Okay so I've been applying for jobs in the state that we are moving to and know that I may be moving before my husband(who has to stay until November), if I get one of the positions.

So here is the thing, our friend mentioned that it might be smart to move me up into the area now so I'm readily available for interviews and that I can apply for places who may not advertise online.

Some of the positions I've applied for, I easily qualify for, but I wonder if I'm being looked over because I live in another state. Even though my applications say I'm relocating.

I would be nervous to move before I have a job, but it can also see this friend's way of thinking.

Thoughts? Advice? Would it be smart for me to move early for the job hunt, while my husband stays here?

You get a cookie for giving advice ;)

I have NO idea whether what I am about to say would be applicable to your situation or not, but here it is...

My partner is manager of a store...and when he is looking for a new employee, he NEEDS a new employee (either immediately, or because he knows that he will be losing one on a particular date).

If he got an out-of-area application, then even if he was REALLY interested, he would likely pass it by for other---less desirable to him---applications because of the uncertainties of not seeing and interacting with the person IN PERSON. This might not be true for the positions YOU are looking for, though.

Even if he really wants a particular person, he is required by his company's protocol to jump through a bunch of successive hoops before he can hire someone (one reason why he might, instead, hire someone from another store in his chain---that other person would have already been vetted as to paperwork and the people up the supervisory chain who need to sign off on them, because often, those people themselves want to meet that person IN PERSON before the final decision is made).

I am very much aware of this right now because it recently happened, to someone who was NOT already an employee of the corporation. The [now] employee in question was highly motivated to begin employment right away, and was REALLY wanted by EVERYONE!!! This person was, in effect, a dream employee from the perspective of management, and it STILL took too much very frustrating time, and jumping through corporate hoops of all kinds, before she could FINALLY begin her first day on the job. None of this could have been done if she was out of area.

I know that moving to a new place without a job is scary (and lonely if you have leave your loved ones behind), but it could be an important part of securing the new position you want.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2014 11:01AM by tevai.

Topping

Why don't you use your friend's address, which will show the employer that you live in state?

But only do that if you're going to be willing to fly up for an interview if requested of the employer, and also, if you're going to be willing to relocate and begin work on a date dictated by the potential employer (within reason).

To me that would seem to be fair to both you and any potential employers looking at your resumé.

I've done it both ways.

Found that being where the job was, was way better than having to commute or fly in, for a lot of reasons. Especially so for the higher paying ones, as they wanted to meet more than once before firm offers were made.

If you can swing it, be there to immediately show up for any interviews for jobs being considered/you have a real interest in.

It's very difficult to find a job in another state. I've never had any luck until I actually moved there. Personally, using your friend's address sounds like a good idea to me. Good luck!

Two years ago, a friend of mine decided to move to the same city in which I live due to no luck landing a job where she was currently living. She started using my address and phone number on her resumes a month or so before she moved and was able to get an interview or two lined up soon after her arrival. Even so, it took her about six months to get a job offer even though she was getting interviews on a regular basis. Employers expressed concern that she wasn't local and hadn't lived here long. Anyway, it all eventually came together for her but it took time.

Chances are you'll be passed over if they don't believe you're local. Do what you can to be local.

This is very relevant to me as I recently made an out-of-state move without a job lined up first. My advice might only be worth what you pay for it ($0.00), but maybe it'll be worth a bit more ($0.03 maybe?).

Before I moved, I tried to get a job in the state I was looking to move to. I had a pretty good resume, and I was working with a good recruiter. I am also in a good field that is in demand in the location I relocated to. Despite all that, I wasn't able to get a job before moving.

Even if you go out of your way to make a trip for an interview, it means a lot more to you than it does to the company interviewing you. You might have just forked out hundreds for a hotel stay and last-minute airfare, but to them it's just kinda novel that you came in from out of state, and at the end of the day they just might not want to deal with a relocating person at all.

What I've decided is that trying to get a job out-of-state before you move is only really workable if at least one of the four criteria are met:

1. You already work for a company that has a presence in the place you'd like to relocate to.

2. You have a sweet hookup in the place you're moving to. Maybe a friend there owns a business and is willing to hire you.

3. You have a very specialized skill set that is in demand in the other place, to the point that employers would hire you before a move. Just being in a good field like nursing or accounting isn't enough - you need to be an in-demand specialist.

4. The place you're trying to move to has an unusually booming economy with a shortage of workers (e.g. North Dakota).

If none of these criteria are met, you're better off not blowing money on interview trips and instead just strategize on when/how you're going to make the move. Being in the location will make things soooo much easier. Yes, it's scary, but it really is the better way.

Of course do your homework first! Find out what kind of demand exists for people like you in that market.

As an editorial side note, be leery of the places where everyone and their dog is moving to (like Portland and Denver). Competition for jobs amongst young people can be fierce, and you may find out that despite how *cool* said city is, it's not SOOO great to counterbalance the ridiculous rents and awful traffic that exist there. Might make wherever you came from look not so bad.

Topping again.

My husband and I were recently in the same situation. I was offered an amazing job Birmingham and my husband had applied to a whole bunch of places and never heard from any of them. We were too chicken to move without him being employed. We could have survived for about a year, but neither he nor the kids would have had insurance.
This probably doesn't really help you decide what to do. :-(

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Good advice here. I have nothing new, but in my own words, not being local does indeed put you at a disadvantage. On the other hand, it can still be done.

All of my job changes, and I've had plenty, have involved a move - California to Indiana to Colorado to Tennessee to Utah to Indiana. In two of those, I moved before I landed a job. With the other four, I was hired first. My gaps between employment have usually also been several months; having to relocate was certainly a factor.

You have pros and cons either way and your individual situation and preferences give those pros and cons their weights.

You can get a local PO box that gives you a local address in the area you are looking for work. You can even get a cell phone with a local number.

The trick would be, how to schedule on-site interviews.