As difficult as the job market currently is, it’s even more difficult if you’re job searching long-distance. Why should a company spend the time and effort hiring someone from out of state when there are highly qualified candidates locally? What if they hire an out of state candidate who decides they can’t adjust to the new place in a few months? What if you move across the country and it’s not the right fit? For all of these reasons, the bar for landing a job is set much higher for out of town candidates. However, it’s not impossible.
Here are three must-dos if you plan on getting a job before you make the move.
Build a local network.
It’s no secret that the easiest way to land a job is by knowing the right people. If you plan on searching for a job long-distance, it’s essential that you commit a lot of time to building a strong network of people in your industry that are already in the town where you want to relocate. And that doesn’t mean finding 30 random people and adding them on LinkedIn. You need to network with a small group of people who you can have real conversations with and bounce ideas off of. You have to develop mutually beneficial professional relationships. You’ll need to gain the trust of these individuals to the point where they care about you and are willing to go to bat for you.
Get in touch with a recruiter.
Contact multiple local recruiting agencies until you find one that a) is willing to work with out of town candidates and b) has strong relationships with the organizations you want to work for. This may not be an easy task since a recruiter’s paycheck often depends on whether or not a person shows up for the job. They’re not going to put their financial success on the line unless you can show them that you’re really committed to making the move.
Be flexible about travel and start date.
Long-distance candidates are at a disadvantage since interviewing them is not as convenient as interviewing a candidate that lives down the street. Long-distance candidates usually aren’t able to show up for an interview on a day’s notice or pop-in for an impromptu interview with the executive that’s about to leave for vacation. Therefore, it’s important that you’re as flexible as possible about interview times and start dates. If they ask you to fly in for a last minute interview, pay the higher fee for your plane ticket even though it makes you cringe. Have a plan for the logistics of your move if they offer you the job on the contingency of an early start date. You can’t tell them it’ll take you a month to move when they have local candidates that are just as qualified and willing to start immediately.
Need help with your long-distance job search?
Let the experienced recruiters at BOS Staffing help. For more than 35 years we have helped candidates throughout Northeast Georgia and nationwide land the right job for them. If you’re ready to fast track your job search, give us a call today.