Long-Distance Job Searching

Q: I’ve decided to move closer to my family and prefer to find a job before I do. Any tips on how to conduct a long-distance job search?
- Submitted by Faye Peppier, Beaumont, TX

A: Dear Faye,

Today’s technology helps make remote job hunting easier than ever before, and so will these handy tips. Even though changing towns, homes and jobs at the same time can really tilt the stress scale, millions of people do it every year-and you can, too!

Do your homework. Do as much research about your target market as you can, including identifying major area employers, traffic and commuting patterns, mass transit options and any dominant industries in the area.

Leverage your contacts. Do you know anyone who already lives and works in your new location? If so, ask them about potential job opportunities, best places to network, top employers in the area and any useful local knowledge they may have.

Subscribe to the paper. Call the newspaper in your target market to obtain a short-term or Sunday-only subscription so that you can read the local classified ads-or try to access them online through the paper’s Web site. You may even find job fairs that you might be able to attend.

Contact a staffing company. Submitting your resume and application to a recruiting and staffing company in the area can get fast results. They may offer temporary positions at some of the area’s top employers, temp-to-hire positions that can lead to full-time work, or even place you in a permanent position immediately. Spherion®, for example, has more than 650 locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. For an office in your target market, visit our Web site at www.spherion.com/corporate/offices.jsp or call us toll free at 866-456-4357.

Plan a premove visit. If you can, visit your new location before you move-to conduct informational or initial interviews with potential employers or attend a significant job fair. Mention the dates of your planned trip in your letters or e-mails so that, if the employer is interested, they can arrange an interview during your visit. Make sure you pack as many interviews as possible into your trip.

Most importantly, if things don’t fall into place before you move-don’t worry. Finding a job is usually easier once you actually live in a place. And, of course, you’ll have the added advantage of having done your homework already!

Good luck to you!
Seymour

Originally
from Spherion Career Blog - The Big Time

by Seymour Jobs

Posted by Jeff Bosco with no comments.
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