Ask the Experts: Networking When You’re Not Local
Question:
I go to school in New York, but am planning to move to New Hampshire after graduation. Where and how should I network in order to get a job in New Hampshire?
First Answer:
There are several ways to begin the process of looking for a job before you actually move to your new location:
- Use the library to check out the Classified Section of newspapers in and around the place you plan to move. Send your resume with a letter
explaining that you will be graduating and relocating to this area. If you
are planning to visit that area (like Spring Break) before you actually
graduate, try to arrange interviews or informational interviews with
possible employers during your visit. - If you have contacts in the area, let them know you will be relocating and what type of job you are looking for. Follow up with any leads that
they give you. - Use business resources in the library to check out employers in the area you are relocating to that have the type of position that you are
looking for. Begin contacting them and marketing yourself to them.
It is not easy to find a job long distance. It is very important that you lay the groundwork and make initial contacts before you actually relocate
to speed up the job search process.
— Linda Wyatt, Career Center Director, Kansas City Kansas Community College
Second Answer:
Good for you for realizing that networking in your new area will give you a huge advantage as you approach graduation. Here are
some ways you can accomplish that goal:
- Visit the career-planning Web sites of New Hampshire colleges. That advice comes from college career counselor Doris Flaherty, who notes that
“Any college usually has more focus on its surrounding area since the
majority of the graduates will find work there.” - Explore the possibility of reciprocity agreements between college career centers. Your own college likely has a reciprocal agreement
with colleges in your new locale that will allow you to use the
resources of those colleges’ career centers. - While you’re at your college career center, ask there — or at your school’s alumni office — for the names of alumni living in the area you
want to move to. Alumni, especially recent ones, are among the very
best networking contacts. - If you belong to a fraternity/sorority, ask about New Hampshire alumni of that organization.
- Start contacting those in your existing network, especially in your new location, and let them know you are relocating and looking for a
new job there. - In a survey I did to research my book, A Foot in the Door, professional associations were cited as, by far, the No. 1 venue for
networking. Locate chapters of professional organizations in your
field and in your new city and join them. Once you join, you often
receive a membership directory. Start networking with members of the
organizations using methods described on Brian Krueger’s Web site,
College Grad Job Hunter. - An article on the University Job Bank Web site describes a job-seeker who sent a postcard to every member of the professional
association she belonged to her in her area telling them she was
relocating to San Francisco. She asked them for names of contacts
they knew in San Francisco. Focus your efforts on building a network
of people in your desired new location not only through professional
associations, but also through friends and colleagues. - If you are able to make a preliminary exploratory trip, you can use it to conduct informational interviews to expand your network in the
new city. These interviews will provide you with a networking “in” at
companies at which you previously didn’t have one. You can ask
interviewees which companies would be the best to apply to, advice
for breaking in, and names of other contacts for your network. Find
out more about how to set up and conduct informational interviews. Although
not ideal, you can also conduct informational interviews via phone or
e-mail from your current location. - Most of these tips are taken from an article I wrote, New City, New Job: How to Conduct a Long-Distance Job Search.
— Katharine Hansen, former speechwriter and college instructor who provides content for the Web site, Quintessential Careers, edits QuintZine, an electronic newsletter for jobseekers, and prepares job-search correspondence as chief writer for Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters
Third Answer:
One great way to start networking in a new location is to find out which organizations are based there of which you’re already
a member. Start contacting the officers of the organizations
and let them know that you’re planning to relocate and would
like to get on their mailing list and start getting to know the
members.
The other thing is to subscribe to the online version of the newspapers in that area and make certain you’re aware of the
news in the locale. This will give you a sense of what the
community standard and culture is. You’ll also be able to see,
from the social news, what other activities are going on that
are of interest to you so that you can fit in comfortably and
start connecting with them.
With those connections started, you’ll have a network of contacts from which you can learn about companies that have
open positions and what those companies are like.
— Yvonne LaRose, career and professional development coach, Career and Executive Recruiting Advice
