Ideas and Advice For a Long Distance Job Search

[pbbth]

In about 6 months I am moving across the country. 1500 miles across the country to be exact, from Dallas to New York. My current employer may or may not be able to transfer me to New York as they may or may not be opening an office there after the new year. It is all very hush-hush within the company right now, but I know for a fact that they will be opening an office in the North East somewhere, just not sure of the exact location.

Given that I may not be able to transfer my current job I know I need to have something else lined up. I have read several books about finding work long distance and am following the advice in them as best as I can. I have been applying online through monster.com and other such job banks, I am going to New York again in January for a job fair and to do some other things to get prepped for moving, I have told everyone in my life that I am going and that if they know anyone where I am headed that might need to hire someone to let me know so I can apply there, but so far leads are few and far between. I know I have a lot of time between now and when I move but a job search always takes a lot of time and I would like to avoid stepping into the city without employment (though I could if I have to since I have saved up quite a lot of money in anticipation of moving. I don't want to do that though.)

So tell me, dopers who have moved across long distances before, how did you do it? What processes did you go through to find work? What was effective and what was a waste of your time?

[Oakminster]

I've had to do that and it sucks. One thing I tried that helped--I sent out a batch of resumes with a cover letter stating I planned to be in the area on specified dates, and request an interview during that time. I got a higher response rate than previous attempts that did not indicate I was travelling at my own expense, and that lead to several interviews during the week, and a job offer.

[Eureka]

Look for one or more online job postings sites which are particularly associated with your field, and with your hoped-for location (as opposed to Monster which is pretty generic). And keep in mind that there is a very real degree to which companies that might be interested in you may show interest in you in direct proportion to the degree of effort you expend trying to get their attention.

So, hitting "apply for this job" on Monster.com, 1 pt. S
Sending a paper resume 5 pts.
Sending a paper resume with cover letter which suggests you'll be in the area the first week of March 20 pts.

The point values are made up so don't take them too seriously.

and remember, sending out resumes is a numbers game, so send out lots.

[pbbth]

Thanks for the advice guys, I need as much help as I can get! How soon is too soon to send out resumes to companies and tell them I will be in town on a certian date? I want to set up an interview, but I don't want to send something so early that they discard it.

[Barbarian]

I've done the cross-country move twice, and moved to another country, each time finding work when I got there.

I've never had anything come from sending out a resume to a job posting. Nothing except a waste of paper, time, and stamps. What does get me employed is talking to someone in my field, and talking to someone else they know, meeting with people to find out what opportunities they know about, getting their advice about which companies/departments to look at, and eventually being asked to apply for a job.

[taxi78cab]

I just did this last spring. I started looking at the beginning of February, sent out over 80 resumes, contacted a handful of companies, finally got 3 interviews in the beginning of April (let me tell you, two months of looking feels like a loooooong time), landed a job in late April, and started the day after Memorial Day. It can be done, but it's tough and very discouraging.

Look for local job sites. Either from local newspapers or something like NYJobs.com (don't know if that's real... I just made it up, but there are usually sites like that for major cities). Those are a lot more productive than sites like monster.

IF they're the kind that get paid by the company and not you, send your resume to head hunters/job placement agencies/recruiters. That's how I found this job. The guy I worked with was REALLY helpful: he critiqued my resume, which I then used for all the jobs I was looking at, and I think that's why I got 3 interviews at once when I'd had only 2 in the previous two months. He also talked to my new company and found out that they had positions other than the one they were advertising for, which fit my background better. So go in with caution - and don't use anyone who wants you to pay - but staffing companies can be very helpful.

Look for lists of companies from the local business journal. They usually have lists of the top 25 fastest growing companies or something like that. Those are usually good targets because if they're growing, they're probably hiring. Also keep your eye out for articles in the business paper or business section for companies that are hot in that market.

Call the Chamber of Commerce for the area and/or look at their website for a list of companies. Once you've got a list of companies, look at their websites to see what they do and if they're hiring.

If you can, have someone review your resume. Preferably someone who looks at resumes for a living so they know what will stand out. At the very least have someone edit it for grammar, spelling, etc.

Send out lots and lots of resumes. With good cover letters (i.e. research the company, mention specifically what they do and how your background relates to that). Don't give up. There will be discouraging days. Don't give up. It may take a long time. The rejection letters start to sting sometimes. Don't give up. Just keep repeating that.

Good luck!

[pbbth]

Thank you so much to everyone who has posted! Everyone has such different experiences...some people got jobs from mass mailings, some people didn't get so much as a rejection letter from the companies they applied to, some people say monster is a waste of time, some people got every job they have ever had from monster or career builder.

Does anyone have any thoughts about temp companies...good way to be employed in a city far away, don't go there because they are evil, etc?

[Harriet the Spry]

When I relocated to a new city after college I relied on temp agencies. It worked well. For an entry level job I would definitely recommend registering with several temp agencies. If you are more experienced it depends on your field.

Also, especially when it gets closer to the time you will be moving, get a local address you can list on resumes and applications. See if your cell phone will let you get a number in your new area code. It is a sad but true situation that many companies will only look at local resumes for some positions. Even saying you are traveling to the area or willing to pay your own travel won't always get you looked at.

[Oakminster]

Does anyone have any thoughts about temp companies...good way to be employed in a city far away, don't go there because they are evil, etc?


I worked for temp agencies some while between semsters in school. It's not great, but it can generate some income to tide you over. In some cases, you can also get a temp-to-hire deal, sort of like an audition. You work as a temp for awhile, and then if the company likes you they can make an offer.

The way it worked when I did it was I was employed by the temp agencies. They conducted some skills testing, and then put me in their database. When they had a gig that matched my skills, they'd call, tell me about the job details and ask if I was available. I could accept or decline. No benefits, and my paycheck came from the temp agency, not wherever they sent me to work. The agency charges the company an hourly rate, and pays you a lower hourly rate.

The work itself was generally pretty dull...data entry, answering phones, filing, general office type stuff.

[Frank]

How early would y'all suggest the search start?

I'm moving to Toronto in June or July. I'm planning on starting to send resumes in March, with a visit in late April/early May. Is this in line?

I'm in IT, if that makes a difference.

[pbbth]

Originally Posted By Frank

How early would y'all suggest the search start?

I am of the opinion that you can't start too soon, but I am the one here asking for advice so what do I know? :p

[Barbarian]

First off: I GOT A JOB! I just got hired! I start Tuesday!
<happy dance happy dance drunken revelry>

Second: my advice: Find anyone you can in your target city and target field, and go ahead and call them now. Tell them that you are moving to that city and x date. They'll probably tell you to go ahead and call back when you're in town. If you're planning to visit ahead of time, you should be able to get a meet and greet at that time.

Frank, are you a Canadian? Or do you already have a work permit? Those will be big concerns for you -- they were for me when I went to New York.

[pbbth]

Congrats on the job Barbarian! I am really excited for you and I hope it all goes well. I hope I can say the same before I move myself across the country!

[Hello Again]

The good news is, the job market in NYC is pretty positive right now. What field are you in? My SO moved from SE Michigan and had 2 offers within 9 days of arriving. He is in the IT sector and worked with a couple of recruiters who called him off a Monster resume.

We noticed that many listings said "local candidates only." If you have a local address you can use (a friend or family members address) I think it can be a little helpful. But overall there wasn't much traction until he actually arrived in NYC.

Do you have a place to live lined up?

[pbbth]

I am in the insurance field right now and I really enjoy it, but I also have a bit of media experience and my bachelor's degree is in radio/television, so I have more than one resume that I am sending out. I am setting a meeting with an apartment hunter in January and checking out my different options of places to live. I have a roommate coming with me so that helps some, but she is also looking for a job long distance. I figure if I absolutely have to I can wait until I get there and just spend all of my time applying once I arrive in the city. I am saving money knowing that I may have to do that, but I would like to have something lined up before moving.

[Frank]

Frank, are you a Canadian? Or do you already have a work permit? Those will be big concerns for you -- they were for me when I went to New York.
I'm good - I hold dual citizenship.

[DMark]

Just speaking for Las Vegas (a very transient city), they don't even consider you for a position unless you have an address and phone number here. Period. Some even want to see your driver's licence to see exactly how long you have lived here!

Granted, if you have some really special skill that is in demand, they might make an exception.

The best route is to be there, knock on some doors and have your LOCAL address and phone number on the resume.

[pbbth]

Originally Posted By DMark
The best route is to be there, knock on some doors and have your LOCAL address and phone number on the resume.

I totally get that I really need to be living in the city to find a job there. However, I would like to not have a panic attack every day when I wake up and think to myself, "I am unemployed. I haven't been unemployed since I started working. WHAT

[pbbth]

THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO? HOW AM I GOING TO SURVIVE?!?!" I am really hoping someone has some kind of solution that falls between start looking when you get there and have your current job transfer you to your new location.

Would it be safer to get a part time job at someplace like Starbucks before I go in hopes that you can transfer because they are everywhere (if it gets down to the wire and you know you have to have something going to not die?) Would I be better off trying to interview with a local Dallas temp agency in hopes that they can line some interviews up for me when I get there?

(Damned caps lock being so close to tab and making me post early)

[DMark]

OK - as you can see from my location, when I move, I don't just move across the street. So I know what I am talking about with moving really far away and starting over.

My rule of thumb was to save enough money so you don't HAVE to work for two months. This gives you at least a few weeks to get the lay of the land, to see what the opportunities are and to get a feel for the new location.

My other trick is to immediately start networking. Find a local cafe and go there every morning for coffee with the paper. Then find a place for lunch every day, and if you like, find a local bar for a drink or two (only) every night. Eventually you become know to the others and when you talk to the waiter/waitress or other people you see everyday, let them know you are new in town and LOOKING FOR WORK.

You will be amazed how helpful people can be..."my roommate works at soandso and they are looking for people" or "my cousin owns a place and is always looking for people" or "I have a friend in Human Resources at soandso corporation..."

This has worked for me in Chicago, in NYC, in Berlin and in LA! (I found the jobs in Las Vegas by myself.)

But hold off moving until you have that 2 month financial cushion to look - even if it means putting off your move for a few months. Trust me on this. It will make everything a lot easier. If you are a real risk-taker, 1 1/2 month's money might work, but stick to a tight budget. Anything less is a recipe for disaster.

[DrDeth]

Today, applying for jobs is mostly passe. Make sure- by paying a professional if you have to- that your resume as the right "keywords" for the industries and jobs you want. Post said resume on Monster, etc. Headhunters send out "'bots" to search the resumes looking for the keywords, then they contact you.


pbbth- why move if your company is not transferring you? :confused: From what I know Dallas dudes will likely not be Happy in the Big Apple.

[pbbth]

The reason I am moving is because though I am in Dallas, I am not a southern belle at heart. I hate being surrounded by republicans (no offense conservative dopers!), I hate that I have to have a car and have what amounts to no sort of public transportation, I hate that the idea of culture in my neck of the woods is going to a chili cook-off, etc. I love the theater and would love nothing more than to be able to live near broadway! I have been to NYC and I felt at home there in a way I do not feel here in Dallas. I have known since I was 17 that I can't stay here in Dallas and now that I am 24 it is time to get the hell out. My lease comes up exactly 10 days after a good friend of mine graduates and we both have several thousand saved up so we can live in the city, so that is the time to go. If I moved today I have 3 months worth of living expenses not counting the money I have set aside in my emergency fund and the $$ I will get when I sell my car. I am just neurotic and I'd feel useless and pathetic without a job so I would like to avoid that if I can. I know it would be that much harder to find work if you seem desperate and freaked out all the time so better to try and take care of that now :)

FWIW I have had my resume reviewed by a headhunter and he helped me get everything as perfect as it can be so that I am getting the full potential out of it. He also coached me through several mock interviews for a position with a major company here in Dallas that ended up not being right for me.

[DMark]

If I moved today I have 3 months worth of living expenses not counting the money I have set aside in my emergency fund and the $$ I will get when I sell my car. I am just neurotic and I'd feel useless and pathetic without a job so I would like to avoid that if I can. I know it would be that much harder to find work if you seem desperate and freaked out all the time so better to try and take care of that now :)


Then you are ready to go pbbth!
You have money and you are neurotic...sounds like a native New Yorker to me!

You are going to do just fine. I moved there with less, and not only did I survive, I thrived in that city!

You are going to love NYC...it is the most exciting place to live on earth, and I have been around. Granted, it is non-stop and the competition is fierce - but it sounds like you are up to the challenge.

You are going for some very good reasons, and I have no doubt you will succeed - you are exactly what NYC needs - young, eager and ready to go. I seriously think your only problem will be which job to take, and which direction you want to go once you arrive...keep those options open and please, please, please - do NOT take the first job offered! Take a deep breath once you get there and weigh your options. Start off by shooting for the moon - go for your dream job! This is your big chance, dude...unless you get desperate, don't screw it up by just taking the first paying job you are offered. Think career track - it will be very important in the future.

[pbbth]

Originally Posted by DMark
You are going for some very good reasons, and I have no doubt you will succeed - you are exactly what NYC needs - young, eager and ready to go. I seriously think your only problem will be which job to take, and which direction you want to go once you arrive...keep those options open and please, please, please - do NOT take the first job offered! Take a deep breath once you get there and weigh your options. Start off by shooting for the moon - go for your dream job! This is your big chance, dude...unless you get desperate, don't screw it up by just taking the first paying job you are offered. Think career track - it will be very important in the future.

Thanks, I appreciate the positive words. It is a little overwhelming to be planning on changing your entire life! I know I will do fine but I can't help the neurosis :) I think my favorite web comic said it best:

http://www.queenofwands.net/d/20050221.html

[Barbarian]

I am in the insurance field right now and I really enjoy it, but I also have a bit of media experience and my bachelor's degree is in radio/television, so I have more than one resume that I am sending out.

Did I mention that my new job is producing TV news? And that my old job in New York was writing for a certain national morning show?

You will have an incredibly difficult time getting into media in New York if you don't already know someone to give you a foot in the door. There are literally THOUSANDS of young people with your background trying to do the same thing. So many that a typical morning show gets hundreds of applicants lining up for the chance to spend three months as an upaid intern.

If you're pretty, have a semi-decent clip reel, AND your own car, News 12 (a local New York City station) will be willing to give you a looksee and if you are lucky offer you a job as a reporter. It pays $20k or so, which will cover your share of the rent, some of your gas money, and let you go to food banks.

New York One (another local station, the better known one, sorta owned by CNN) won't even bother looking at your resume. If you haven't been in the city for three years, the human resources department throws your resume in the trash can. So far as I can tell, Human Resources at New York One continually posts jobs for the sole purpose of having mail come into the building so they can look busy -- then someone from CNN points out a friend from Atlanta, and they get a job 18 weeks after the posting originally went up.

If you can write fast, take lots of abuse, and stay awake overnight, you might have a chance at writing for news radio.

Sounds discouraging? It should. It's true though. The only way I got work was because I knew someone in New York. He was just a guy I talked with on the phone every other month -- but it was enough to let me skip past the black hole that is human resources at media companies in New York. I should send him a case of something one day.

[pbbth]

Originally Posted by Barbarian
The only way I got work was because I knew someone in New York. He was just a guy I talked with on the phone every other month -- but it was enough to let me skip past the black hole that is human resources at media companies in New York. I should send him a case of something one day.

I know I have to find work through people I know if I want any kind of decent job. I wish I knew someone in New York but I guess you have to deal with things the way they are. I will meet lots of people when I get there though so I know it won't be terrible forever. Lots of people go there with a lot less money and experience than me and they all do just fine. (Well, I assume they all do just fine...I've never met anyone who went there and just couldn't hack living in the city.)

[Hello Again]

Lots of people go there with a lot less money and experience than me and they all do just fine. (Well, I assume they all do just fine...I've never met anyone who went there and just couldn't hack living in the city.)

absolutely. There is tons of work in NYC. But you should be realistic about breaking into media. It is a very difficult sector, with loads of people willing/able to work for free to get in the door. I don't have much experience with broadcast -- I worked in the book industry -- but it sounds pretty similar. In sum, apply for lots of different kinds of jobs, nit just the media ones, even though that would be awesome if it worked out.

[pbbth]

Originally Posted By Hello Again

In sum, apply for lots of different kinds of jobs, nit just the media ones, even though that would be awesome if it worked out.

Oh, totally! I have several different resumes, and media is just one of them. Currently I am in insurance so I have that resume out as well, but I also have some (fairly) extensive customer service skills so I have a separate resume for that and I also have a general resume that I send to places when none of my experience lines up with any openings but I think I have a skill set that would be valuable to them. Media is not something I expect to fall into but I am not ruling it out as an option! :)

Also, does anyone out there who has ever lived in NYC have any advice for a soon-to-be resident? Anything that I should know about when I am looking for jobs and apartments and such? (You know, "Don't work there because they are horrible to their employees and are not honest with you in the interviewing process." or "You should totally see if you can get an apartment with X landlord because he was really good about fixing any problems I had right away.")

[pbbth]

And more importantly, does anyone have any recommendations for safe yet affordable neighborhoods to live in? I would hate to have spent all sorts of time and money on an apartment finder only to end up in a neighborhood where you don't feel comfortable walking down the street at night. Right now I am looking towards the west side of the island, running from Inwood to Morningside Heights. I have not been there yet (I will be visiting that area in January) but I would like to know how other people view Manhattan, where they lived, and how they liked it there.

[Hello Again]

Personally, I wouldn't live in Manhattan. Its just so damn expensive for what you get. I live in Kew Gardens, which is a residential neighborhood in Queens. I am short walking distance to the Long Island Railroad (a commuter rail that also goes into Manhattan) as well as a longer but very doable walk to the E & F trains at Union Turnpike. It is a quiet neighborhood, all the basics but not too exciting. (Nearby Forest Hills has more going on but is also somewhat more expensive.) A large city park (Forest Park) is just 2 blocks away.

There are many "medium-rise" (ie 6 stories) apartment buildings; generally they are rent-stabilized (means rent can't be raised more than 3%/year) and have elevators, basement laundry, and fulltime on-site supers. I pay 1150/mo; that includes gas, heat and water, for a roomy 1-bedroom.

Because this is an aging neighborhood, there are lots of available apartments. Most are brokered, but you might want to consider the broker's fee (ulp! 12%) as a valuable investment, saving you considerable time and hassle (the unbrokered apartments I looked at in the price range were *really* crap).

Apartments generally rent on the 1st or 15th of the month, so consider that in timing your move. I came a couple weeks ahead, and lined up an apartment for movein Aug 1st. This is your best shot if you don't want to rent a place sight unseen.

Some other neighborhoods to consider in the cheaper-yet-safe vein are the already-mentioned Forest Hills, Quuens; Astoria, Queens (Greek immigrants, hipsters); Clinton Hill, Brooklyn (walking distance to a Target!) or Williamsburg, Brooklyn (hipsters, artists).