Sep 14, 2014
We are continuing our series on relocating for a job so I decided a second episode on the topic would be a good idea and Roy Cohen a NYC based Executive Career Coach was kind enough to volunteer. In this 20 minute episode we will explore; - What sorts of challenges do people typically face when they job search from a distance? - What are the basic steps involved once you have decided to relocate? - Are there any specific resources to tap to facilitate a move? - How do you distinguish yourself from local candidates in job search? - How to research the city where you want to relocate to? - What's your story? How do you explain the decision to relocate so it doesn't come across as a whim? - Are there any items you can negotiate when you get an offer? cost? As a career coach and best-selling author, clients often reach out to me for job search support and advice. In this ever-changing job market, relocation is a topic that always gets raised. It may not be an option for many but it must still be explored. A few thoughts: - It always helps to be closer to the location where you hope, or intend, to work...especially in this still very competitive job market. The key is to convey that you are committed to the move; that you are sincere about your desire to live in the city and that you are not viewing the job "opportunistically", i.e., job first, city second or third. - How to demonstrate conviction? Having a local address is great, at least initially, but it still makes the logistics of interviewing an enormous challenge. My recommendation, always, is to remove your address and any other identifying geographic data-points that make it easy to pin down where you are actually located. But leave the cell phone number. It only shows where you may have been, not where you are now. - One of my clients is currently planning to move to Seattle. She is determined to find a job there. Because she owns real estate in New Jersey and is still employed in NYC, her ability to "be there" is impossible. However, she has made several scouting trips using vacation time to meet with and expand her network and she has also built a dynamic local community via LinkedIn.. When it is clear that you mean business about the move people are more inclined to respond and to share resources. It is also flattering and reaffirming to them that you are excited about living where they chose to live. - Ease of job search and the ability to manage over a long distance are also tied directly to supply and demand. If what you do is professionally "hot" making the move is rather simple. It is far more complicated in a highly competitive or shrinking industry or when you want to make a career change. My background briefly: I am a career counselor and executive coach, and considered an expert in job search and in managing "life" at work. In addition to numerous media appearances (The Today Show, CBS This Morning, CNN, HuffPost Live, etc) and frequent quotes, I serve on the advisory board of Men's Fitness Magazine and I was selected last August as the official career coach for the movie, Lee Daniels' The Butler. I am also the author of the best-selling career book, The Wall Street Professional's Survival Guide. My contact details and various links are posted below in the signature line.