When you move, there are a lot of things you leave behind. You'll leave behind your old neighborhood, your friends, your favorite hang-out spots and favorite restaurants, and if you move far enough away, your job too. If you're relocating, the best thing for you to do is try and find a job before you arrive at your new home, so you can smoothly transition into your new position as soon as possible and minimize the time you spend out of work and looking for a job.
Of course, there are exceptions to this. If you're moving on short notice and don't have a lot of time to look for a new job in the place where you're moving, sometimes you have no choice but to move first and look for a new job second. If that's the case, there are several things you can do to make your job-hunting a little easier on you.
While the job market is still a little uncertain in a lot of places throughout the country and getting a job isn't as easy as it once was, depending on what profession you're in, putting yourself out there in as many different ways as you can will still greatly increase your chances of being hired. There are a lot of ways in which you can increase your visibility to employers in your area when you move and there are also a lot of different outlets through which you can seek employment, as long as you know where to look.
Fine-tuning your resume
Before you set out on your job hunt, you'll want to make sure your resume is exactly the way you want it to be. You should spend a lot of time on your resume, reading it and rereading it to get rid of any spelling mistakes or formatting errors that can jeopardize your chances of landing a job. Also, work on your cover letter and gather some references and contacts in case a prospective employer requests them from you.
Streamlining your resume and making sure that it looks clean and professional will go a long way in helping you land a job, and a lot of people tend to overlook the resume and cover letter, a misstep that is all too common and can really hurt your chances in a competitive job market. Depending on the field you work in, you may also want to gather some clips or examples of your work as well.
For example, if you're a writer, have a portfolio containing some of your best writing. If you're a graphic designer or web designer, have examples of logos you've designed or web pages you've created so that prospective employers can get a first-hand glimpse of what kind of work you're capable of creating.
Searching for jobs on the Internet
Perhaps the most popular place to search for jobs these days is on the Internet. No more flipping through the classifieds in multiple newspapers hoping something will catch your interest, and in that way, job-searching has really never been easier or more accessible. However, finding the perfect job and landing an interview is still far from a walk in the park, so you need to know where to look.
Here are some of the more popular job websites for you to post your resume to and use as a tool to search for employment opportunities in your new town or city:
While most job search engines will likely turn up some of the same jobs in your area with a fair amount of overlap, there are some sites that will uncover jobs that other sites won't, for example you may find ones more relevant to your field of work through more specific sites like Mediabistro (for writers, designers, editors and communications/PR professionals) or Dice (for employees in the tech industry). Also, sites like Glassdoor will let you know everything you need to know about a company, and even read testimonials from current and former employees.
Applying for jobs in person
Although many companies will insist that they don't want applicants to call regarding open positions or to visit the office in person, sometimes it's a good idea to do so if you're really passionate about a particular position. If one of the jobs happens to be located nearby and you want to make a good impression on the company as they sift through resumes and applications, it can never hurt to drop by the office in person and give them your resume.
When employers are going through the hiring process, and reading through hundreds of resumes, they'll remember you when they read yours and have an actual face to attach it to, rather than just words on a piece of paper. Believe it or not, this can go a long way in helping you stick in their minds and leave an impression that will make you more likely to be hired.
However, don't just swing by in a t-shirt and shorts and leave your resume on the receptionist's desk. Dress up nicely, or however you would normally dress if you were attending a job interview, and ask to speak with the person in charge of hiring for the position. Then, hand them your resume and let them know that you are interested in the position and wanted to give them your resume in person because you were in the area and wanted to see the office. It will show them that you're invested in your job search and care about where you end up, and you're not just mindlessly filling out application forms on the Internet.
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