The Long Distance Job Search: Pros, Cons, Myths & Realities

By Thomas J. Denham

Director

Siena College Career Center

 

Whether out of want or need, conducting a long distance job search will be a part of many professional careers. Since an out-of-state job search involves more risk, some advance planning with the following tips in mind will help you face the challenges you will encounter:

1. Define Your Career Objective and City of Preference

An unfocused candidate who says, “I'll go anywhere,” will soon become frustrated with such a fragmented approach. Think carefully about your criteria and prioritize the top three to five cities for relocation, taking into consideration the weather, environmental quality, cost of living, cultural activities, job growth, shopping, parks, political climate, and the quality of schools. The American Automobile Association (AAA) can supply you with maps that will help you become oriented to the area.

2. Log on Before You Head Out

The Internet is critical in this type of search. Remember to stay focused and on-task so as not to get lost among the estimated 3,500 career sites. Visit http://www.Siena.edu/careercenter , click the JOB LINKS button, select JOBS BY GEOGRAPHIC REGION for such sites as http://www.BostonHire.com , http://www.SouthernJob.com , http://www.FloridaJobs.org , http://www.MonsterMoving.com , http://www.MovingCenter.com , http://www.HomeFair.com , and http://www.BigYellow.com . Most major cities have want ads on http://www.CareerBuilder.com . Sites like http://www.Rent.net , http://www.Apartments.com or http://www.Homes.com can help you with housing, and http://www.Salary.com can provide cost-of-living information. Visit the web site of potential employers in your targeted cities and review any jobs listed on their sites. Also, make sure your resume is posted online.

3. Do Your Research

Read all you can about current events in your target cities and take notes. Your local public library will have resources such as the Book of Lists, Adams Job Bank Series, newspapers, and business journals that list names and addresses of organizations by career field. Consult your target cities' yellow pages to identify prospective employers. Write to Human Resource offices for information, e.g. annual reports, newsletters, brochures, etc. Read what the experts have to say about that city in Money magazine's “Top Places to Live in the USA .” Contact the city's Chamber of Commerce for any “newcomer” materials, hiring trends and lists of employers.

4. Build Your Network

Seek support from friends, family, alumni and professionals for networking and additional referrals. First contact your campus Career Center and request a list of all the alumni in your target cities. The Career Center can help you identify additional companies and helpful connections. Also, the Alumni Relations Office can give you the names of the alumni club presidents in your target cities so you can find out the date of the next alumni networking reception. Also ask the Career Center to write a letter requesting reciprocal career services for you at local colleges and universities in those cities. Follow-up with those schools and find out what resources you can access through their office. Don't forget, your house of worship or your civic organizations may have people in your target cities that can be of assistance.

The above is an excerpt from The Last Job Search Guide You'll Ever Need: How to Find and Get the Job or Internship of Your Dreams, which is available for sale for $19.85 in our bookstore or $27.00 at Amazon.com but for free to those who subscriber to our free career newsletter. This hot new book contains job search secrets of the most experienced, most knowledgeable and most respected career experts. Learn career planning, job hunting tools and tactics, interviewing, cover letter and resume writing (lots of samples!), networking, and how to find an internship. Written by 149 career experts. To receive a free copy, subscribe to our free career newsletter.

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