Are you moving to a new location without a job? You’re not alone. If your spouse has a accepted a great gig, and you’re traveling in tow, you’ll need to find something for yourself. Or perhaps you’re an adventurous soul who packs up and moves to a new locale before you have a job lined up. Nothing wrong with that. Unless you end up unemployed in a new city for a long time. That would suck.

The good news: Employers prefer to hire local candidates, so being there gives you a competitive advantage over long distance candidates. Here are 5 tips to help you hit the ground running and find a job fast when you’re the new kid in town.

  1. Visit every temp agency that specializes in your occupation. If you’re an accountant, check out Accountemps from Robert Half International. Office Worker Bees can find help with OfficeTeam or Kelly Services, or Express Personnel. Many of these agencies offer temp-to-hire and some even provide health insurance. It’s a great way to try out companies and jobs before you commit. You’ll also make new friends and learn your way around your new city.
  2. Join a networking group. I am a huge proponent of Toastmasters International. They have clubs throughout the world, the dues are dirt cheap, and you can polish your speaking and presentation skills at the same time in a fun and supportive environment.
  3. Seek out Meetup Groups with like minded individuals in your area (or start your own). You’ll have an outlet, and you never know who you might meet who can turn you on to a new job.
  4. Find a job search support group. Some churches sponsor them. Your local one-stop state employment office can also point you in the right direction.
  5. If you insist on using job search boards, I recommend LinkUp.com which is an aggregator of job postings that come directly from company websites, rather than the jumbo boards. Some of these vacancy announcements won’t be posted anywhere else. Also check out job boards that specialize in your occupation. For example, HCareers focuses on hospitality, Media Bistro zeros in a publishing and broadcasting, and Insurance Jobs will help you find your next job if you’re a Risk Manager. All it takes is a google search of your occupation along with the word “jobs.”

Finally, before you move, research your city and ask a lot of questions in the forums. City-Data.com provides some brutal honesty about what it’s like to live in your future city. You can get a lot of information that you normally won’t find at the Chamber of Commerce and Department of Tourism.