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Best tactic for obtaining a job in a different state

6,950 Views | 57 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by Repeat the Line
2012AG_Brian
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A little background on me, I graduated in 2013 with a degree in Finance and have worked at the same company doing Accounting/Analyst work for 4 years. So, I was waiting to hear back about a local job and just found out that there is a no compete that prevents me from getting the position in my current city, The Woodlands. Besides that position I had been wanting to get out of the state preferably to somewhere more scenic like Denver. However, I have no real plan as to the best way to land a job in a different city/state in my field of work. Is it best to go through a head hunter, try to network with past associates, or just pack up move out there and hope for the best on the job hunt?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Updated 2/27/18
Newest post was just a quick update. TL;DR version:
Got a job
Moving to SLC
Thanks for the help!
I'm moving to the MOUNTAINS!

ktownag08
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All of the above.

Apply to positions in your desired location with a well thought out cover letter stating your career goals and why you want to relocate to a city you've never lived in. As someone who's relocated employees to work for me, I spent a LOT of time during interviews asking about "Why (insert city)?", etc.
Splitag
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Have a resume critique. Be strategic. Use the tools available to you. I have found LinkedIn to be very helpful, but you have to do some leg work too. Write a targeted cover letter, and always network in any avenues that are available.
AggieC07
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The best way would be to actually move out there and start looking but also the riskiest.

Be prepared to have a really good reason as to why you want to move to Denver and how it fits into your long-term goals. There is a stigma against Texans that they will always inevitably end up back to Texas.
IrishTxAggie
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Have a lawyer review your non-compete while you're at it.
2012AG_Brian
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ColinAggie said:

Have a lawyer review your non-compete while you're at it.
Luckily the non compete should not be an issue. It was only an issue because I worked for the company I was trying to move to, but the division I was in got sold off to a well known private investment group. Still work in the same building as the other company but they put in a non compete to avoid companies going after the others talent. Whole situation is funky.
IrishTxAggie
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2012AG_Brian said:

ColinAggie said:

Have a lawyer review your non-compete while you're at it.
Luckily the non compete should not be an issue. It was only an issue because I worked for the company I was trying to move to, but the division I was in got sold off to a well known private investment group. Still work in the same building as the other company but they put in a non compete to avoid companies going after the others talent. Whole situation is funky.
Sounds like you could claim you signed the non-compete under duress due to fear of losing your job if you didn't.
2012AG_Brian
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The problem is that I didn't sign anything new with this agreed upon sale, it was all agreed to at the management level that they wouldn't go after the others employees. It really sucks, because I was going to be leaving here anyways and if it was 3 months earlier it wouldn't be an issue(Companies were still one).
IrishTxAggie
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Then you don't have a non-compete. You have a gentlemen's agreement or the managers signed a no poaching agreement between the two firms.
2012AG_Brian
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Oh sorry if I used the wrong terminology here. Haha it is obviously a weird situation for me that is completely out of my league.
IrishTxAggie
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No worries. If you haven't signed anything, you're free to go work for whomever the hell you want to. If a company has an agreement with your current firm, that's a contract between them. Hopefully they can keep their mouths' shut about it if you had already applied before the status change. Nothing is hindering your ability to go elsewhere.
lunchbox
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If you know someone in the city or area you might want to move to, ask if you can use their address on the application/resume. That will help open more doors. Just be ready to explain that you are in the middle of the process of moving.
agdaddy04
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I'm pretty sure 62strat on here moved from Houston to Denver without a job. Maybe reach out to him? There's also a pretty long Denver thread on the "Around the US" board.
HollywoodBQ
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This tricky and before we get started, I'll say that places like Denver are flooded with people who want to live there (like how Austin is flooded with t.u. grads) and are willing to take less money, etc., just to live in Colorado.

As mentioned, Denver has its own thread which is full of sunshine pumping. Many folks will move up there with no job and hang around until something works out. Most of these folks probably didn't have a good job in the first place but... I digress. Full disclosure - I moved from Austin to Denver and lived in Highlands Ranch for 4 years. I loved it but... when I got laid off, which eventually happens to everybody in Denver, I wasn't willing to pay the premium to keep living in Denver. Out of the hundreds of Texans I met in Denver, I only know about 4 who are still there. I know, this is an extensive - fair warning message but, I just don't want you to get starstruck.

Now, how do you find a job out of state?

In my experience, you've already hit on the top 2:
  • Personal Networking
  • Headhunter/Recruiter

When I moved from Austin to Denver, I had a personal referral from a guy I had worked with in Austin who had moved from Houston to work for this company in Denver. He recommended they interview me and the rest was history. Although, they did give me a nice salary increase and a relocation package to move to Denver so, hiring me for the job met their needs and their offer met my needs.

After getting laid off in Denver, I got in touch with a headhunter/recruiting firm who took a liking to me and more importantly, they were able to sell me as a contractor for extended periods of time. It still took a couple of months and the relocation and interview costs came out of my own pocket but, I was able to use a recruiter to help me move from Denver to Los Angeles. Also note that the initial job they liked me for wasn't the job I wound up getting. Because I had already talked with them extensively, when a job came up that I was a good fit for, it was a fairly short process to get hired. One other caveat on the LA job is that this was a highly specialized skill set so, they weren't going to just find anybody off the street.

powerbelly
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Quote:

Denver are flooded with people who want to live there (like how Austin is flooded with t.u. grads) and are willing to take less money, etc., just to live in Colorado.
I feel like this can't be stated enough.
AggieC07
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I've heard Denver referred to as "Menver" because of all the dudes there.

I've been a few times but didn't really notice a huge discrepancy in males to females
2012AG_Brian
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Thanks for the insight and I already had some inkling of the supply and demand problem for Denver. I also am not set on Denver(more or less a suburb of Denver anyways like Longmont), that was just one location I was considering. Honestly for a single guy moving I just want the outdoor perks of a state like Colorado/Utah/New Mexico/Wyoming/Idaho. I want to rock climb, backpack, hike, snowboard, fly fish, the typical outdoorsy weekend, and in that regard Houston has been soul sucking.

Thanks for all the insight from everybody though, the advice has been very helpful. I am just hopeful that having a Finance/Accounting background should make me a relatively hire-able candidate wherever I end up.
AgLA06
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If you like the idea of Denver, maybe check out Salt Lake City. The Mormon ratio has come down more than I expected. It's a beautiful city with something crazy like 10 ski resorts inside an hour and a half. Mountains surround the town with Salt Lake and the desert on the one opening. Lots of hiking and public land and plenty of hunting opportunities. I was amazed at how many golf courses there were.

Apparently there is a tech boom going on. Tech companies need finance too.
Punked Shank
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I just moved from Houston for the same reasons you noted plus the beach life. Traded the soul draining experience of Houston for southern cali.

Someone mentioned the stigma of Texans always moving back. This is very true. I had to convince my company for 3 years (graduated 2012...moved this year) before i was transferred offices because of that reason.

Be prepared to answer that question. Definitely make the move as a single 20 something. Will pay off
HollywoodBQ
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If you're after outdoors, take a look at Reno, NV and Boise, ID. From everything I see, those two appear to be up and coming. Denver has gotten pretty spendy and Seattle has become ridiculous.

Salt Lake is good to for the reason AgLA06 mentioned. And the Mormon situation isn't as bad as it used to be but... they're still the majority which does affect daily life.

I've got a friend who lives in Whitefish, MT and swears by it but, she also struggles to make ends meet. Things are kind of seasonal there.
HollywoodBQ
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AggieC07 said:

I've heard Denver referred to as "Menver" because of all the dudes there.

I've been a few times but didn't really notice a huge discrepancy in males to females
I've never heard of "Menver" but, I will say that it is pretty bro-ey. Lots of male bonding available. Ice Hockey, Baseball, Football, etc. Tons of beer available.

But, it's not like Alaska with respect to females.
10andBOUNCE
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I moved our family out to Colorado Springs last fall since it's always been a desire of ours. I'm in finance in the defense industry and we may be hiring soon for someone else on our team. We may want some specific skills, but if his area is of any interest opposed to hippy Denver, you can send a resume to my username at gmail.
histag10
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HollywoodBQ said:

If you're after outdoors, take a look at Reno, NV and Boise, ID. From everything I see, those two appear to be up and coming. Denver has gotten pretty spendy and Seattle has become ridiculous.

Salt Lake is good to for the reason AgLA06 mentioned. And the Mormon situation isn't as bad as it used to be but... they're still the majority which does affect daily life.

I've got a friend who lives in Whitefish, MT and swears by it but, she also struggles to make ends meet. Things are kind of seasonal there.


Western MT is full of people who saved enough money to live there, or people who have a full time job, bar tend, uber, and maybe deliver pizzas and still struggle while livi ng with roommates. It's crazy expensive, and taxes are hell. I live in eastern MT, and it's still way more expensive than Texas.
2012AG_Brian
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Thanks for all of the responses everybody it is definitely helpful to hear opinions about the different areas. I think I am down to probably, anywhere in Colorado, Salt Lake City, or even somewhere like Boise, ID. 10andBounce I really appreciate you offering to help, and I will send over my resume tomorrow when I get off work. Honestly, Colorado Springs is probably more up my alley culture wise than Denver, anyways.
HollywoodBQ
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2012AG_Brian said:

Colorado Springs is probably more up my alley culture wise than Denver, anyways.
For the record, I have an aunt who lives in Black Forest and I really love where she lives. Colorado Springs is nice but I'll share with you this funny quote from one of my Aggie buddies who lives in Denver.

"Colorado Springs would be great if it wasn't for all that Religion down there"

I'm not saying it's Waco or anything but... just so you know what's up.
HollywoodBQ
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Yeah, my friend's husband is a contractor of some sort and she runs an embroidery business and also does a little bit of this and a little bit of that part-time here and part-time there to keep things going.

Her dad bought his place in Whitefish back circa 1975 when he was working on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Another one of those situations where they probably wouldn't be able to buy in today.
histag10
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HollywoodBQ said:

Yeah, my friend's husband is a contractor of some sort and she runs an embroidery business and also does a little bit of this and a little bit of that part-time here and part-time there to keep things going.

Her dad bought his place in Whitefish back circa 1975 when he was working on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Another one of those situations where they probably wouldn't be able to buy in today.


My boss still kicks himself in the ass frequently. He had the opportunity to buy something like 10 acres just outside of Missoula that were already subdivided for like 50K total 30ish years ago. It had one small 2 bedroom house on one of the lots he could live in. He was in law school, and pitched the idea to his dad (who invested quite a bit in real estate). His dad said it was a waste of money. Those lots are now worth roughly 2MM each, not including any houses built on them.
78bc3
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I believe Former Student career resources would be helpful for finding companies, needs and contacts where you are headed. Please drop a line at ppausky78@aggienetwork.com
Paul Pausky BC3 '78
10andBOUNCE
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HollywoodBQ said:

2012AG_Brian said:

Colorado Springs is probably more up my alley culture wise than Denver, anyways.
For the record, I have an aunt who lives in Black Forest and I really love where she lives. Colorado Springs is nice but I'll share with you this funny quote from one of my Aggie buddies who lives in Denver.

"Colorado Springs would be great if it wasn't for all that Religion down there"

I'm not saying it's Waco or anything but... just so you know what's up.


Not really sure what he is talking about to be honest. I'm a Christian so maybe my head is in the sand but I have not once been felt like there is a heavy "religious" culture down here. I'd love to get a specific example. There are lots of great churches here and some organization HQ as well (compassion, focus on the family) but aggieland is much more in your face about it. I've heard that several times even before we moved, just haven't seen anything to substantiate it quite yet.
coop-aero-06
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HollywoodBQ said:

If you're after outdoors, take a look at Reno, NV and Boise, ID. From everything I see, those two appear to be up and coming.
I moved to Reno for a job 3 years ago, and I seriously love it here. It really is a hidden gem for an outdoors enthusiast. I think most people from Texas (and anywhere back east) just think of Reno as a small Vegas in the middle of the desert. But downtown Reno is 30 minutes from the nearest ski resort and 45 minutes away from Lake Tahoe. In the winter, I can ski in the morning and get to work at 10am. In the summer, I can get to National Forest property at 5pm and get in a 3 hour trail run or hike before the sun goes down. There is also lots of fly fishing along the Truckee River which runs out of Tahoe and through town.

With a degree in Finance, I would imagine that you could just pack up and move to a decent sized city and be able to find work.
HollywoodBQ
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Damn. 2 mil for a lot in MT? That's nuts.
That's more than what it costs in my neighborhood in Sydney, Australia for a house with an uninterrupted ocean view.
HollywoodBQ
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For the past 5 years, I've been making several 2-week long trips to the SF Bay Area for work. About 2-3 years ago, I decided I'd spent enough weekends in the Marriott and started venturing out to remote towns in California and Reno. I had some fun trips and discovered that once you get out of the big cities, California has lots of good folks in it.

Anyway, I found that Reno has everything you could possibly want in a town including a massive Cabela's.
Lake Tahoe is gorgeous.
I did some snowboarding at Heavenly and that was great too.

My only complaint is that back in March 2017, I was leaving Stateline, NV to drive back to the Bay Area and it took me 9 1/2 hours to go 10 miles because it was snowing and the chain laws were in effect. This meant that they had one guy checking the snow chains on every single car. Altogether, it took me 14 hours to drive from Lake Tahoe to Santa Clara.
HollywoodBQ
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10andBOUNCE said:

HollywoodBQ said:

2012AG_Brian said:

Colorado Springs is probably more up my alley culture wise than Denver, anyways.
For the record, I have an aunt who lives in Black Forest and I really love where she lives. Colorado Springs is nice but I'll share with you this funny quote from one of my Aggie buddies who lives in Denver.

"Colorado Springs would be great if it wasn't for all that Religion down there"

I'm not saying it's Waco or anything but... just so you know what's up.
Not really sure what he is talking about to be honest. I'm a Christian so maybe my head is in the sand but I have not once been felt like there is a heavy "religious" culture down here. I'd love to get a specific example. There are lots of great churches here and some organization HQ as well (compassion, focus on the family) but aggieland is much more in your face about it. I've heard that several times even before we moved, just haven't seen anything to substantiate it quite yet.
My buddy is an agnostic and the perspective of his comments about Colorado Springs being super religious were most likely in comparison to Boulder where he worked.

If you go up on the north side of town across I-25 from the USAFA, you'll find some mission to the world religious center or something like that. I think there's more than one of these types of places. Might also be one that's visible from I-25. Also, in Denver (when I lived there anyway), things like local AM talk radio shows were very popular. KOA, KHOW, etc. I suspect callers to those shows also influenced my friend's perception about The Springs.
dreyOO
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When I landed a remote job, we moved immediately. Denver is loaded with people willing to "work for less and pay more". We are conservative with our cash, so I'm not as worried about a downturn. Plus I think the market is more diverse than when Hollywood was up here. We still play it safe.

Most employers have lines of people trying to snag a gig here. Why risk an out of stater that isn't tied into the community? You have to really fit the skills needed if they are gonna take a flyer.

Btw, we love Reno/Tahoe. Not sure I would last there, but perhaps when we are empty nesters.
histag10
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HollywoodBQ said:

Damn. 2 mil for a lot in MT? That's nuts.
That's more than what it costs in my neighborhood in Sydney, Australia for a house with an uninterrupted ocean view.


Lot of rich people and Hollywood wanting to "move out west" and live in the Mountains. Have to remember that its where Bill Gates and Dennis Washington live. There are also several actors and actresses in the area. If you go skiing in Whitefish, and hit up some of the local bars, you will likely run across a few (some big names, some not so much). If you get up on the lake in Kalispell, there are a lot of 2000 sqft home on 1/2 acre for roughly 1MM right now.


I'll add that the "lots" are like 2-5 acres each.
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