How to Determine When to Start Job Hunting
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of when you should start looking for a job if you want or need to relocate. One of the biggest factors to consider is financial matters. Can you afford to live without a paycheck, pay for health insurance, and cover moving expenses? If you have cash reserves, it may be easier to relocate first, get things organized, and then start looking for a job. If you don’t, you’ll need to start job hunting before you move.
Personal Considerations
Consider your personal circumstances as well. Do you have someone in the new location from whom you can borrow a bed or couch? If so, you may want to consider moving first and job hunting second.
Type of Job You’re Looking For
Another factor to consider is the type of job you’re looking for. It is generally quicker and easier to obtain lower-level jobs than to secure higher-level positions in your career path. If you are in a mid-career role or at a higher level, it will likely take longer to find a job. You should plan your job search and be prepared to conduct remote job searches. Remember that you may be able to negotiate a start date that gives you the extra time you need to relocate and settle in.
Tips for Finding a Job in a New City
Once you decide when you want to start searching for a new job, the next step is to know how to land the job. Review these tips for finding work when relocating.
1. Give Yourself Plenty of Time to Find a Job
Job searching is not always as quick or easy as you think. Even if you plan to wait to start your job search, organize it ahead of time. Update your resume, begin reviewing job listings and companies you’d like to work for, have a list of references ready to go, and prepare interview clothes to wear.
2. Think Locally (and Remotely) About Job Opportunities
When you know the city you want to work in, you can target jobs there or within that area. Use advanced search options to find job opportunities in the location you want to work in.
3. Sign Up for Job Alerts
Save yourself time by signing up for job alerts to know when new jobs matching your criteria are posted. You can set them up directly on large company websites as well as job listing sites. You’ll receive an email or text as soon as the job is posted, and you can submit your application right away.
4. Be Available for Interviews
It’s important to be able to get to the location quickly when you’re invited for an out-of-town interview. Most employers conduct interviews and hire on a tight schedule, and the company may not be willing to wait. If you can’t be there when interviews are scheduled, you may not be considered for the position. Unless you are actively hired, be prepared to cover your travel expenses. You might want to prepare in advance for the best transportation options so you’re ready to book travel when you receive an email or call.
5. Don’t Rely on a Relocation Package
Relocation packages offered by employers can make moving smoother. If one is offered as part of your compensation package, it may cover all moving expenses. There might be some extra cash included to help you get out of a lease or secure a deposit on a new place. Whether you will receive a relocation package or not depends on the company and the job you’ve been hired for.
6.
Get a Local Address in the New City
Having a local address can help your resume and cover letter in your application choice. Some employers do not consider candidates coming from outside the city due to logistical complications.
7. Leverage Your Connections
Who do you know in the place you are going to? Do you have family members, friends, or professional or college contacts there? Everyone you know, and everyone they know, can help you in your job search. Spread the word, quietly if you are still working, that you are looking to relocate for job opportunities and other assistance. Here are some people who can help you: Facebook friends and Instagram followers, LinkedIn connections, alumni networks, networking contacts (attending as many in-person events as possible), professional associations, and contacts.
8. Take Your Job with You
Do you love your job? There may be an opportunity to take it with you when you move. If your employer is happy with the work you are doing and hates to lose you, they may be willing to let you work remotely. This is especially true if you are available to travel to the office for meetings that need to be held in person.
9. Request a Job Transfer
Clearly, this is not possible if you work for a small organization, but if you work for a large company that has offices in your new location, a transfer may be an option. You might be able to move to the same position or a similar one, or you may be able to get a different job with your current employer.
10. Consider a Temporary or Seasonal Job
If you can’t wait to move, you might consider working as a temporary employee or in a seasonal job until you can arrange for a permanent position. Depending on the time of year and location, there may be many temporary jobs you can take until you secure a permanent one.
Source: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/tips-for-finding-a-job-in-a-new-city-4089082
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