Title:Job Search and Job Networking in a New Location
Author:Susan P. Joyce, © 2015 All rights reserved
Date:May 2015
Source:workcoachcafe.com
A job seeker recently described a problem that many of us have had, finding a job in a new location far from "home" and her network. Not too surprisingly, she was having difficulty even landing job interviews, much less a new job.
Problem: No Local Network
Whether you have just graduated from college, followed your spouse or significant other to the new location of their job, or moved for other reasons (e.g., way too much snow this winter), finding a job in a new location can be very challenging.
This job seeker had moved to a new state because her employer expanded their business to the new location and wanted an experienced employee to help set up the new office. However, within six months, the new location was closed down, and she lost her job.
In this new location, she was running into a new problem. Although she was experienced and well-qualified for the job she wanted, she was having difficulty getting interviews.
The main problem she faced was the lack of a good local network. She needed to establish a new network in her new location.
Solution 1: Find Local Members of Your Online Network
In the age of social media, check with family and friends to see if anyone lives — or has lived in — this new (to you) location.
Post this question for your friends on Facebook.
Check your LinkedIn Connections.
Track down old friends, former neighbors and classmates, etc. with Google.
Talk with them — meet with them, if possible — to catch up on what they are doing, their families, and other personal or shared interests. Then, ask them about how they and their local friends found jobs, the best local employers, local organizations that could be helpful for your job search, and anything else that could help with your job search.
At a minimum, you will renew old friendships. Best case, you will learn important information and, perhaps, find a connection to that great new job.
Solution 2: Expand Your Online Network in the New Location
While you are connecting with old friends in your new location, also spend time expanding your network to include new people. With new friends, soon the new location will feel like home (maybe better, if there's no snow).
The Internet provides many opportunities to connect and also to find venues for connecting. LinkedIn is particularly helpful right now.
Join the right Groups (see below). Then, very carefully post a question to the Group, or — better! — send a private message to other Group members who seem to be well-connected for your job search.
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LinkedIn Groups for Your Location
Search for Groups focused on your new location. For example, by simply typing "Omaha" into the search bar at the top of the LinkedIn page, selecting "Groups" from the drop-down in the gray box on the left of the search box, and clicking on the search button, LinkedIn found over 500 results, including:
- Greater Omaha Young Professionals
- Omaha Networking Group
- Omaha Women in Leadership
- Greater Omaha Chamber (of Commerce)
- Linked Local Omaha
- All About Omaha
- Over 500 more...
Do the same search for your location to see what you find. You may need to choose the nearest big city to get a significant number of options.
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LinkedIn Groups for Your Profession
Search the LinkedIn Groups for your profession. You may find some local organizations and local branches of national organizations. But, regardless of location (or lack), professional organizations expand your network. That expansion may well reach your current location, but you won't know until you look.
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LinkedIn Groups for Your School/College/University Alumni
Even if you didn't attend at the same time, sharing the common experience of attending the same school serves as a conversational starting point, helping you connect with people (and expand your network).
Most schools have caught on to the benefits of helping alums as well as recent grads, and they often have a network of alums scattered across the country who help other alums.
Contact the alumni office to find those people to ask for advice, preferably from someone in the target industry, profession, and the target employers. Or, get the same help from members of the LinkedIn alumni group for the school.
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Employees of Your Target Employers
Do an "advanced" search on LinkedIn for people who currently work for your target employers. (Click on the "Advanced" link at the top of a LinkedIn page, to the right of the center search bar.)
You may find people in your network — nearby or far away — who can help you connect with that employer.
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Company Pages of Your Target Employers
Search LinkedIn for the company pages of your target employers. Those pages contain information about the organization as well as other useful information.
Bottom Line:
People with good networks don't often find themselves job hunting, because when they are ready to move, they tap into their network for new opportunities (or the new opportunities tap them). If they do need a job, unexpectedly, they land one relatively effortlessly.
