By Kelli Robinson
' ~+ h$ \/ c8 w; o# ?8 i: u7 V, {4 ~+ O$ s
When thinking about where you will be living after graduating, do any of the following phrases come to mind?& D1 a$ t4 ^' |& p( N! V* E
* u) Z% K- L) H6 m, W6 ?(a)"I want to move to (name of a city)."
0 R9 ?. I% e$ K/ U4 d* O: a0 g1 a
- N A$ V" h4 q6 ^
(b) "I'm willing to move anywhere, I just want to live somewhere different."
E+ a! d" M1 o2 T3 d+ w
7 R/ V. I! i5 O( ^
(c) "I'm willing to move wherever I can find a job."
* k: \+ @. j$ E w+ w
. Q7 W9 E5 l+ J- w8 c; [; t- n! tIf any of the above statements sound familiar to you, Career Tips for Road Trips will offer some tips, suggestions, and resources on how to make scenario (a), (b), or (c) a reality.
, U- Z! F* f. f- ^
8 W* J( y4 \6 G1 jRealities of Job Searching in a Different City
- j: A# Y8 ]0 |4 a* P4 f T2 O+ g" j# a; q/ E
The truth is it's easier to do a job search in a city in which you already reside. You already know the area. You have a local telephone number and mailing address. You can be more flexible with making an appointment to interview or returning for a second interview. You won't need to make travel or moving arrangements.
; V; S; o2 ]' p6 g
7 O0 _# E) R) v& j, k* U H& S1 tHowever, it's not impossible to find a job in another city. Most people don't relocate unless they have a job waiting for them. If you want to move to another area of the country, you'll find potential employers at job fairs or through your college's on-campus recruiting program.
" B6 h3 r! f! A2 `2 z
, Z0 O! w' M# AHowever, you may want to move to a specific city (not necessarily for a job), or you may be willing to move anywhere for a job, but may not have a specific company in mind.
. W2 H; |2 W) V& S8 j: @7 t
: L0 g2 ?: a3 @2 | |7 HIf you're willing to or want to move, here's what you need to know.
% ?1 b6 u/ v' g" ^; v7 j) R F! E
4 \4 ~, h* Y T# F) WAnywhere, USA Is a Big Place!
4 {: F' W, H. h5 ?4 m6 ^$ k+ x* G
Life will be less stressful and your job search and relocation will be more manageable if you narrow your search to a particular city or region (your specifications should be narrower than "west" or "south.")
! b8 ?. p- J; t7 \' `8 N
+ ]" A( Q8 e* @6 G, w2 c6 h8 T
Consider the following factors when selecting a city or region to move to:
/ q( r" N) `- l9 n- K' N+ @
/ }5 r7 {: F$ c! P1 ?7 R# TCost of living:
4 s) `% G$ t' o* b! C4 c- V" p/ J+ z3 P; d9 C
Can you afford to live in the area(s) you are considering?
2 e0 e3 f# q/ w% _7 I# e
What is the average starting salary for the career fields you are considering? (Go to your career center for salary information.) Plug those numbers into a salary calculator (you'll find one at
www.homefair.com/homefair/calc/salcalc.html) to compare the cost of living in various cities.
. v8 j/ C3 y# v, ` IAsk yourself: Can I afford to live the lifestyle I want in this city or am I willing to adjust my lifestyle as needed (get a part-time job, live with a roommate, use public transportation, go to fewer movies)?
8 l8 Q# X" z* N% |
The environment:# k! ]. z4 W- ?$ r$ }# r) b
# y! e/ R( |4 _Climate—Does the weather suit you? Is it hot or cold? Humid or dry? Does it snow much? (Do you like snow?)
0 y1 f5 s! h2 A& c' n& J, D! [
Economics—What does the economy look like in this area? Is the region growing? What are the industries in the area? If you don't have a job in hand, will you be able to find a job in your field in the area?
" M# x( u; b5 f) |5 q1 v4 J& TSocial/cultural—Are there things to do that match your interests: outdoor activities, book clubs, movie theatres, restaurants, volunteer opportunities, etc.? Are there young people moving into and living there? Is this a place you might want to remain, where you could raise a family (if a family is in your future)?
- |& s( @: j+ F+ F' g3 OProximity to friends and family—How important is it for you to be near them?
: M4 C8 P/ ?- s+ Y, iTransportation:
0 X! U' |& w. \& L3 Z" c4 K! i$ B+ E/ d, F* s2 `5 x8 F! r* F
Is public transportation convenient?
! r* ~3 E0 N* K# J$ uWhat might your commute time be like when traveling to and from your office? In New York City, for example, some people spend one to two hours commuting to work!
$ R5 t! s! R: a* x5 s$ x6 @0 \% fWhat travel options are available if you want to get out of town (bus, train, airplane)?
* [- S4 j/ Z8 \9 R% v9 S$ F! y0 v# X& {3 K ~6 Z% z7 v$ H, H
Make a list of criteria important to your quality of life and then do your research. You'll find your job-search resources will be helpful in planning your relocation.
2 |$ q# T l$ e [/ O- w. b; h! S, ]: m7 m
Network, Network, Network!
; ~- F1 f( W# t6 |& F% z
. c5 O" f% w" {- D0 r( VA key resource in any job search is networking. It's also a great way to find out more about the city where you might want to live.
! n& D* C) E& ?! V
, l4 j/ D9 g" C; r& ` i5 n) _Friends and family—Have you told people your plans to relocate? Can they put you in touch with people who can offer information for your relocation?
5 _' j/ y8 {8 q( z. G7 h% XAlumni—Make the most of the alumni network you are about to join! Contact alums located in the region where you want to live through your school's alumni association.
) E" Z$ L# n$ ?, x# M+ b: I0 lProfessional Associations—Professional associations or societies serve as a great informational source for that profession. They also have local chapters or clubs that you can use as a resource for information on your new location, for an "instant" network, and for people who may be willing to give you advice on everything from where to live to where to get your hair cut. To locate professional associations, hop on the Internet and do a search.
