In a rough economy, one solution for frustrated job hunters is to look further afield. After all, some cities have better employment prospects than others. This is particularly appealing to many young people who are not yet tied down by a mortgage or family commitments. But how do you go about finding a gig in a distant city — do you move first and then look (accruing the relocation costs before you’re sure of your income) or is it possible to find a job before you go? Popular career blogger Penelope Trunk thinks so, but only if you can do one of the following:

Pitch yourself as specialized - Most people are relocating from a city that is in low demand to a city that is high demand. For example: Tucson to San Francisco. There are not a lot of skill sets that someone has to look outside San Francisco to get. If you want to get a job from Tucson, you need to have one of those skill sets that people do not think they can hire for in San Francisco. Usually this means that you’re very specialized. Pitch yourself as a big-city catch - Some of you are trying to move the opposite direction: New York City to Tuscaloosa. In that case, you can pitch yourself as having big-city know-how that you can bring to a smaller city. I know from having a company in Madison that when we hear a star performer from a big city is relocating to Madison, we automatically consider interviewing that person. It’s a bias that the competition is so much tougher in big cities that people who have risen to the top are probably worth looking at.

And if neither of these options suits you? Trunk says you need a reality check: “If you can’t pitch yourself in either of those ways, then you’re going to have to relocate before you get a job.” Having moved around quite a bit myself (four cities in seven years), I can testify from personal experience that it’s difficult to get a gig before you go — it’s never worked for me. Still, it’s obviously not impossible, but if you do decide to move before you’re hired, what advice is there?

In my experience, relocating can be terrifying (and exhilarating). If you can’t quiet your nerves, imagine the worst case scenario. It sounds frightening, but for young people failure usually just means you’ll be back where you started (with an adventure under your belt) and that’s generally not too scary. Plus, pondering getting a gig quickly will force you to think realistically about your budget and plan accordingly. Also, ask your friends and family to introduce you to anyone they know in the new city. Networks matter for looking for a job and for staying sane. Social media can also help here, as Trunk points out. Finally, you might consider building your resume through an internship or volunteer project while you look for a job. If you’re bleeding money and have the time, you may as well also do something positive.

Any other advice from those who have moved cities in search of work? Is Trunk’s advice solid? Is mine?

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