Whether you are moving to be closer to family, your partner has been relocated with work, or you have found your dream house,but it is in another zip code, trying to find a new job in a new city can be a daunting experience.
Should you move first and start looking for employment once you are settled?
Or is it safer to secure a position and then relocate?
Not to mention the logistics of attending multiple interviews (hopefully!) when you live hundreds of miles away.
Fortunately, there are several steps that you can take to make the process run a bit more smoothly and to ensure that your relocation is as stress-free as possible.
Establish your new living costs
Before you start applying for jobs and attending interviews, it is crucial that you first find out the cost of living in your new city, as this will determine what kind of salary you need to ensure your standard of living stays the same.
Try this simple online cost of living calculator which will let you know how much you need to earn in your new area to cover the costs of basic life necessities such as a place to live, water, gas, electricity, food and clothing.
Give yourself enough time
You may think that you will find a new position quickly, especially if there is a high demand for your job where you currently live. However, the need for your expertise may be different in another metropolitan area and depending on how senior your current position is, it could take some time to find the right job.
Long-distance job searching is an excellent place to start, and if you do find a position, it can be a good idea to negotiate your start date to ensure you have sufficient time to move and get settled before you begin work.
Sign up for job alerts
Looking for a job in a new city is in many ways the same as looking for a job where you currently live. You still need to be as proactive and signing up for job alerts is a great way to ensure you get your application in for any desirable positions as soon as possible.
Make sure you not only sign up for alerts from job listing sites but also directly with companies themselves, that way you can have access to jobs that may not be advertised elsewhere.
Be prepared to travel for interviews
Although this will be dependent on how far away you live, it is a good idea to check out your travel options before you are asked to attend an interview. Unless you are headhunted for a particular position, you will be required to pay your own travel expenses, so you need to plan for that also.
One way around the difficulty of travelling far for interviews is to suggest that you conduct them, or at least the early stage ones, online via Skype.
Reach out to your extended network
Do you have any family members, friends or business contacts that live or work where you are moving to? If yes, discreetly inform them that you are exploring your career options and ask for them to keep their eyes and ears to the ground for any upcoming opportunities.
It can also be a good idea to reach out to your contacts on LinkedIn, although be careful if you have yet to inform your current employer that you are moving.
Good luck!
