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Relocating For An Entry-Level Job - Why You Probably Have To and How To Do It (Preview)
Relocating For An Entry-Level Job - Why You Probably Have To and How To Do It (Preview)
Copyright © 2010 by Heather R. Huhman
Published by Come Recommended
7707 White Cliff Terrace
Derwood, MD 20855
E‐mail: pr@comerecommended.com
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any
means without written permission from the author or publisher.
Special thanks to the entire Come Recommended team, especially Beth Farrar for
the design work and Lindsay Elias and Kristina Allen for the time they spent helping
me research and edit this e‐book.
by HEATHER R. HUHMAN
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Relocating for an Entry-Level Job
> Why You Probably Have to & How to Do It
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 58
Top Areas in the U.S. for EntryLevel Jobs 931
#1 New York City, NY 9
#2 Houston, TX 10
#3 Los Angeles, CA 12
#4 Boston, MA 13
#5 Philadelphia, PA 15
#6 Dallas, TX 16
#7 Chicago, IL 18
#8 San Antonio, TX 19
#9 Denver, CO 21
#10 Salt Lake City, UT 22
#11 Atlanta, GA 24
#12 San Francisco, CA 25
#13 San Diego, CA 27
#14 St. Louis, MO 28
#15 Washington, D.C.‐Arlington, VA 30
Finding NonLocal EntryLevel Job Opportunities 3241
Move without a Job 33
Utilize Social Networks to Connect Online 33
Plan Short Trips Full of Informational Interviews 37
by HEATHER R. HUHMAN
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Relocating for an Entry-Level Job
> Why You Probably Have to & How to Do It
Apply for Internships 40
Tap Your Campus Career Center & Alumni Network 41
Don’t Forget About Local Recruiters 41
Updating Your “Career Tools” to Convey Willingness to Relocate 4243
Create a Plan 43
Determining the Cost of Relocation 4447
Cost of Living Comparison 44
A Tax Break for Job Relocation? 45
How Am I Going to Move All My Stuff & How Much Will It Cost Me? 46
Making a Move…Without a Job 4851
Negotiating a Relocation Package—In This Market 5253
Other Resources 5455
Local Resources 54
Moving & Relocation 54
Roommates 55
Cost of Living 55
About the Author 56
Discount on the Next EBook 57
by HEATHER R. HUHMAN
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Relocating for an Entry-Level Job
> Why You Probably Have to & How to Do It
INTRODUCTION
Six months prior to graduation, my then‐fiancé had been offered a job with a large
corporation in Kansas City—two hours away from where we attended school at the
University of Missouri‐Columbia. Of course, he accepted, and we concentrated our
efforts on finding me a job and a place to live in the area.
Fast forward to four weeks prior to graduation. We found an apartment—several, in
fact—we really liked in Kansas City, but no job for me. Then, seemingly out of the
blue, Brett was invited to interview with a government contractor in Washington,
D.C. They flew him in for a whirlwind interview process, which included a
presentation for anyone who wanted to attend from the organization and the
government department they serve.
He returned to Columbia and accepted an offer from the government contractor a
week later. Graduation was now three weeks away, and our plans had changed
dramatically. (He, of course, gave the Kansas City company proper notice. His sister
has been working there for a while now and loves it.)
Luckily, we had visited D.C. over Spring Break because another large corporation
had been begging him to come interview—and was willing to pay for our trip. Unlike
Kansas City, I had been easily able to secure nine interviews over the three days we
by HEATHER R. HUHMAN
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Relocating for an Entry-Level Job
> Why You Probably Have to & How to Do It
were there. Talk about a whirlwind! However, those resulted in only one offer,
which I declined.
What we didn’t do while we were in D.C. together was look for places to live. Brett
did this a bit on his own when he was invited by the government contractor, and
found a place in Maryland he assured me was suitable. After showing me pictures of
the apartment community online, we signed and faxed the two‐year lease
agreement from Columbia.
Luckily, back then, many large companies paid for moving expenses, including
Brett’s new employer. So, when we graduated Saturday morning, held our wedding
reception Saturday evening (we were getting married in Jamaica four weeks later)
and started our two‐day drive to Washington on Sunday morning, I wasn’t too
worried.
We showed up Monday afternoon to check in with the leasing office and sign more
paperwork. We didn’t have our dog yet—just the two cats. They were already pretty
angry with us for keeping them in their carriers for two days and had nearly trashed
the hotel the evening before. (Nothing was permanently damaged, but they knocked
over every lamp, chair and ice bin they could find.) I remember how hot it was on
that May afternoon and feeling bad we couldn’t let them out yet. The leasing office
wouldn’t even let us bring them into the air conditioning. Where was the moving
van?
by HEATHER R. HUHMAN
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Relocating for an Entry-Level Job
> Why You Probably Have to & How to Do It
We frantically called both drivers’ cell phones until one of them picked up. They
actually were only about an hour behind us—just the amount of time it took to get
through that lease paperwork.
We pulled up to our unit at almost exactly the same time they did, and my phone
rang. It was an association in Maryland looking to interview me—immediately.
Despite how tired I was and the fact that I certainly didn’t have my résumé in front
of me, let alone a computer so I could Google the organization to refresh my
memory, I went ahead with the interview and let the guys handle the moving.
It went extremely well, and I was invited for an in‐person interview later that week
and had an offer before I even arrived home. I really liked my would‐be boss and the
organization itself, so I accepted. After everything, Brett and I started work only a
few days apart—and neither of our employers minded we were about to leave for a
week for our wedding and honeymoon.
I should note how atypical this situation would be today. Relocation benefits are
pretty much off the table. (And the move ended up costing Brett’s employer more
than $10,000.) And the fact that our trip together and Brett’s trip by himself to
interview in D.C. were both paid for by someone other than us…again, very
inconceivable now.
by HEATHER R. HUHMAN
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Relocating for an Entry-Level Job
> Why You Probably Have to & How to Do It
So, graduating students often stick to their hometowns and college towns when it
comes to looking for a place to live and work—never mind that it might take months
longer or never work out.
Sure, they aren’t going to fly you out to interview, but what is the cost of a flight and
hotel stay compared to the salary you’ll receive? One or two days of work?
And I mentioned the move cost more than $10,000. What I didn’t say was the door‐
to‐door service we received. They packed and unpacked nearly everything—plus
brought Brett’s truck across the country. Could the move have cost less? Absolutely!
But with everything we had going on that weekend and the extremely short notice,
we gladly took them up on their generous offer.
What’s a grad to do? The very first column I wrote for Examiner.com was about this
very subject—go where the money is. You’re not doing yourself any favors by
staying in the Columbia’s of the world.
“But how?” you ask. Throughout the pages of this e‐book, you’ll learn all the tips and
techniques you’ll need to pull off a relocation for an entry‐level job, from how to
deduct the expenses on your taxes to what cities offer the most entry‐level jobs to
how to convince an employer you’re better than a local candidate. It’s all here.
by HEATHER R. HUHMAN
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Relocating for an Entry-Level Job
> Why You Probably Have to & How to Do It
by HEATHER R. HUHMAN
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Relocating for an Entry-Level Job
> Why You Probably Have to & How to Do It
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by HEATHER R. HUHMAN
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