5. Contact Professional Associations

The professional associations that you belong to can be a wealth of resources for networking, job listings, and web sites. Track down the local chapters in your target cities or consult the Encyclopedia of Professional Associations for contact information.

6. Attend Career Fairs

The Internet is a great way to determine the dates and times for local career fairs. Be sure you prepare before the fairs by knowing your goals and going equipped with resumes. Wander the fair first and then zero in on key employers. When speaking to employers, be successful in your communication within the first two minutes. Sell your desire to relocate and be sure to follow-up with employers after the fairs.

7. Visit Your Target Cities

You should begin your long distance job search at least two months before making an exploratory visit to your ideal city. Before picking up your roots and leaving, use your vacation time to learn what it is really like in that city. This is a wise approach, especially if you are presently employed. Try to schedule at least one visit of between two to three weeks. Stay focused and leave most of the sightseeing for after you decide to relocate.

Stop by the local state employment office or Department of Labor and ask about career trends, growing employers, and job listings. Public libraries in those cities will have job listings. Have a real estate agent give you a tour of houses in your price range; it will give you a sense of what the area is like. You don't need an appointment to consult the bulletin boards in the human resource offices of possible employers for potential openings. Choose a few reputable headhunters, temporary or executive search firms, and be sure to stop by when you are in town to drop off copies of your resume and check out available jobs.

You may be able to set up some phone interviews, but ultimately you will have to be present and interview in person. Bunch your informational interviews or formal interviews together when planning your trip. Clarify your goals and be prepared to tell an interviewer why you want to relocate. Follow-up and be prepared to communicate your enthusiasm for moving.

8. Develop a Budget

Consider how much money you will need to relocate, including housing, travel, telephone, childcare, moving expenses, and the cost of living. See if you can negotiate the cost of your move with your employer.

9. Stay Organized and Be Persistent

Overestimate the time necessary for your long distance job search. It may take four to six months or longer, depending on how much time you are willing to commit. Determine what information you need and divide it into what can be done locally and what needs to be done in that city. If possible, use the local address of a friend or relative on your resume and cover letter. Most jobs are filled within a commuting radius. Match your resume and cover letter to the ad you are responding to, and do not be seduced into mass mailing your resume to save time; mass mailings are only about one to three percent effective.

 

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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