Presearch and prelocation – Finding jobs before you need them, and finding a place to live before you move there.
Back in 2000, I did a lot of presearch and prelocation before I moved to Boston. I suggested this to a friend of mine before he moved south late last year. Internet searches and phone calls can’t totally replicate what you will experience first hand.
His mission was to relocate there, but prior to going he setup some interviews and some apartment visits during his time there. I encouraged him to live there while he was on vacation; experience the local attractions as a resident and not as a tourist.
Within weeks PRIOR to him moving, he found a position (in a bad economy, no less).
Likewise, for those of us not looking for work, I find “presearch” to be equally as important. I keep files of opportunities for summer teaching jobs, summer projects, long-term projects, and HR related consulting work in files that I followup on every week. I don’t just use job search sites either; I find companies that look interesting and email myself their About page or bookmark their job postings.
The time to look for work often isn’t when you need a job; it’s when you want a job and want to make something on the side that may or may not turn into something more.
