Relocating While Searching for a Job
I received a nice email the other day from a gentleman who is relocating to a new state. He’s been hunting for a new job but has had no success. He wanted to know what he could do to speed up his job search and any tips or resources I knew about to help him.
My advice included the following:
- Go to ResumeLines’ Career Resources and see if any of those job boards are of interest.
- Also, you can get a free one-on-one phone resume consulation to make sure that you’re on the right track there. Relocating can be tricky and has to be communicated correctly.
- Check out a relocation cover letter sample to see how you can mention your move to your potential employer
You see, many times people don’t realize how difficult it is to obtain a job when you don’t live in the state that the new job resides in. If the company was relocating you, it would actually be easier because they would arrange for your flight, hotel, etc.
However, if you’re the one initiating the move, you have to be ready to go out of your way to accommodate the company. There’s a chance that you will have to pay for your own travel expenses. You’ll probably have to take time off from your current job as well, so be sure you have enough vacation days built up.
It is definitely not impossible to find a job while relocating. You do have to be more deligent so follow up is critical too. Pick up the phone and talk to someone. You might just be able to arrange a face-to-face meeting that will suit both of your schedules.