Guide to get your next job in another city.

It is difficult to get a job in a place where you are nowhere to be found. This article will give you actionable tips to make sure you are moving in the right direction. Step one, write on your resume that you are planning on moving to that city, or interested in moving to that city. You can put this in your objective statement for instance. If you are for sure planning on moving to that city, it would be crucial that you update your Linkedin profile to show that city on it instead of your old city. This is not dishonest as long as you tell them in the interview the date when you will officially be in that city for good. In order to make sure that the recruiter doesn’t just assume that you are applying to the wrong job and that you just are looking to work remotely, make sure you tell them that you are willing to relocate.

Step number two, during the interview, tell your interviewer that you are planning on moving to that city by a specific date and tell them what that date is. This shows that you’re serious about moving. If you don’t know exactly how or when you’re going to move then skip this step.

Step number three, ask your friends for contacts they may have in the city that you’re moving to and then set up informational interviews with those people who they know. You can send an email to people in your network asking for these referrals. You can also do an informational interview. Your friends can introduce you to these people in whatever city you’re moving to. The reason why you’re going to want to do this is you need to build a network in that new city. Each person who you meet can introduce you to another person, getting you one step closer to that ultimate opportunity. It takes the long way, but the long way is ultimately the short way.

Number four, reach out directly to people at those companies in that city who you want to work for. Sure, you don’t know them, you’re reaching out cold, but strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet, so just go for it. You can write an email starting with something custom to the person in the first paragraph, tell them your situation, and ask for advice, not a job, this is perfect, because you should only ask about opportunities once you’ve gotten to know each other and then you can ask them if there’s anyone else they recommend you meet.

Step number five, set a time for in-person meetings. So you’ve done all the previous steps. You’ve had a bunch of video calls and phone calls, so the next step is to tell the people who you’ve been corresponding with, when you are going to be in town and ask them if you can meet them in person. Having video and phone calls is good in the beginning, but eventually you just have to get out there. Setting specific dates for your visit will actually make people more proactive and more likely to commit to the meeting since there’s a time constraint. I know it can be expensive to afford to travel somewhere and stay there for several days, but this could really be the way that you are able to find a job that you will be happy in for years, so think about it as an investment in your future. So remember first, state on your resume that you’re moving to that place. Second, in your interview, mention the specific date that you will be moving to that city. Third, ask your friends to connect you with other professionals in the area. Four, just cold reach out to people at companies that you’re interested in and ask for advice. Five, pick some dates that you’ll be in town and set up some meetings.