I'm moving again.
About 7 years ago I packed my bags and left the job of my dreams because I needed to see the world and ended up living in New Zealand as a CRM Consultant.
After long consideration and for personal reasons I decided to move again, this time to Australia.
People move for lots of different reasons. A colleague of mine recently moved because her husband got a job in Melbourne, Australia and she needed to find a new job. Another took on a working holiday for two years in Canada and moved to Toronto. One more decided it was time to go home and went back to Mexico after several years travelling.
Whatever the reason is, moving to a new city is never easy. Searching for jobs is just one of the many things you need to do once you arrive. Searching for jobs in a city where you probably know little to no people, might be a little bit daunting, if not intimidating.
I have heard stories of friends who moved to a new place and took them forever to find a job.
So, knowing this, I decided to be proactive and look for opportunities to hit the ground running and continue my career working for an awesome company.
So far I have achieved my first couple of interviews, which I think are big wins in my search.
This is what I have done and the considerations about it:
Just start now
I decided to move about 4 months ago. So I gave notice, agreed on final dates and started updating my CV and LinkedIn profile.
Don't underestimate the amount of time you need to do this. Building a presence online and having an up to date, attractive CV requires some work.
Make sure you are ready to start connecting with people at least three (3) months before your travel date.
Connecting with people online is like going to a networking event. Doing it once and talking to a person once doesn't guarantee a job interview.
You need to connect with different people, start conversations and build relationships before you apply for roles.
Make sure you are ready to do this prior to 90 days before you travel.
If you are travelling in less than 90 days, you can still do all these. However, you want to dedicate more hours into this than you would if you have more time.
If you are travelling in less than a month, you can start connecting with people, but the chances of getting a job before travelling will be very slim.
If you need a visa
Is almost funny how this fact alone can stop you from getting the right job, even if you are just moving cities.
There are plenty of options for travellers: Work visas, working holidays, partner sponsorship, student visas, etc.
Depending on how long are you to stay and your personal situation you might want to research what options are available for you.
Make sure you discuss the issue with potential employers earlier rather than later.
Understand the legal implications of been sponsored by a specific employer in case you need to move again or want to change your position.
And don't be afraid of talking to immigration agents. Most will give you one free consultation to answer most questions. I was told once, do all the paperwork yourself, and if you get in trouble get an agent. So far, I have talked to a few but never needed one.
Learn what people are looking for
Tech skills are in high demand, but geography and culture can influence decisions about technology.
Is worth researching what frameworks, stacks and tools people use in the new location.
Don't underestimate your soft skills either. Great work ethics and respect are welcomed in every culture.
Go onto the local job search engines and try to find jobs you are interested in and look at what they are looking for.
Forums, Facebook and LinkedIn groups, as well as Google and Twitter, can help you with your research.
Network with the right people
I got two concepts I apply here:
Quality over quantity
When you find jobs you are interested in applying, make sure you connect and interact with people who can start an interview process.
Connecting with other devs is great for referrals but not always guarantees an interview.
Find the hiring manager, the right person in HR, or even someone in the management team who can put a good word for you.
Recruiters from agencies can be great allies if you find a good one. The good ones will try to learn about you and your career, understand your whole situation and match you with the right opportunities.
Is not who you know, is who knows you.
The best way to get a foot at the door is through a relationship. And this concept applies to a lot of things in life.
Building a relationship with someone doesn't happen overnight, but doesn't take that long either.
Connecting with a complete stranger might feel odd at first, but pays off to introduce yourself online.
The best way to introduce yourself is by bringing something to the table.
I use LinkedIn to connect with most people and I always start with "I hope I can add as much value to your network as possible."
Share about your work, your results, your wins and loses (and include the lessons you learned).
Interact with posts they share, comment adding something to the conversation. Attract their attention by giving something they are looking for.
You can do this twice a week for two weeks and people will start noticing you. Once they have, make sure you say hello and engage in a conversation.
Prepare for the interviews
If you are moving to another city or country, chances are you will have the first few interviews online.
Just because you are on an online interview doesn't mean you shouldn't follow the same principles as if you were face to face.
There are basic things you need to consider for an online interview, like time difference, language, proper space to do it and a good internet connection.
Engage in the conversation, make sure there are no distractions, dress for the occasion and smile during the whole thing, even if they can't see you.
You might have a first phone screening, followed by a skype interview which might include technical questions. Online tests and demos are common practices nowadays.
Be prepared for personal questions, including why are you moving and how long are you planning to stay. Hiring someone is an investment. Hiring someone from another city or country is even a bigger one. You and your potential employer have a lot at risk.
Be ready for a lot of rejection
There will be a lot of rejections, for different reasons. Don't take them personally, but by all means, take them.
Rejection is just another way to gather information, and the more information the better. Especially if you are going to a new location.
Learn as much as possible about the local job market, practices, ideas, culture, etc.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket either, and apply for multiple positions at the same time, even in the same company.
Take the time to connect with people, discuss opportunities and interview multiple times.
Chances are if you haven't found a job by the time you move, at least you already know people who can help you.
Finally, once you move, make sure you connect with all of them regardless if you get a job or not. You never know what opportunities can come out of that.
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