Job Hunting Out of State #Tips

Chitownjedi

Hey all. I was hoping we could get some advise, recommendations, tips on job hunting for out of state jobs.

I know lots of people [including myself] who want to move to greener pastures but don't have the best ideas about pursuing opportunities in other states before we get there other than throwing resume up on job board.

networker050184

I just start applying for jobs in the area I want to move to. It's easier to get relocation assistance the higher up the ladder you go so if you are first starting out I'd make sure to have everything ready to relocate yourself before applying to the jobs. Some free cash for interview runs is probably a good idea too if they aren't footing the bill.

Chitownjedi

networker050184 wrote: »

I just start applying for jobs in the area I want to move to. It's easier to get relocation assistance the higher up the ladder you go so if you are first starting out I'd make sure to have everything ready to relocate yourself before applying to the jobs. Some free cash for interview runs is probably a good idea too if they aren't footing the bill.

Any tips about what you should include on resume in terms of address or communicating that you are in another state?

Say you were planning on moving somewhere with or without a job and had 2 months before that date came (You had savings to live off of for say a year or so) but you wanted to line up something asap so that you didn't have much of a break.... would it be best to just move and do the job hunting there, or submit and inform them your planning on relocating at the designated time?

anhtran35

This is TOUGH. Ideally you want to find a job before moving to the location. However, IT companies usually want the employee already residing in the area to interview face to face etc. So you have 2 options: a.) apply for jobs and hope they use Skype OR b.) relocate and get any job while interviewing for an IT job. In early 90's, I attempted to live in Los Angeles and get into acting. I relocated there and work as a concierge at night while going to casting calls in the day. I use the same method when I relocated to DC/VA area. Started working nights/weekends as a security guard while interviewing for entry level IT jobs( help desk ) in the day.

MeanDrunkR2D2

I've done this now 3 times and have landed the jobs each time while residing in another state. Be upfront with them and honestly, anymore it's more difficult for a company to figure out if you are local by phone number alone as many have cell phones with different numbers than the area they currently live in. The first time I did this was back in 2006 and was living in Iowa, and would make trips to KC and try to schedule multiple interviews in a day to try to consolidate my trips that I would have to make. At that time I had just graduated college, so I did not have a job at the time so I could dedicate alot of time for phone interviews/in person as needed.

The second time I was looking at relocating to the DFW area and was lucky in the fact that I didn't have to travel for the interview (was my first and only one) and did it completely over the phone and was offered the job. That was more because I knew someone that worked for the company that vouched for me and saved me making that trip down and would not be a normal circumstance for most people. I didn't meet my new manager or even know what he looked like until my first day.

The last time was last June. My wife had received a big promotion, so we knew the area that we were moving to, and they had some leeway as far as her starting date to help me find a job here before we moved. Of course, her work paid for our moving expenses so that definitely helped out greatly. I made a few drives up and would be in the area for 2-3 days and would schedule as many interviews for the days I would be there. I also had a few skype interviews as well before the in person interviews. I received 2 offers on the last day that I was there (we had already looked at rental houses and had one picked out when I got the offers as I knew that it was going to happen quickly). In a perfect world, you would already be in the area, but if you have no job, no income and don't have a sizable nest egg saved up to cover living expenses it's very hard. But it is possible as I've found.

The key to all of it is that I was upfront with each employer/interview that I did not currently live there, but would be more than happy to make a trip to interview. I also knew that if I were to get an offer that I would have to make the move and get settled in 2 weeks or less depending on how quickly they were looking to have someone start. 2 weeks is pretty much expected as you'd have to go through all the background checks and be cleared for hire which can take a week, sometimes longer. And I had to be dedicated to make that move that quickly. Of course, we knew that we'd have to make those moves fast and I was prepared by pre-packing things that I knew we wouldn't use in the short term and spent alot of time getting prepared. That definitely helped facilitate my move and made it a little less stressful. I didn't have much of an issue getting interviews as I made myself available for them and was flexible to accommodate them. Don't expect them to pay for your travel expenses unless you are in a high level role as that would be par for the course. Entry/mid level type jobs generally don't do that unless they are in an area that has a huge lack of talent to pick from and they know that they need to pay to get qualified candidates in for the job.

How far away are you looking?

Chitownjedi

MeanDrunkR2D2

Thanks for the input. We are still deciding between Arizona and Houston/Austin area in Texas. I like what I see in Arizona, but Texas economy right now provides a little more of a carrot for me, as the whole point is to get somewhere where I can grow, and the wife can find ample opportunity as well as a Jr.DBA.

In comparison there are way more jobs in Texas and the salary differences aren't as stark as they are in Arizona. Still deciding though... planning to make the move in October.

MeanDrunkR2D2

Personally, if it came to Texas, I would look at Austin much much harder than I would Houston. Austin is much nicer and cleaner in my personal opinion, plus you will not get that godawful humidity that you will in Houston. It will make the summers very unbearable. Plus, another bonus, if you find the right area to move into, Austin will be getting Google Fiber in the near future (if not already) so that's awesome as well. The job market is growing rather rapidly there on top of it all. I know that she'll have little issue with finding that type of job there in Austin. Depending on where you want to live and the commute will dictate how much a house would cost you there, but it's not horrible by any means, yet.

Arizona is nice, and they don't observe DST like pretty much elsewhere. That is probably the nicest thing about it lol. If I were looking between those 3 choices, Austin would win hands down. Not to mention, the Texas hospitality is pretty awesome as well. Sure, there will be a-hats everywhere, but Texas tends to have quite alot of people who are genuinely nice. My wife is from Chicago and at first when we moved to DFW she kept wondering what their motives were for being nice and thought she was going to get mugged. Can't take the Chicago out of some people lol.