049 Finding Jobs In Another City Through A Remote Search

0:00 – 05:23

Today on job seekers radio were talking about how to find a job in a different city. Right. That remote job search if you will, we’re not talking about remote work at home. But how do I find a job say my wife and I talk a lot about Italy. How would I find a job in Italy? Yeah, I can’t speak to international moves, but I can’t speak to interstate moves within the US. And so I imagine it’s going to be similar, obviously with international moves. You’ve got a whole lot of layers to get through, and I have no. Yeah. And we’re permit exactly all that so into every country is different. I back many years ago, I was looking at the possibility of moving to France and looking at their requirements. I happened to find a website about how to be an illegal alien in France. And I didn’t think that was a good idea. So all different countries have different rules. And there’s a lot of research that goes into that, that I only done some and I’m not really up on that. But I can talk about the interstate moves or even interested. If you’re for example, your your living in southern California, and you wanna move to northern California. There are things that you can do to set that up. Well while in fact, you actually relocated to Portland from somewhere else. Right and vice versa. Yes, he ended up finding workout estate and that just exactly worked out for you. But the idea, here is that you deliberately have a purpose for relocating somewhere. Exactly. So when I when I was in California, I wanted to come back home to Portland, because this is where I grew up. I have felt for some time that this is a really good fit for me here. And so I wanted to get back into that to primarily detested is, in fact, where I belong, and of course, things have gone. Well, since I came back, there are a few things that I tell people when they when they asked me, how do I get a job in another city? There are some things that you want to be prepared for. And the first one is be able to talk about. Why, why are you reload relocating to a new place or in my case to an old place? A place where you used to be that haven’t been for awhile, and it’s not because you want to make up a story. It’s that you want to sound confident in telling your story. So I tell people practice practice your story, so you can be concise, so you can. Make it sound as compelling for the other person. And as you feel it is for yourself and that way, they don’t think that you’re just making it up just to get a job because that sense of desperation doesn’t make anybody look good. And you’re confident in your communication makes them confident in you. Yes and also allows them to see okay if I do pay for the relocation or not, I might have to go get the funds for that. And if this guy’s good enough or gal I might consider paying for that, that relocation sheri-, and now getting that attention in the first place being able to have the conversation. There are some tricks to the trade if you will that, that I think are important, first of all, as part of the store, you need to know when you wanna move as well. Whenever the reason is say, you want to be with family or there’s. Whatever that is parents. Whatever know what your timeframe is because if you have a hard deadline that you have to be somewhere. It’s important to set yourself up to be able to talk about that, again without sounding desperate. You also want to give yourself enough lead time. And if you don’t actually have a deadline, then the ready to tell people that, you know, you’re looking to move in X period of time something short term, but you’re not committing yourself to say, I’m gonna be there by the fifteenth unless you’re going to be there by the teeth violates tell them that but you gotta be here by the fifteenth because they put off an interview until the sixteen and if you’re not here that could be problematic. No, what your timing looks like how firm it needs to be, how open it needs to be? And again, if it’s open just talk in general terms. I’m planning on being there around the end of the month or around. In the middle of next month or whatever that looks like and be prepared to make good on that. It’s important to determine whether or not you can afford to cut off one source of income to relocate and, and have some runway to get another opportunity because being local does make a little bit of a difference and convincing hiring teams to invest in relocation might be out of there Howard at say their budget, which is an uncommon, I would encourage you if you can try to relocate in advance and create for yourself.

05:23 – 10:10

Some runway I understand also that that’s not always possible. Right. Have to be somewhere to certain time or your spouse gets a promotion and gosh, you’re stuck back here and you don’t want to relocate the whole family until the school year’s over, and, you know, there’s all these decisions that have to be made. And that which you just described his exactly what happened to somebody in my family just this year. The fact that he moved to the south. They were in southern cali-. And he left his wife back home to finish wrapping up the house, making sure that the remodeling that they had started was finished that everything set up, and that was like two month process that they were living in two different places, and obviously had to pay for both places. If you’re in a position where you can build up that runway say you have, you know, a years worth of savings. So, in other words, you could pay all your bills for full year. That’s probably a good foundation. If you if you’re in an industry where you are fairly confident that you’re going to get hired right away. Then maybe six months is a good amount of savings that you can eat through, and I’ve known people to do that. They they’ve, they’ve been socking this money away, and it’s when they think about investing in their future. They’re willing to give a portion of their savings to that, or they make some sacrifices couch surf get a roommate or whatever that looks like. In that I always think of Katie who are talking about before we started the podcast. How she she was working in a distant city. It literally is a five hour drive from where she was to get to Portland. And she did that almost every week or every two weeks to come to breakfast club, and that was her way of kind of saying, okay, yes, I’m still working, but I’m gonna dedicate some time to come here because I’m not working full-time, right? She had a more flexible, schedule that allowed her to visit that geography. Yep. And so maybe that’s something to consider is can I get my current employer? Let lay it out say, hey here’s my situation spouses over here. Now, I’m going to have to relocate and often you might have a conversation to say. Hey, can I do do my job remote in this other place? Yes. For a period of time until you, locate somebody else, or maybe they make that permanent. But at least you put it on their radar that you’re in that position. And not that you’re leaving. For cause. But you have this situation right. I think that’s great advice. If you have a good relationship with your current employer, and your look, you’re looking to move because your spouse are some other important reason is sort of compelling, you, then a lot of employers are in a position to do something at least in the short term so that you could help you could still be getting some kind of income, maybe not all that you used to. But a lot of people are willing to work with you. When you are still showing loyalty to them knowing that this is going to have to change in some fashion. And if they know people in the city that where you’re going, your destination, they may be able to help you in that way as well advocates all around. Yeah. So the more advocates you can create help you through that relocation, the better if that doesn’t exist for you. You don’t have a willing ear with your employer and it looks like you’re on your own. It. Doesn’t hurt to create some sort of local presence for yourself. Absolutely. And that includes building yourself a local network being deliberate about connecting with people in that geography on linked in whatever that looks like and even getting a local phone number often, you can get a mobile device. Oh, well, or, or even Google voice, and Bradley exact that has a local area code so that you at least appear local when I was at this was several years ago, but I was actually looking a had been going back and forth between Portland and Long Beach, California. And so, I had a Google voice number for Long Beach, which I ended up needing because, yes, I landed a job there, but I didn’t wanna get rid of my organ phone number because I knew eventually I’d be back. And so, but I needed a local phone number for the condominium place, where I was living day had the, the dial in buzzer. So I needed a local number for that. So I just kept that long as I lived in the condo. But these these are ways to create a local presence, without having to be in place. There are a lot of the mail services that, that can receive mail for you, and then ship it in bulk, either weekly or monthly wanted to go.

10:10 – 15:04

Yeah. And so that is an option and it’s a real address. It’s not something, it’s not a PO box. So you can have packages or anything else delivered to these locations. And I think that is a really good service, even the UPS store, dues ical address won’t know it just has your business Dame and a sweet number. And so they think you have a an actual sweet. They’re just happens to be three by five by twelve right? Since that little box. Now you had mentioned Kaos kept serving a minute ago, having a friend, if you do have a friend in your destination city, then asking that friend. To allow you to use their address on your resume or to receive professional E mail there. I have yet to find any of my friends who would say, no because you’re not intruding on their living space, unless you’re out Seraing, which many, my friends would let me do that, too, for a limited period of time. Of course, you know, I don’t know that they would want anybody coming into a one bedroom apartment sleeping on the couch for a long stay three’s company. Yeah. For a week or two. My friends have allowed me to do that. There have been times when I needed that when I’ve been between home so having that local presence makes a difference, because if you put a, a local address on your resume, which there’s a lot of back and forth about putting an address on a resume in the first place, you’re giving away, personal information. Let’s assume that you do having your in this case, California address. By looking for work in Portland. That may be a disqualifier before they actually look at your qualifications. I recommend get a local address so you can put that on your resume. You can still add city state without putting your address on there, often it could be that the application itself, the online piece might ask for an address. And that’s when you need. Yes, it’s not something that’s required on a resume date. Yeah. The other thing I would suggest is that if you’re looking at maybe a six month or a one year window to actually make this transition. It’s kind of an on purpose transition, where you have some time is to make regular trips to the area. If you’re going there already to meet people or to be with family, or check out the schools, or whatever that reason might be you can, then bundle, your networking activities, and, and any interviews in those sorts of things around those trips. Yes. Just so that you can optimize your time in geography as much as possible. Well, and I think it’s also especially important if you don’t know the city. Well wherever you’re headed. But even if you do if it’s been awhile since you’ve been there, I think it’s important to maintain your credibility by by being able to speak about that locale in current terms. Because if you’re talking about something that actually hasn’t really been in existence for the last three years, they’re going to they’re going to question, where is this coming from? Right. And you may present that. Oh, yes, I remember when I went to this place where I remember when I went to that place and there, again, going to start to question. Why is there anything current? I love the idea of coming to the destination city periodically because for those who want to build their network in their destination. That’s the way to do it. You gotta show up to things and went in these networking opportunities when they know you’re coming up just to. Work. That actually is a good thing. You’re showing your enthusiasm about wanting to be here, want to help you. Yeah. Exactly. Have a commitment to be in that geography. Be present. People will take you more seriously. That you’re really making that move is not uncommon that when you’re out there on social media trying to make connections that people are going to see what geography you’re in and you can go into linked in put in a new zip code in a change, your geography, even though you’re not living there. But it is important that they see that you are there. It’s not a ruse and believe me, if you are looking at specific employers, they probably will look online, whether it’s Facebook Instagram anything else, they are going to get a mod at your if you have a social media presence, and so if all of your social media is in Newark, New Jersey, and you’re saying that you live in San Francisco that disconnection is going. Raise question marks, if I as a hiring manager have a chance to look at an application from someone that everything is co-pathetic. And then I get one where there something questionable. I don’t think I’m going to spend too much time on the questionable resume or application.

15:04 – 20:01

I will go with one net that feels authentic with that said, if the second one comes in and. Oh my goodness. This person is absolutely qualified. I may give that, that disconnection pass going to that place to do your networking, take pictures talk about the positive experiences you have in your destination city, and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to go there regularly, if you are talking about a very long distance, move, where were driving is not an option then budgeting those plane tickets and having that friend in the city or figuring out a way to afford that trip you can probably do that more often than. You think now they’re going to be some people who simply can’t, and those are the ones that are going to have to hit hard, the efforts on contacting people in the cities, and telling them yes, I’m gonna need relocation and all that. Those jobs are few and far between but they do exist. So don’t lose hope and don’t overlook the value of networking, even when you’re not in that location when we’re finding is more and more people are doing their networking, virtually any ways they’re doing phone conversations or even a Skype and the interviews are happening this way anyways as well. You may have two or three interviews by phone or Skype or what have you before you even show up in a city. Well, and that’s what happened to my last job in California was. I was here in Portland. I did the first two interviews via Skype and then I drove down to have the last interview and ended up staying because they offered me the job that day which was. Not expected. I stay down there and had all my stuff shipped back to me, the one thing about networking via linked in especially is if you are reaching out to someone who is in a different city from where you are now I think it’s really important that you send that message as to why you want to connect, because I get a lot of messages from people in far flung areas, where we have one friend in common or one connection in common. They don’t send me any message. Why would you wanna connect with me? If you tell them why. And then you make an effort to actually engage in conversation with them that will actually begin the effort. But if you’re just connecting with people at a distance, you don’t give him any reason as to why and you don’t follow up. Why would they want to connect? They wouldn’t when you do go into Lincoln, they often make it very easy for you to click a connect. But and you’re not aware that it actually just sends a dealer. Message. They don’t give you the option. So I always encourage people to, to connect from the desktop computer from the profile agent. Exactly go to their provide so they can see number one that you’ve looked at their profile and number two that you clicked the connect button in the actually put a customized message even something saying, like, hey, I’m relocating to the area undoing discovery. We’d like to get your perspective on x y and z. Yup. Are you open to a conversation connect? Yeah. I think that’s the perfect message because it’s clear that what the motive is. I generally has Tate to connect with anyone that I don’t see a logical connection happening unless we have ten connections in common. And then I’m going to assume that there are some affinity there. But I reach out to those people. And then when they come back, they just I wanna know here connected with, that’s a problem. You’re just minding my connections, less than you’re not really looking to network. And that is something that I generally tell people try to avoid doing that. Well, be honest, and at least help people why. And if they say, yes, great, if they don’t that’s okay too. In my book, you’re not gonna get one hundred percent of the people to say yes to that, but, you know, you want to increase your chances of actually getting connected, and having that conversation, right? Regardless of the geography when we talk about the conversations that have been for interviews that can be something of a dance because, for example, again, in my case, I had the Skype interviews those went very well. They wanted to see me in person. So I drove down and. If if you are really trying hard to get to that destination city you have to be prepared to make the trip when it works for them. That’s not easy. So that does take some preparation to be able to do that. But when they know that you’ve done that for them, and if they have said in the job posting or in the conversations you’ve had that they don’t cover relocation. You have to once again be ready with that confidence story to, to explain to them. Why you don’t need relocation assistance.

20:01 – 24:08

Because if, if they can’t offer it, and you can make them feel good about the fact that you’re coming. Anyway, they will consider you if there’s any question about that that’s going to keep a yellow flag. If not a red one flying in the back of their minds and you can check with your tax person. There is a number of things when you relocate that are tax deductible if it’s outside of. Certain mile radius of where you are currently you can write off a lot of those expenses. And, and I worked in the real estate industry. So I know how they fund the relocations is typically, on the back of the real estate commissions. So that’s how they fund all of the all of the costs of relocating. At least the moving piece of it. The one thing I would say in the end, though, is if you really want to go to the other city to different place. Do it make it happen. It can be so exciting. And if you the worst case scenario is you get there and after a year to this just is not working. I hesitate to say that it’s not worth the investment because if you don’t try, you would never know you could always go somewhere else. If you land in a place that you just can’t stand. I also think about bloom where you’re planted. I don’t know who said that. It’s a quote that I’ve known for ever since the great recession when I was going back and forth to, to try and find work blue. More your planted don’t worry so much about what you don’t like find the things that you do. If you are determined to get to new city, make it happen. Don’t be afraid to try it on top of that recommend that you get engaged with a lot of the local publications maybe even get in plugged in with chapters of the associations you belong to maybe there’s a local chapter their greatest ours. Start planning your trips based on. Hey, there’s a chapter meeting for this, and there’s a meeting for that. So not only do these networking things. But I also have all these group of ants so you can optimize your time, great idea. That’s exactly what Katy did is she came to town. She went to breakfast club. And she went to these other things met with Cleon and did all the all the things here locally, and she, you know, it took her some time to find the right position, but she found the perfect position for her. And again, we’ve said it we in fact, we talk about an end the. Enemy of network in conversation about the fact that they want to see you more than once before they trust you, if they see you coming back. They see that you are investing your time in the association in for the local chapter. They are going to take seriously. When you start talking to them about jobs, we do have a free download for you Scott, just mentioned, it, thankfully, that is the Inada me of networking conversation. If you go to the website where the show notes, and everything is located at job seekers. Radio dot com forward slash zero four nine. You’ll see a box there that you can click on to actually download this free resource it a walkie right through all the steps that we have put together this document to make it easy to do something. That’s for most people really scary. I would encourage you to download that free resource. It’s our gift to you for actually listening all the way through this. That’s right. The podcast. I appreciate that will thank you for joining us for this episode of job seekers radio. We want to acknowledge your investment time, and your attention is greatly appreciated head over at I tunes and subscribe to get future episodes. And while you’re there, we’d be grateful, if you’d leave us rate and review your feedback actually goes into future podcasts. And if you have any questions at all we’re happy to answer those questions. So give us an Email message on the website or leave us a review on itunes and we’ll respond to those messages. Well, this is Andrew and I’m Scott until next time seek, and you will find knock and the door will be open to you. Thanks, everybody. Take care.