Long-Distance Job Hunting

Long-distance job hunting poses a unique set of challenges and therefore deserves special
consideration.

1. Employers prefer to hire familiar faces. Although you know that you are not a visitor
from outer space—just another city or state—you may be perceived as an alien
from another planet. To overcome this perceptual barrier, you will need to familiarize
yourself with the city’s landscape and resources.

2. If you already have contacts in your target location, recruit them as allies in your job
search. Ask them to send you a copy of the local telephone directory and provide
you with the names of major newspapers, business directories, or locale-specific job
search books.

3. Don’t worry if you don’t have contacts in your target location; you can gather this
information yourself by contacting the local Chamber of Commerce to obtain business
directories and any other available information.

4. If you currently live in a city with a good library, the business librarian (or any
librarian who is familiar with the library’s job search and business resources) can
help you identify and locate the information that you need.

5. Plan to subscribe to the local newspapers. Many newspapers now have online editions,
which make it easier to access local information and job listings in a timely
manner.

6. Join a professional association with a national membership and then obtain the
names of the people who head the chapters in your target areas. Network with these
people by telephone or e-mail to make new contacts and learn more about the city’s
resources.

7. You can also use the professional organization’s membership directory to conduct
informational interviews by telephone. Also, don’t overlook the many potential contacts
available through alumni directories from your alma mater. These directories
have proved invaluable to many job hunters who are looking to relocate.

8. When you have the names of potential contacts, decide on your preferred method of
contact. If you represent yourself well on the phone, you can warm up the conversation
with small talk. If you prefer to write first (and call later), e-mail usually works
best, as it is quicker and more efficient than traditional snail mail.

9. Never send your resume to a new contact person as an attachment because they will
probably be afraid to open it. In general, it makes more sense to build some of your
resume information into the content of your e-mail and send the resume at a later
date after you have established a contact.

10. Depending on your profession and level of experience, you can also benefit from
contacting executive recruiters who specialize in your target location. If necessary,
revisit the information in Checklist 45 for ideas about how to make this strategy
work for you.

11. Plan to visit the city, preferably around industry conferences and trade shows, so
that you can make as many contacts as possible in the shortest amount of time.
Also, take the initiative to set up informational or exploratory interviews while you
are in the city in order to become a familiar face.

12. Stay in touch with your contacts. When you are far away, it is a little too easy for
them to forget you. It’s your job to make sure that you become memorable and keep
them motivated on your behalf.