Why You Should Expand Your Job Search Outside Your Local Area
Finding a job is always stressful. Finding a job you love can sometimes feel impossible. But the secret to job hunting is to not be afraid to take risks. Sometimes that means taking your job search outside of your local area.
Expanding your job search to places across the country isn’t for everyone. For one thing, not everybody is willing to leave everything behind and move across the country. However, expanding your job search means having a greater range of jobs to choose from. And that means a higher chance of finding your dream job. In this article, we’ll show you why every job hunter should consider expanding their job search outside of their local area.
What To Know When Job Hunting
When you’re looking for a job, it’s important not to cast your net too wide. Although a job may pay great, it may leave you feeling too exhausted to enjoy the benefits. That’s why it’s important to look for a job that you’ll look forward to working at. The key to doing so, however, starts with doing your research.
For example, look at the company values and make sure that their goals align with your own values. Likewise with the company culture and the kind of workplace environment that the company builds. Make sure to look at the benefits too. Any decent job should have worthwhile insurance or a strong retirement savings plan. This becomes even more important if the job is stressful with a lot of responsibility or long work hours.
Depending on your goals, it’s also important to think about the future. A job may seem perfect today, but what about later in your career? Unless you plan to stay in the same job until you retire, it’s a good idea to look for jobs that give you room to grow in the future. Doing your research becomes even more important when you start expanding your job search.
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Expanding Your Search
Staying within your local area when you’re hunting for a job means limiting yourself greatly. Nowadays with how interconnected everything is, even businesses are starting to realize the value of hiring employees from across the nation. And as a potential employee, this works out in your favor. This means you’ll be able to use your diverse and professional background to give yourself an edge over the competition.
Expanding your job search outside of your local area means having a larger pool of jobs to choose from. As a result, you can afford to be a lot more picker over the kind of jobs you choose to apply to. With how important a company’s culture and workplace environment is, having more choices is incredibly valuable. Luckily, employers that open their doors to the wider world tend to have a more diverse environment in their workplace.
Variety is the single biggest benefit that you get when you expand your job search. From culture to work-hours and everything in-between, having more job opportunities means a better chance at finding your dream job. Of course, finding the perfect job is only part of it. Being able to get the job is still just as hard.
Tips for Applying to Jobs Nationally
Having a plan is the best way of improving your chances of landing a job. But very few people will bother to make one. When you’re applying to a job across the country, however, having a plan becomes a necessity. For example, if the company requests an in-person interview, will you be able to make it in time? Housing is also important. Do you have an idea where you’ll stay? Can you afford it?
Before you decide to apply, make sure to do your research. Knowing what insurance benefits they provide, for example, is important. But you shouldn’t stop there. Get an idea on what the company is looking for and try to tailor your resume towards that. Likewise, make sure to follow any special instructions that the company wants any potential employees to follow.
Showing a potential employer your value and respect for their company can greatly increase your chances of being hired. Just as important, however, is creating a good first impression. Aside from acting professionally, this also means making sure to clean up your social media accounts. Giving your resume a once-over for any typos helps too.
Leaving Your Comfort Zone
Expanding your job search isn’t easy. It may even leave you feeling uncomfortable. All this pain is worth it, however, when you find the right job. Instead of limiting yourself to nearby jobs, expand your horizons instead. The perfect company may not exist. But when you have a lot of options to choose from, being perfect isn’t as important.
Additional Readings:
How To Answer The Interview Question: What Are You Passionate About?
How To Future-Proof Your Career With Upskilling and Microcredentialing
Leveraging The STAR Method To Keep Interview Answers Short But Powerful
Meet The Writer!
My name is Taylor McKnight and I am a Senior Digital PR Specialist representing Tivly. Tivly is a company that offers a plethora of insurance possibilities for whatever challenge you may be facing or need help with.
