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Currently trying to find a job out of state in MA/NY. I have befriended some people in some companies who have referred me to contacts. My question is, does flying to those locations for a week and meeting those people and going for informational interviews actually help? Or is it a waste of money?
They may be interviewing ten people for the position. You are better off getting a job in a large company and eventually transferring to NY.
Interesting, so you don't think informational interviews really help that much?
I've never heard of an informational interview. Is that like "take your child to work" day? I could see some value in talking with an experienced professional about their work life (you interviewing them) if you can convince them to share their time. You might get some good advice. But wouldn't it be easier to do this locally?
I'm a believer in working hard and being good at what you do.
What field are you in? How much experience do you have?
The problem is that employers discriminate against people who are living out of state. They don't want to pay relocation expenses and don't want to deal with the nonsense affiliated with a move (i.e. long wait, you're late a lot since you're doing a lot of stuff around the house, etc.)
The fundamental problem is that there are plenty of well qualified and under/unemployed locals in the Boston/NYC markets. Or fully employed locals if the hiring company doesn't mind paying top dollar to woo people away from their current employer, and likes the idea of recruiting "passive" candidates (people who aren't actively looking for work, because they're happy where they are).
Why would a company want to/need to consider someone who's not local to the market, for whom they might be expected to (not required to) pay relocation expenses, who might decide in the end to stay where he is?
I don't see the point of informational interviews - it doesn't do any harm if you're already here and can take the time to take someone out for coffee during the work day to pick their brain and learn what they do, but I don't know of anyone who's actually been hired for a job after conducting informational interviews (i.e., meeting a potential employer when there are no open jobs, merely to learn about the work and company). I'm a cynic, and I tend to think informational interviews are something dreamed up by college/grad school career counselors so they can offer hope to the students who paid huge money to train in a field and now no one wants to hire them (field is over-saturated, recession, employers want experienced people only).
What kind of work do you do, and why do you want to move to NYC or Boston? Those are the key questions.
I've lived in both areas and I'd recommend living in many other places instead, and visiting Boston/NYC for pleasure or business purposes. Boston/NYC are obscenely expensive and overcrowded, and there are similar economic opportunities widely available in most fields in places that have a far lower cost of living. If you really want to/need to move to these areas (e.g., to join a spouse who has a wonderful local job or fellowship, or to be closer to family you want to help out) than you may have to actually move on your own and interview as a local.
Unless its a shoo-in waste, but you should go anyway if the economy in your state sucks. The recovery is still only focused in metropolises.
NYC is lit right now...for jobs at least.
If things don't work out, you can get a part-time job in NYC making $15-17/hr and find a roommate in Bronx/ Brooklyn to split rent till you find something better.
Lots of naive would be 20s hustle till they make it. If you learn accounting on the side, you can find part-time jobs that pay 20-25/hr in the city (weekends only imo best gig). That's $1600 to $2000 a month for just 2-4 days of work a week. Enough to get by with roommates, your rent should be tops $600-$800 a month. If you are a master SAT test taker bump that up to $35-40/hr for tutoring. If you are any early bird, UPS pays $16/hr for the 4AM-9AM shifts. FedEx great pay as well part-time.
Iunno jack bout Massachusetts, but it def aint got more jobs/gigs/part-time opportunities than NYC. Right now, its extremely easy to do above without much effort in NYC. If you get the job you want great, if not least you wont be out on the street due to lack of opportunity.
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