Relocating without a job

Dear Mr. Walberg:

I am living in the Boston area and my fiance lives in Chicago, so my goal is to relocate and get established in my career at least six months before the wedding. Any advice you have for relocating without any job prospects would be appreciated.

-- L.G.

Dear L.G.:

Whew! I was afraid there for a moment you were going to ask for marriage advice.

To completely avoid involvement, let me refer you to some sound advice I found on Monster -- career-advice.monster.com, to be exact:

"Here are five tips for anyone planning to take the bold step of moving without a job lined up:

"Research Your Destination. Embracing an action-oriented philosophy doesn't mean packing your bags without knowing where you're going. If anything, moving without a job lined up requires additional planning, as your knowledge of your new home will likely play a role in your success there. Scout out the options available there. Find the relevant contacts before you leave, rather than while you're trying a new city.

"Network in Advance. By the time you depart, you should have the names of five people, at the very least, to contact once you arrive. They need not be professional contacts -- just individuals with whom you can meet, learn the names of other contacts, and start meeting people to help you locate job opportunities.

"Know How Long Your Money Will Last. Plan on a minimum of three months without a paycheck. You would be wise to plan for six months. Unless you can embark on the trip feeling your funds will be well-spent no matter what comes of it, don't do it.

"Be Ready For Anything. In order to get the job you really want, depending on the market, you may have to be willing to accept all different sorts of assignments in the interim -- child care, dog-walking, bartending. That's part of the reason relocating without a job is typically more attractive to people in their 20s. You may not have to walk dogs for months, but opportunities tend to multiply, and if you begin to accept one or two jobs, you're likely to find others in the future."

Thanks to Monster.com. One more tip from me:

Establish Residence. Localize your driver's license to prove your sincerity to make your move permanent.

(Marvin Walberg is a job-search coach. Contact him at mwalberg(at)bellsouth.net, marvinwalberg.blogspot.com, or PO Box 43056, Birmingham, AL 35243.)