<p>Hi parents, I recently graduated from college as of December. I’m still in the job-hunting mode. However, I really want to move out of California (I’m in the L.A. area) and move to either Philadephia or Minneapolis. However, also, it seems almost impossible to get an interview from companies out of the area, much less securing a job. </p>
<p>I just want to know, for those of you who had kids move away to a new area/city/state after college, how did they do it? did they move to the new place before getting a job? I have heard comments that one should always secure a job prior to moving, but also that most companies will not interview for people for entry-level jobs.</p>
<p>EDIT: I was an accounting major but because of my GPA, I’m pretty much willing to work for any job just to gain hands-on experience. I didn’t do internship while in class (BIG mistake) but rather worked full-time in service jobs during the summer instead</p>
<p>Does your U 9that you graduated form) have a placement office
Job and career fairs
Our S was attending those from his freshman year and folks from all over the country would come recruiting. They interviewed on campus and if they liked you enough they would invite you for future interviews on site. I have heard of other folks who have had sinilar experiences.</p>
<p>The best place to find your first full time job after college is your school’s Career Center. That’s where companies, many are from out of state, came to recruit. That’s where my son found his three summer internships and his first full time job after college. All of them are with different companies at different states.</p>
<p>one of my son’s friends recently had success with a cross-country move by registering with a bunch of temp services in the area in which she wished to live. </p>
<p>First she worked for several months at home to save up a nest egg for living expenses when she moved. She also worked on honing as many job skills as possible, for example, Excel and SalesForce etc.</p>
<p>When she moved, she at first lived with some friends while hitting every temp agency she could.</p>
<p>Some temp jobs came her way, and she made sure to knock it out of the park at each opportunity. One of the jobs ended up liking her a lot, and she now has a contract position with them. She wishes it was a regular position, and not a contract position, but at least it is somewhat stable for the near term, and she is continuing to look for her next position from the positive position of being employed. Plus, her resume will reflect real world work experience which should help her get that next job.</p>
<p>Some of my son’s friends got jobs through college career fairs. Couldn’t talk my kid into going to one but he sent out resume’s to different places and did an interview by skype.</p>
<p>My older son got summer internships in CA (he was in college in Pittsburgh and we live in NY). He got them through either the career office or department networking. He had usually had an initial interview via Skype and if they liked him they flew him out. He’s in comp sci and they seem to have a lot of money to throw around. His after college job came from his last summer internship.</p>
<p>My son was on the other side of the country on the west coast for an internship. They offered to keep him on, but it was a company he didn’t want to stay with for a number of reasons and didn’t particularly like the city. He wanted to get a job back on the east coast in Boston or NY. It became clear, after about 3 weeks, he got some responses along the lines of “come on in for an interview when you are in town.” He decided he needed to move in order to get a job. It worked, only because he was in the right place at the right time. You can’t do that when you’re out of town. He had little luck with the career center.</p>
<p>Like you, our son had his heart set on a certain location. Immediately after college, he lived and worked 3 months from home, waiting tables and laying low (no spending), saving every penny for a September move. </p>
<p>While home, he scoured Craigslist in his destination city for people advertising for live-in childcare. He had no prior experience, but good character references. The job he found preferred a male caregiver (most do not), because it involved two school-aged boys who needed escort through city subways after school to the family home, serving them their dinner, tutoring all their homework. </p>
<p>This particular job included a place to live, and required only 20 regular hours/week afterschool so he could set up other interviews and appointments to upgrade. One year later, he had the jobs and apartment set-up he wanted, so departed the family amicably.</p>
<p>My DDs first job out of university was in a far away city. She knew she wanted to go there so in the fall of senior year she went to visit and talked to any and every contact she had gotten from professors, coaches, staff at her university. </p>
<p>She heard nothing from any of them, total crickets, until the week after she graduated, when she got a great job offer from one of the people.</p>
<p>S was offered a job he hadn’t even applied for–simply based on a reference from a former college classmate (someone from the class above him, whose employer was looking to fill a position very quickly). Super lucky for him, but I guess I’d say “networking” and keeping in touch with friends was they key to his luck. Also, being open to moving to a far-away place he’d NEVER considered going to.</p>
<p>Do you know anyone in those cities? Friends or could you make contact w/friends-of-friends who may let you couch-surf for a period - and pay them a bit - while you look. Relatives especially would be good. Don’t be shy re asking. People will feel very differently re how long they want you there.</p>