, strategic plan that will help get you on the radar of your dream company. Endear yourself to a couple of people on the inside. Let them know you’re coming and what you can bring to that organization.
Be flexible and smart:
During your long-distance job search, you will be required to have interviews at odd hours and likely be asked to travel for an in-person interview. So be ready for anything, whether it be phone, Skype, or heading to the airport for a five hour flight. It is important to be flexible with a potential employer because unfortunately for you, there are likely local candidates who will be far easier to access, especially for nonprofits that rarely have the time or money to treat you differently. But make sure any commitments you make are within both your means and the realm of reason. If you are travelling a great distance for an in-person interview, you must weigh the opportunity cost with your time and money.
Consider Temping.
A good middle ground alternative to having a full-time job waiting for you is pursuing temp work. While it’s not as stable as permanent work, at least it enables you a bit of wiggle room while searching for full-time work. And best of all, it’s flexible, which gives you a better shot at making any spur of the moment interviews when your dream job comes a callin’.
Make the Move Clear in Your Cover Letter:
Employers sometimes get nervous when someone from out of town applies for their open position, because they don’t know if you’ll expect relocation dollars. They also worry that you may just be wallpapering the earth with a variation of this same cover letter. To assuage these fears, you want to make it very clear right out of the gates that you’re moving to that specific location, and that you have a solid reason for wanting and planning this move. Having your story straight and telling it with confidence will underscore your seriousness about relocating, and make an employer who might take a chance on a non-local candidate more comfortable with hiring you from afar.