by Alek Sabin
Many people dream about moving to a new state. There’s something inherently romantic about the idea that we can pick up and move anywhere in this country, without having to worry about visas or anything like that. For many people, leaving the place where they are from is a great source of pride.
However, the financial situation of moving to a new place can be tricky. Obviously, even if you have money put away, you’ll need to come into a steady income in your new home. Typically, it’s a good idea to already have a job lined up, before you even move to the state, but that can be easier said than done. Here are some tips to remember when job searching in a new state…
Look in states with jobs in your industry
First of all, it might be a good idea to pick the state you want to move to based on what you do for a living. If you are a marine biologist, then moving to Boulder, Colorado might make it difficult to find a job. Check what states are big in your industry, if you don’t already know. If you don’t have a specific industry you want to work in, maybe just check to see where other people are moving to, due to their healthy economy.
Start planning months in advance
Obviously, finding a job in a new state is quite an endeavor. It’s not something that is going to happen overnight, unless you are extremely lucky. For this reason, you want to get as much of a head start as you can on researching the area you want to move to and what the workforce is like there. A good starting point is to get onto LinkedIn and check out companies and professionals in the area to see if you have any mutual connections. This should provide a launching off point to get some contacts and let people know you are searching for a job in that area.
Go to where you already know people
While we all want to be our own pioneers, and break new ground in an unfamiliar place, it can be quite useful to move to a place where you already have contacts. If you have any family, friends, or former coworkers who are living in a different state, then you already have a leg up on moving to that place. First of all, those people will be able to keep their ear to the ground for you to find a new job, and on top of that, you may be able to have a place where you can stay, briefly, while you get settled into a new job and find an adequate home.
Bring up your situation in your letter and resume
When you are sending cover letters and resumes to businesses that you want to work at, don’t shy away from the fact that you currently don’t live in the state, but are planning on moving there. Be sure that you mention when you are moving, so that they have an idea of when you can start. This not only puts everybody on the same page and prevents uncomfortable situations where one party feels confused, but there is a certain appeal to hiring people who are moving to an entirely new state, as it does show a strong degree of motivation.
Directly target companies you want to work for
Sending a bunch of resumes out to every business that is hiring might be a good idea, just to cover as much ground as possible, but you aren’t moving to a new place so that you can find a dead-end job that you’re going to hate as much as the one you have now. Another approach is to find the companies that you want to work for. Even if that company isn’t hiring, try getting a hold of them, directly, so that you can approach them about a work opportunity. Even if they can’t hire you right away, they will definitely be considering you if anything opens up in the months before you actually move.