Networking helps out of town job hunts

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Dear Joan:
I'm planning to expand my job hunt to some other cities that I'm interested in moving to and I really don't know where to start looking. I'm not certain which city I'll eventually move to, so I can't really tell these people for sure that I'm moving there. Also do you think I'm at a disadvantage because I'm from out of town? With all the competition, companies may not want to bring me in for an interview. How should I job hunt in these out of town locations?

Answer:
The place to start is with the want ads from papers in those cities. Subscribe to the Sunday edition of the largest paper and tell them to include the want ads when they ship it; sometimes they take them out to reduce shipping costs. Then clip out any want ad that looks interesting or any article about a company you want to contact. You may even want to start a scrap book-it will give you an idea of salaries, the kinds of jobs that are available and names of people to contact.

Another idea is to copy pages out of their local phone book. You can get copies of most city phone books in major libraries and look up companies in your field. Reference librarians can be very helpful to you and will give you a number of good reference books to use. You can also contact the local chamber of commerce.

It's true that companies are going to think twice about calling you for an interview because of travel costs. So what I would say in your cover letter is that you are planning a move to that area...I wouldn't say I was just thinking about it. They want to know you're serious. Saying you are planning a move doesn't commit you to it but will make employers feel more secure in contacting you.

Also, I'd plan a trip to that area and put the dates of your trip right in the letter, so they are more likely to try and interview you when you're there. Plan your trip at least two or three months out. You can always cancel it if you don't have any job leads or your plan changes.

Another way to use your planned trip is to use it for networking. There's no doubt it's tougher to network long distance but you will have a good reason to call if you're coming for a visit. One way to get names of potential contacts-besides from their newspaper-is to contact any professional organizations you belong to and ask them if there's a chapter in that city. If you join that out- of- town chapter, you can then use their membership directory for names; and those members will be more likely to help a new member who is planning a move to their town.

It's a little intimidating to contact strangers, so when you contact these people, here's a brief outline to help you, if you call: 1. Introduce yourself and tell them right up front that you are planning a move to their area. 2. Then tell them a little about your experience and what kinds of positions you are looking for. 3. Ask them about their job and the community. 4. Tell them when you will be coming to town and ask them for an appointment for some job hunting advice when you're in town. 5. Ask them for names of other people they think you should meet with during your visit.

You may be surprised by the response you get. Most people are eager to help a newcomer and want to portray their town as friendly and hospitable. In fact, they are sometimes more accommodating to someone from out of town than they are for a local job hunter. And because you only have a specific time planned for your trip, they are usually willing to squeeze you in.

You may feel more comfortable writing them a letter first and then telling them you will call within a few weeks. That way, when you make the follow up call, you can tell the secretary he or she is expecting your call. You can use the above outline in developing your letter.

If you are contacted by a company for an interview, they will pay the expenses for your trip. They typically will arrange your hotel accommodations and air and ground transportation, since you don't know their area. In this case, ask them if you can stay a few extra days (at your own expense). Then network in advance to fill up those days with informational interviews.