While Atlanta has been a popular job and internship destination for UGA students and graduates, there are some Bulldogs who are interested in pursuing out-of-state locations!
According to the Career Outcomes data from 2018, some of the top out-of-state destinations for UGA graduates included: Houston, TX, New York, NY and Washington, DC. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you consider relocating outside of Georgia.
Go to career fairs
Many students assume that the companies attending career fairs at UGA are only coming from Atlanta and only have offices in that city. The truth is, many companies have opportunities across the United States. That is why research is so important. If you know you are interested in relocating and the company has other offices, share your dream destination with the recruiter. If they do not have control over hiring for those other locations, they may be able to put you in touch with the appropriate recruiter.
Start expanding your network and build relationships with alumni in the area.
The Bulldog Nation is everywhere and the network is strong. There are alumni associations all over the United States from San Francisco, CA to Charlotte, NC. A quick Google search can help you find the chapters, as well as the contact information for their board members. Most chapters have social media pages that you can start engaging with and following. Reach out to alumni for informational interviews and ask about members in the chapter that work in the industry in which you are interested. Alumni love giving back and are eager to help a fellow Dawg.
Use the LinkedIn Alumni Tool
Continuing with the theme of expanding your network, you can also use the LinkedIn Alumni Tool to connect with fellow UGA graduates in the workforce. In the alumni tool, you can add different filters including: Where they work, Where they live, and What they studied. LinkedIn will generate a list of alumni whose profiles include the parameters you have chosen. You can use this list to reach out to people in your location of interest and identify some local companies and organizations to research. The last time we checked, there were over 154,000 alumni connected to the tool!
The LinkedIn Alumni tool can be found here
Look on Handshake
You can also find opportunities out of state by looking on Handshake, UGA's online job portal. When you are searching for positions on Handshake, just type in your desired city, state, zip code, or address, and it will present results accordingly. For instance, there are over 950 opportunities currently posted in Washington D.C.
Request a mentor out of state
I would also recommend you find a mentor who works out of state through the UGA Mentor Program. The UGA Mentor Program connects you with an alum for a 16-week mentorship. When you are looking for a mentor to match with on the platform, you can specifically look for mentors that live in different places throughout the United States and around the world. If you know that you are interested in looking for positions after college in a certain city, this is a great way to start making connections. You can also have conversations with your mentor about how they found their career out-of-state.
Finding a job or internship out of state may seem daunting at first. However, there are several resources to help you accomplish this goal. And remember, the UGA Career Center is here to help you with your search.