Job hunting is hard, but it is even harder from a distance. One of the things that worries me most about military life is finding a job I love, only to have to move away before I get a chance to actually make my mark there.
I’m also worried about moving before I find a new job. I like to have things lined up for me and uncertainty can be scary.
Most of all, I am worried about jumping around from random job to random job without ever being able to set up a real career path. I am concerned that I will just accept any job I get in a new city because I am scared of having nothing at all.
In order to make the jumps from city to city smoother, I started doing some research about how to approach that problem. I found a helpful article from The Muse and wanted to share some of their tips, because I know I can’t be the only person worried about this issue.
-
“Since it’s usually more expensive and uncertain to hire a remote candidate, ask your contacts to introduce you to prospective employers… And don’t stop at prospective employers—ask for introductions to your contacts’ friends and colleagues as well.”
-
“There are more logistical challenges when job-hunting remotely, so be prepared to adapt to different interview settings and timelines.”
-
“There’s no better way to show you’re serious about moving to a place than by physically being there. Make an effort to spend a week in your new location—or take a few short trips over the course of a couple of months—to schedule interviews, meet contacts, and explore apartments… Once you have your trips planned, reach out to recruiters and hiring managers letting them know that you’re in the area and would love to meet them in person.”
Read the whole article here.
The Ambition Mission 
It took me about 6 weeks to find a job when I moved to Washington. I had zero responses to resumes before I physically moved, but started getting interviews once I was actually here. There were periods that I thought I would never find anything–before I moved, I’d never not been offered a job I interviewed for– but things did work out rather well. I would add to observe the cultural differences between where you’re from and where you’re going, there are some MAJOR differences between states.
I’ve been told before that having an out of state address on your resume can deter employers from even looking at your application. Depending on where we move next, I might try to use a friend or family members address if they live close.
You both have great suggestions! I am so glad to have new ideas to figure out how to tackle this challenge.
Another great tool for Military Spouses is to link up with your local In Gear Career Chapter. We are a national non profit with local chapters across the US that provide professional development and networking for career minded military spouses. With over 80% of all jobs filled through referral, it really helps to have that network when you move somewhere new. Check out their website at http://www.ingearcareer.org
And if there isn’t a chapter in your area you can always get one started. I started the one here at Fort Campbell this year and already we have seen a great response with the community. Let me know if you have any questions.