Has anyone here relocated first, gotten a job second?

[EllieD]

I know it is not recommended, but I am suspecting that some people have successfully chosen their desired location first, and then gotten a job after they move there. I am looking for those who have done so successfully to share their experiences- how long did it take you to find a job, what field of work are you in, where did you move to, would you do it again? That kind of thing. I know everyone's experience is unique, so at this point I'm not really looking for advice as to whether I should do it (if I get to that stage, I'll post more details about my specific situation), I'm just looking for people who did it and were successful. I'm finding it very hard to look for jobs from so far away (looking to move from east to west).

[lizzzi]

We need a little more information, like what you do for a living. Are your job skills in demand or not? Can you check the websites of companies or facilities you might want to work for? Where do you want to live (neighborhoods, etc.), and what is the commute to places you might be interested in working? Are you married or living with an SO who is moving to this area for their job, so that you will at least have the cushion of their income? How much money do you have--that is, how long can you support yourself without having a job in the new area?

I was a military wife for many years, and of course had access to my husband's salary and sometimes to military housing or at least to recommendations for temporary quarters (kitchenette/motels etc.) while we looked for housing or waited to get into something. As a nurse, I would always in advance check out the hospitals around the new area, and often would call their personnel offices just to say hello and let them know I was moving to the area. Responses were usually friendly and receptive...I was usually told to come down to Personnel and fill out an application once we got to town. Another thing I've done, when I was waiting for reciprocal state licensure to come through, was to go down to the Labor Dept., or just check the classifieds, and get some kind of "ordinary" job while waiting for my state nurse's license. I worked in a factory in Colorado, and a party goods store in Connecticut, just for 12-16 weeks or so.

So I don't know if this is helpful or not, but FWIW just my experiences in the past.

[skekses]

I moved from the east coast to the west coast two years ago without having a job lined up. Everything worked out fine. These were the steps I took and the reasons why I felt it was ok to move forward:
- No debt, spending as cleaned up as I could get it, had some savings, timed the move to coordinate with my lease termination
- I'm single and therefore didn't have anybody to convince
- My job is in accounting which can be done anywhere and I was flexible as to where exactly I would end up and whom I might work for
- Moved to an area where I had family and was able to live without rent until I found a job (which happened almost immediately, but I didn't know that when I made my plans)
- Kept my other spending at a minimal level until I had income again

Do I think you need all of those factors? No. If you don't have family and friends to lean on, then more savings might be helpful. If you have no family, no friends and no money I'm still fairly convinced that anyone with a strong inclination to make something happen will be able to find a job. Will it be your dream job? Probably not, but it should still help bring in a little money to help with the bills while you settle some of the other things that must be done when you move to a new place.

[undercover]

Of course they have...and there's anecdotes all over the internet of those that have. But they're not you. Their situation is entirely unique, full of variables that may not apply to you in the slightest.

[TravelJunkyQC]

Short answer... always. I've never moved for a job.

I got there, found a temporary gig (rock-climbing gym, restaurant) to meet people and bring in cash while I search for something in my field.

Being debt free and only myself to fend for helps.

Agreed, we need more information to give a better response.

[catccc]

I almost did.  I planned a move and it was a go on a certain date, whether I had a job or not.  I ended up getting a job and pushed my move date up.  But I would have gone w/o a job.  I had plenty of cushion and didn't think it would be a long process to find something suitable.  (Accounting.)

[PencilThinStash]

I just did this back in February.

Moved from Atlanta to the suburbs of Chicago. Wasn't having much luck with the job hunt from ATL, but I was 100% sure that I was going to move. Decided to just Nike it and hunt locally. Found a job within 3-4 weeks.

I happen to have a great support network in the area - No family but a boatload of amazing, generous friends. Spent that first month in several of their guest bedrooms, actually ended up saving a little money because none of them would accept rent from me (I did offer). Got my own place <2 miles from work once I landed the job.

The job is in play/musical publishing. It's a bizarre trifecta that blends a former hobby (ex theatre kid), my college degree (Music Business), and my professional skill set (IT). I couldn't create a job that fits me more perfectly if I tried. And I never would have found it if I hadn't moved up here to hunt locally.

So... yes, there's risk to doing it. But with a decent support network or a big enough pile of cash to fall back on, it can turn out really well. If I could go back 6 months and do it differently, I wouldn't change a thing.

[EllieD]

Thank you to those who have shared their experiences so far! That is exactly what I'm looking for...I realize no one is going to have circumstances exactly like mine, but it is helpful for me to hear what other people have done and how it worked out for them.

[Del Griffith]

My spouse did this successfully a few years back, but for him there were a few factors that made the leap much easier. For example, we were long distance dating at the time and I was living in a town close to the one we both grew up in. (We grew up in the same town before he went away to school, and we met later in our mid-20s through friends.) All his family and many friends lived in my area so when it came to 'who will move closer to who?' the choice was simple. Along those lines, he is an accountant so out of the two of us it would've been easier for him to find work more quickly.

He was nervous -- selling a home, moving, lining up a new job -- but I assured him that he was moving back to his safety net and he would never be without somewhere to stay. By some stroke of luck, his house sold the same week he got a job offer. All in all, I think moving to where his support network was made it less nerve-wracking for him. This situation is obviously filled with specific circumstances, but, hey, a success story nonetheless.