We all know that job-hunting is stressful enough as it is, let alone adding moving to a new city into the mix. But sometimes a move is the perfect opportunity to reinvent yourself and jump-start on a new career.
We’ve compiled a few pointers that will making tackling the job-hunt in a new city much more manageable, whether you’re moving to another city or a new country altogether, you don’t want to skip out on this advice.
Get your references sorted before you move
We live in a digital world. It’s easier now more than ever to connect with people on the other side of the world.
There shouldn’t be a reason why your future employer can’t contact your references back home.
If your hiring manager can’t get ahold of your references, you’re likely to get skipped over for the position. Ask your references to keep an eye on their inbox and junk box, so they don’t miss a reference check.
Get on LinkedIn
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LinkedIn is an essential tool for connecting with people professionally. You can directly message hiring managers and recruiters in companies of your interest.
With the right LinkedIn strategy, you can even arrange interviews before you move and sometimes, you can arrange video interviews (the internet is amazing!)
When moving to a new city, you’re likely starting your professional network from scratch. An active Linkedin profile will give your resume some credibility, especially if the potential employer is unfamiliar with the companies on your resume.
Make your LinkedIn easier to find by changing the vanity URL to your name.
Take online classes
A big move is a perfect opportunity to reinvent yourself.
You can start a new career path or switch your current direction. Either way, you’ll want to sharpen your skill set to add some juice to your resume.
Have a look at job requirements on the job postings. Brush up on some skills that are a little rusty or learn something you’ve always wanted to.
Udemy, Skillshare, and Lynda are some of my favourite resources for online courses.
Use Facebook groups
One of the best tools for networking and finding work is Facebook groups. It’s a great place to ask for advice and start connecting with people.
Facebook features a search function where you can enter keywords to help match relevant groups.
Search “Brisbane Administration Jobs,” “Auckland Hospitality,” or “Sydney Accounting” for more specific groups.
Register with a recruitment agency
Recruitment agencies are the experts when it comes to finding work. Recruiters know the job market and have the network to help you find your dream job.
Besides the database of amazing career opportunities, recruitment agencies can help you format your resumes and groom you for your interviews.
A recruiter’s job is to match up candidates to the perfect roles in the city they service. A good agency can save you a lot of time and stress.
Open yourself up to temp work
When you move to a new city, you’ll realise how much more free time you have now that you don’t have as many social obligations.
With an open schedule, temp-work is your best friend.
Do your research and register with a recruitment agency who have clients and roles that interest you. With temp-work, you can “try on” different roles and working environments.
If you’re lucky and you do exceptionally well in a role, you’ll be on their mind for a permanent position when it comes along.
If moving to a new country, check your visa restrictions and required permits
In Australia, working-holiday visa holders can only work with one company for a maximum of 6 months.
This can make it challenging to find work, so know what you’re getting yourself into and make sure your employer is aware of this ahead of time.
If you’re looking for work in hospitality, childcare, or construction, get organised and get on top of any required permits you’ll need to hold these jobs like serving licenses, Blue Card (for working with children in Queensland, Australia), and a White Card (for Construction in Queensland).
Practice patience and an open mind
You’ll have to be patient when looking for work abroad.
Even with a killer job application strategy, job hunting can sometimes take months.
If you’re unable to find work in your desired profession right away, get creative in ways you can make money in the meantime.
Sites like Airtasker post one-of jobs for errands and other odd jobs around the city.
Hostels tend to post short-term work, and even volunteer opportunities can turn into work opportunities.
The most important thing you can do to help your chances of landing a job is to get yourself out there and meet people.
Earlier on the blog, we interviewed, Iwona Wegrzyn a Majer candidate who moved to Australia from Poland and she shares some of her advice on moving to a new city and job hunting.
Wishing you the best of luck on your job hunt. If you need more advice, don’t hesitate to contact our team!
This article was originally posted on Kitty Gang on 7 Tips To Help You Find Work In Another Country and was re-written to suit Majer Recruitment and tips to finding work in any new city.
