Many of the same strategies used to locate jobs in your local area are also utilized in a long distance job search. However, finding information on these companies and identifying openings can require more time and effort than a local job search. Once you have identified your area of career interest and geographical preference, you can begin your search.  Keep in mind that employing multiple job search strategies will increase the likelihood of being successful in your search.

Finding Job Opportunities through Networking

• Networking - is commonly regarded as one of the most effective job search strategies. Networking is about establishing relationships that will help you tap into a hidden employment market containing many unadvertised jobs and internships. Talking with people in your target field is a good way to explore your career options, gather information, and understand how to market yourself to potential employers.

• Alumni Clubs - Most major cities have Northwestern Alumni Associations. Visit the Alumni Association web site at:<www.alumni.northwestern.edu>. Members may know of job openings available in the area or can put you in touch with someone in your field. They can also advise you of the job market outlook in that area.

• Professional Organizations - Many professions have national and/or regional organizations that sponsor conferences, workshops, networking events and produce reports documenting trends and helpful advice for becoming marketable for that field. Becoming a member can help your networking efforts and also make you eligible for any mailings, listservs, or web sites that they manage - many of which include job listings. For a list of associations related to various occupations, visit the Occupation Index and locate “Professional Associations” within your industry of interest.

Conducting a Region Specific Job Search
When conducting your job search with a focus on a specific geographical area you will want to formulate and follow a well thought out plan.  Being mindful of the following guidelines will assist you during the process of finding and responding to advertised positions. There are numerous resources that are specifically to tailored those seeking a job in a specific geographical region. The internet has made the region specific job search more manageable.  Utilizing the following resources will help you with this process.

City and State Specific Job Guides – The JOB BANK city and state guides list companies and contact names for specific geographical regions. In addition, several other directories and resource guides pertaining to specific locations or industries can be found in the library and on-line.

About.com – Job listings by state

The Riley Guide – Provides links to research employers, as well as company guides

America’s Job Bank - A very comprehensive site for searching for jobs nationally

Employmentspot.com – A great resource for searching for jobs by state and city

Chicagojobs.org – A comprehensive site with links to several Chicago based job banks

4 International Careers & Jobs – An international employment directory

Craigslist – Provides access to jobs and community resources by state

Jobsbystat.info – Provides information on jobs by field of interest and geographic preference

New York Job Source

Los Angeles Job Bank (http://www.losangelesjobbank.com/)

It is also important to be consider other employment options (http://www.northwestern.edu/careers/students/apply/otheroptions.htm) which may help leverage your job search skills while increasing your marketability to employers.

Locating Employers in a specific industry and region

CareerSearch – is a comprehensive employer database with thousands of company listings.  Registered Northwestern students and alumni may obtain a username/password by sending an email to jobs@northwestern.edu.  Your status as a student or alum will be verified.

Hoover’s – provides contact and profile information for thousands of companies. You can access Hoover’s by logging on to the Library’s electronic resources

Business.com – is another great resource for locating companies and job listings.

I’ve found an organization that interests me, so now what………

Once you have found an organization(s) that interests you -

• Make sure you familiarize yourself with the company’s organizational structure, mission and culture.
• You will want to gain an understanding about what the company does and if you would like working there.
• Review position listings by accessing the company’s career or human resources page and determine if your qualifications are a good match. 

Check and see if there any Northwestern alumni working at the organization(s) in which you are interested by accessing CareerNet – NU’s online database which connects NU students and alumni.

What if the organization that interests me has no available openings………

Consider the following strategy:
A Targeted mailing is contacting employers directly with a highly personalized letter to inquire about employment possibilities.

• Obtain the name and address of the manager who hires for a job or department that interests you. You may need to call the organization to obtain accurate contact information.
• Compose a personalized cover letter to the manager expressing your interest in a specific type of work and request an appointment to explore possibilities.  Within your cover letter be sure to draw a clear connection between the organization’s mission, vision, values and nature of work and what you can offer in terms of work ethic, skills and qualifications.  Close your letter by stating that you will call to see if a meeting can be arranged. Include a copy of your resume.
• If you are not able to secure an appointment, request that the target person keep your resume on file for the next six months and contact you if an appropriate opening becomes available.

Turn the Long Distance Job Search into a Short One

Often when searching for a position long distance you will need to visit that city for a face-to-face interview or arrange to meet with employers at their home offices. Try to plan a visit ahead of time, if possible. Let companies you are interested in know that you will be in town on certain dates and would like to meet with them. Also arrange some informational interviews or meetings with alumni during this time. By planning ahead, a planned visit can result in finding additional opportunities.

Finally, keep in mind that a long distance job search requires time and patience. Making use of several different strategies will increase your chances for success!