Landing a Job In New City Before Moving.. Help!

[AboveTheRim]

Hello all, 

 

I'll be moving about 9 hours from my current city for grad school, and unfortunately I won't be getting a TA/RA/GA, so my next option for employment is a part-time gig as a server or something akin to that, or an entry-level job in my field.

 

Obviously I would want to work in my field while going to grad school, but my question is HOW to land a job in a city before moving there? I can't go for a face-to-face interview until I move, and while I do have savings, I don't want to wait until I move to land a job, thereby digging into my savings. When should I start looking? Where should I be looking? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure I'm not the first person to go through this.......

[Arrowfletch]

I won't be doing this and really have very little experience with job searches anyway, but I can give my 2 cents.  As far as working in your field, I would ask people you know already at home if they have any connections in that city, or know of any companies or institutions that you could look into.  You can also try to contact other students or any professors or other workers at your new school that you have been in contact with or are expected to help incoming students, and ask them if they have suggestions for earning a living while you're there.  As long as you can send in applications online or even by mail, applying shouldn't be an issue, though I'm sure you'll need to add some statement to confirm that you will for sure be there at a certain point.  Depending on the type of job (I'd guess a better chance with field related work where you need some background than a general job where there will be plenty of nearby applicants) they might be willing to conduct phone or even Skype interviews if you can't be there in person.

[SeriousSillyPutty]

You might be able to work this to your advantage for some low-pressure networking.  If you know some companies that might tie in with your field then you could try to set up an informational interview over the phone -- or just get some good email correspondence.  Explain that you'll be moving to the area later, and that you're going to grad school, so you want to know more about what opportunities their company may have, and what kind of experience they're looking for.  Since it's just informational, they may also be able to give you ideas about people, organizations, or other companies you should contact.   I find it's always easier to talk to people when I'm not asking for something big (like a job) but rather just picking their brains about some things.  Then, when it gets closer to moving time, you can contact them again thanking them for the advice, and either ask them what jobs are available, or (if they're listed online) if they think you are applying to the jobs that match your skill set.  Instead of being another person harassing them about a job, you can be the person that's built a relationship with them over several months.

(Easier said than done, I'm sure -- but I did land an internship by asking if there was an internship and finding out there wasn't but they could make something up for me, so it's not entirely crazy.)

[AboveTheRim]

You might be able to work this to your advantage for some low-pressure networking.  If you know some companies that might tie in with your field then you could try to set up an informational interview over the phone -- or just get some good email correspondence.  Explain that you'll be moving to the area later, and that you're going to grad school, so you want to know more about what opportunities their company may have, and what kind of experience they're looking for.  Since it's just informational, they may also be able to give you ideas about people, organizations, or other companies you should contact.   I find it's always easier to talk to people when I'm not asking for something big (like a job) but rather just picking their brains about some things.  Then, when it gets closer to moving time, you can contact them again thanking them for the advice, and either ask them what jobs are available, or (if they're listed online) if they think you are applying to the jobs that match your skill set.  Instead of being another person harassing them about a job, you can be the person that's built a relationship with them over several months.

(Easier said than done, I'm sure -- but I did land an internship by asking if there was an internship and finding out there wasn't but they could make something up for me, so it's not entirely crazy.)

 

Absolute great idea! Thank you very much.