Okay, so now that you have somewhere to live, it’s time to make sure you can pay for that ridiculous monthly rent of yours. Here are my top tips for getting a job in New York City.
landing a job in nyc.
1. you should probably live here. I know what you’re thinking – how are you supposed to afford living in NYC without already having a job here first? It seems backwards, but the truth is that *most* employers simply aren’t going to bother hiring you if you don’t have somewhere to live in the general metropolitan area. I mean, think about it, with all of the people flocking to NYC, wouldn’t you only take the ones already living here seriously?
If you really are serious about moving here, the best way to do that is have enough savings to cover your cost of living for 2-3 months. That’s what I did, and it gave me enough time to be able to focus solely on the job search.
***Edited to add: I should note that it’s not *impossible* to get a job in New York without living here, and I have witnessed a handful of people do so. My point is that if you’re dead set on living here, you’re chances of getting a job *sooner* and more easily are higher if you do already live here. Even having somewhere lined up to live temporarily in the meantime will help convince your employer that you’re serious.
2. work with a reputable staffing agency. From my own experience, I’ve learned that there are a ton of really bad job recruiters out there who will take advantage of you, so be careful of that. But – there is also a handful of great and reputable staffing agencies as well. I’d highly recommend Clarity Staffing – they’re the most helpful and professional I’ve worked with. Oh, and my best friend/roommate Erica also happens to work there 🙂 Feel free to make a submission on their website to set up an interview.
***Edited to add: Erica no longer works at Clarity, but I still recommend reaching out and submitting your resume to them!
3. know exactly what income you need. This goes back to what I said about budgeting when looking for an apartment. How are you supposed to know what income you need if you don’t know what your cost of living is going to be? To avoid getting stuck in a job that doesn’t pay enough (and don’t be mistaken – NYC is unfortunately full of them), know in advance what your salary requirements are, and don’t settle for less.
4. be yourself….but don’t be a pushover. So many people go into job interviews in New York thinking they have to pull off the whole “jaded New Yorker” thing. But – let’s be real – no one wants to work with that person! Just because you might be from town where there are more cows than humans or because you went to an itty bitty Christian college (raises hand), it doesn’t mean you should try to be someone you’re not.
With that being said, you have to make sure to own who you are and what you have to offer. Don’t let the strong personalities or fast-paced-ness of New York intimidate you. Go into every interview being confident and ready to be challenged because you’ll have to form that thick skin at some point anyway.
5. highlight your skills but also your potential. On a related note, the best way to be confident and be yourself is to know where you excel. Employers want to know what makes you different from the next candidate, so don’t be afraid to almost brag about your skills and experience (without coming across as cocky, of course).
I’ve also found that employers – not just in New York but in general – really eat it up when you explain what you have to offer to the company’s growth. For example, what new skills can you bring to the table that they might not already have? For our generation that is oftentimes being tech-savvy or good with social media. So don’t be afraid to think outside of the box and present those ideas because 9 times out of 10 it will work in your favor.
For more tips on landing a job in NYC, check out Erica’s guest post on Interview Etiquette. Also feel free to leave questions for me in the comments section!
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disclaimer: Please note that I’m not an expert and these are only my thoughts based on personal experience!
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What’s the best job search/interview tip you’ve gotten?
Great tips!
Great post!
Great post! I actually took the risk of renting an apartment in NYC so I’d have somewhere to stay and have an nyc address, though it hasn’t landed me a job, it’s def. increased the call backs I get!
I think it’s important to realize that you need to mesh well with a company-no matter how much you may want a job! I had a phone interview with a potential employer in NYC and she had a very New York kind of personality. I was inquiring about a nannying position and though the job looked great on paper, I had to remember that I would be dealing directly with this woman. The conversation did not go smoothly and we had very different personalities. That’s not to say that you need to work for someone who is a carbon-copy, but I could see potential issues rising from the start.
Ok what the hell is a very New York personality? My suggestion would be how about most people stop trying so hard to come be a New Yorker! And let the real New Yorkers keep their neighborhoods real normal neighborhoods..
I HAD to comment on this, Gracie. Sorry, girl. 😉 I definitely do not recommend moving here without a job! NYC is expensive and adding a friend’s NY address is just as effective. At my company, a majority of people move here after getting the job. If any employer wouldn’t hire someone because the prospective employee needs to move here, they obviously dont care much about you as a person anyway and only think of you as $ sign! Also, I honestly don’t think anyone should be choosing their salary based on the apartment they chose to live in. It’s much easier to find a job you like, a salary you’re happy with, and then go from there on how much you can spend on an apartment each month. It’s easier to figure out how much you can spend on living after the fact rather than cut out job offers because they don’t meet your salary requirements (as long as you’re still happy with ’em!) since you *had* to get the fancy apartment in Midtown, when you could have been doing just fine else where for a little bit cheaper.
Hey Courtney!
I definitely see where you’re coming from, and maybe this is just an “agree to disagree” sort of thing 🙂 But from personal experience and witnessing others, it really is much easier to get a job once you already live here. Sure, it isn’t *impossible,” but I guess I’m saying if you’re already dead-set on living here, saving up a few months worth of income (<---which is key) and moving first could help expedite finding a job. I also still think it's smart to aim for a salary that supports you're living situation - not necessarily *just* your apartment, but cost of living in general. I'm not saying to go for the "best of the best" apartment and seeking a crazy-high salary, but be aware of what you're range is. These tips definitely aren't an "end-all be-all," just some advice that I've gathered from my own experience that might differ from what people might think. But like I said, I definitely see where you're coming from too!:)
I have to agree with Gracie here, and I can speak from experience. I graduated from college in Georgia and applied for jobs in Washington, D.C., and no one paid the slightest attention to my resume. I eventually moved to DC a month after graduating and landed a job in the U.S. Senate. Finding a job IS a full time job within itself. If you want to move somewhere bad enough - you have to put the work in for yourself as well! Whether that be saving money, as Gracie did to ensure that she could afford her living arrangements while she was job searching, or otherwise. It’s not quite as simple as putting a friends address on a resume - unless of course you are a quick car or train ride away!
Hi Kelly! I’m speaking from experience, as well. I landed a job in NYC from a different state WITH a different full-time job. Of course if you move to a city without a job, applying to jobs does become a full-time job because it’s then your ONLY job. You actually have pressure to apply 24/7 once you are unemployed and living with $900+ in rent. Yes - some people do need this type of pressure put on them to finally make some moves. However, who’s to say if you added a DC address to your resume and stayed with a friend during your interviews you wouldn’t have landed the same exact job without spending as much. I have so many friends who got jobs here while living in Chicago, Detroit, Miami, Ohio, Wisconsin, etc. It’s definitely doable! The reality is some people NEED to move to a big city unemployed to finally put the stress on themselves, but you don’t NEED to move to that said big city to get a job. Of course the more time you have to apply to jobs = the more jobs you’ve applied to = the higher chances of getting a job. Regardless of address.
I just don’t think anyone should be recommending to the world wide web to move without a job, when the same person didn’t move here with a job! To each their own I guess 😉 As Gracie said, we’ll have to “agree to disagree.”
oops! should have said: when the same person didn’t move here *without* a job!
I think I’m going to have to agree with Courtney on this one. I have many friends from my grad school program in Minneapolis who landed jobs on both coasts, and everywhere in between, while applying with a MN address. The understanding is that if you get to a certain point in the interview process, you really want the job and would be willing to move for it. One of my good friends has lived in MN for the last ten years, and got an amazing job offer in NYC last spring while he was still living here.
The company I work currently does a lot of college and MBA recruiting across the country, and while they understand that it’s riskier to make an offer to someone out of state than someone who already lives here, the out of state address isn’t going to stop them if they think that person is a great fit for the job.
Maybe it’s different if you’re just out of college and don’t really have a resume yet? I think that it probably depends on your experience level, the company, and what type of job you’re applying for. So I guess all I’m saying is… you have to choose what is right for you in your particular situation.
Yup - totally know where you guys are coming from! I guess I should’ve made it more of a point that my advice is just advice - not an “end all be all” by any means! (that’s why I put you should *probably* - not absolutely - live here). In today’s age it’s completely possible to get a job anywhere - even across the world - but I guess I was trying to let people in on something that they might not have known about working in New York otherwise…stuff I wish people would have told me. And the truth is that New York employers - probably more than in any other cities - take whether or not you live here into account when they hire employees. That’s all I was trying to say 🙂
You guys are both right. Different strokes for different folks. If you are going into a particular job market with a certain set of skills, you might be able to apply from out of state and get a job. But that does not work for everyone. Some of us who went to less prominent schools and have just and undergraduate degree under their belts will not even be noticed if we are not within living distance of New York. I applied for a year before I moved to commuting distance of New York and got absolutely nothing. It wasn’t until I changed my address to Newark, NJ did I even get a response back from anyone. I agree with your advice Gracie. While it would be nice to get a job first, unfortunately that is not possible for everyone
Landing a job is hard enough but finding one that can provide an apartment and basic living needs? It’s almost impossible! I know that so many friends my age are struggling with this too and I wish in my job I would have negotiated better. I was so excited to accept that I didn’t think far enough about whether I could survive on that salary- I think budgeting beforehand is an excellent idea!
You have NO idea how much I needed this post right now. I was coming here specifically to look to see if you had a post with tips on living in the city or anything like that. I’ve never wanted to live in NYC, but I have a few potential opportunities, so now I have to consider the possibility. I’m asking all these silly questions like “would I sell my car? where do you park?” hah..
Hi Gracie,
A little off topic, but I am coming to NYC for the first time in a couple weeks for a quick weekend getaway with my boyfriend. Where do you recommend staying hotel-wise? I am trying to keep it cheap (like $150 a night). Any suggestions would be great!
Thanks
Hi Tiffany! Gosh…I actually have no idea :/ I haven’t had any visitors stay at a hotel, nor have I stayed at any. My only advice would be to Google it and check online reviews.
Sorry!!
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Check out Airbnb.com its amazing. You can definitely find some affordable places in NYC (Actually all around the world). I live really close to the city, but a couple friends from college just came up recently and they were able to land an entire apartment on the upper west side for $127 a night. Goodluck. Eliza
Hey….how r u…my age is 18 & need a job in new York..pls help me…if u can because it can be my future too
My phone num 9980746490
hi . i am looking for job .you help me.
I believe it pays to let your sense of humor show during an interview, at least a bit. After I moved to NYC from the Midwest with no job and no real direction, I decided “what do I have to lose,(not a job)?” During an interview, the guy asked me “So what brought you to New York?” I replied “an airplane.” He laughed and it instantly broke the ice. Almost 2 years later, I still have the job. So feel free to be yourself and not the jaded NYer. 🙂
I just have an interview recently for a promotion at a company I’ve been with, and I definitely think it pays to show your personality. People want to work with nice, fun people. I tried to joke around and be myself while still being professional and respectful.
Great tips for those looking to move to the city!
This is really good advice. I like the tip to be yourself. I think my biggest downfall is when I pretend to be something I’m not, get the job because of it, and then hate it all the while.
I didn’t know that staffing agencies were a must - thanks.
I love how you break something as scary as moving to New York city down to practical, doable points. It makes me want to try moving there… except I love my little home in the country. But still. 🙂 LOVED this post!!
Hi Gracie!
Thanks for the great tips! I’m glad I stumbled onto your blog and I’ve become a big fan.
I have a friend who lives in NYC who recently offered me to be her roommate this Fall since one of the girls decided to go back home. I have money saved up and I finally put my two weeks in so I will be heading up there next month!! I’m so excited but worried since I’ll be jobless. However, she is letting me stay with her while I go job hunting so I have a couple of months before I sign anything…I will definitely check out Clarity and email your friend. I’ll also be sure to mention I found out about it through you, so thanks again and fingers crossed I make it through all of this. 🙂
Hey Lauren!
So glad you left this comment - I love hearing about people’s stories when they make it to New York. It sounds like you have a really great plan in place! Definitely get in touch with Erica - she and Clarity are an amazing resource!
Best of luck with everything - feel free to keep me posted on how the move/job search works out for you! 🙂 xoxo Gracie
Gracie! Thank you for this blog post. I am a recent graduate from Boston looking for an NYC job and it’s been such a disheartening struggle so it’s always so nice to hear any advice and tips.
Hey Gracie!
Haha I can’t believe I wrote my post just a month ago and SO MUCH has happened since then. I finally moved to NYC last Tuesday and had a great interview with Clarity (THANKS AGAIN by the way for posting about it & I mentioned your blog) and have been applying to other places as well. It helps to have as many options as possible.
This whole experience has been hectic and stressful, but I’ve never been happier. It’s a different life since I’m originally from Texas, but so far I’ve survived taking the subway on my own and navigating through the city. The job search is eh still going but just gotta stay positive. I’ll try to keep you posted!
Hey Lauren!
WOW - that’s all so exciting!! I’m glad to hear you paid a visit to Clarity - they’re really helpful over there. I wonder if you worked with my roommate Erica at all?!
Best of luck girl…and please definitely keep me posted! 🙂
Hey Gracie,
No I didn’t get to meet her! 🙁 They really do have a nice staff though so I’m glad I found it through you lol
Thanks, I’ll need a lot of luck! My mom already wants me back home haha take care!
WaaaW!.. great post, just what I needed. I came to NYC three weeks ago.. been on job hunt ever since, No luck.. I just checked out Clarity Staffing, and it’s pretty good and promising.. I just uploaded my resume and will get in touch with Erica.. Thank you for sharing.. such a great help!
Ah, good luck Farida!!
Thank you so much, I’m only 15 And I really want to live and work in NYC. I have heard about all the challenges and toughness, but right now i’m planning to work up to university in where I am now (Australia) and get a proffessional degree, then get a job. After that I will plan the rest! Great tips
great tips.. I have a question, is it hard to go or to plan living and finding a job in new york without any connection there? I have plans in moving to new york and find a job as soon as i finish college. I’m living in the philippines 🙂 how for relpy
It’s definitely *easier* if you already have connections here, but it’s not impossible to get a foot in the door after moving here. Networking and relationships are pretty important here, so either having already-existing connections or being the type of person that can create them is definitely a good thing. Good luck! 🙂
I actually went to ny last week and stayed at the hotel called POD i has two interviews, One seemed really interested. i haven’t heard anything back yet but i am hoping for the best. I live in Va beach and i just got laid off so i figured ill take my money from unemployment and income tax and move to NY. I am a single mother so its a little harder on me but i have a few friends in NY that offered me to stay with them. Im going to submit my resume to your friend Erica. I literally spend my every waking moment on Linkedin, CL, career builder and any other website you can think of submitting for jobs. Im trying so hard. Wish me luck hun. tell your friend to look out for Crystle’s Resume :). Thank you for this article
Ah okay, good luck!! Sounds like you’re really making an effort so it should pay off 🙂 I don’t think Erica is the one that directly gets the resumes at her office (it’s an online submission on their website) but will let her know anyway!
If you have never ever lived or worked in the city, then yes, it would be better to live there before applying for a job. But I was born and worked in nyc…moved away..and still had job offers from afar. Nyc is a transient place and many, many folks come from afar. Don’t be afraid to submit a resume. And 2to3 mos savings in an already expensive nyc apt is not enough! You could be searching for a job for months!
Thanks for this! I’m from Chicago, 20 years old this summer, and I would love to live in NYC but I know how expensive it is. I don’t have a job at the moment but maybe in a couple of years I’ll be planning it all out.
STOP TELLING PEOPLE TO MOVE HERE!!! There’s enough transplants coming in with this dream of the NYC they see on TV (Sex and the City or Friends is a lie people!!!) and crowd the streets, the apartments, the job market. Most transplants just take up space and leave completely broken people after a year or two. Stop selling dreams. The city doesn’t want or need you. People that were born here are sick of these little girls with TV NYC dreams coming here and complaining all over the place that “it’s so hard to live here”. Stay home. Don’t come. We don’t want you here. We will eat you up and send you packing. Stay away!!!
Wow I am glad I found this blog and post! I tend to agree, after literally years of applying to jobs in NYC I find that once they know I am not local they pretty much zone out and I never hear from the recruiter again. And I have worked for large well known companies like Amazon.com etc and so I will get calls but they literally just hesitate to even go to the point of interviewing! It has been so frustrating…so I think you are really accurate! Not that you cannot get a job in NYC from somewhere else but it is not easy and my friends that live in NYC all say once you are here is easier. Might not get your dream job but you can find something to start at least. So at this point I have decided that I am just going to move and do what you did (rather than wait possibly another year or maybe never) and stay with a friend for the first few weeks then sublet or do temp housing until I find a job and know what I can afford. This post inspired me and made me feel not so CRAZY 🙂 and I will be checking out Clarity as well!!!!! Thanks a bunch!
Such an inspiring post and this gives me the motivation that I need to continue to start my journey in New York! Thank you so much!!!
Hey Gracie,
Great post. I would love to hear about your own personal experience finding a job in NYC. Did you move here with a job already, or find one when you got here? Where did you move from?
Love to hear people’s personal stories about this stuff.
Peter
Hi Peter!
I moved here while still working for my father’s company - I worked from home remotely to give me time to find something else. Then I began looking for a new job after the move, and found one about 3 months later. I moved from Pennsylvania.
Great blog! I’m a girl in need of a job in nyc! But the major problem is I don’t have any experience. I emailed Clarity Staffing but after checking out their website I feel like they’re looking more for professionals than someone like me with no experience. So what advice would you give for a girl in nyc looking for a job with zero experience.
Hi Gracie,
I was wondering if you knew anything about international employment?!
I’m currently living in London and want to move to NYC early next year.
Hi 🙂
i’m looking to get a job in NYC and for sure moving there, but i’m kind of scared too a bit ,i’m a small city girl but looking to live fully my life and have new experience ,what would be your best suggestion where to start first ? Please help me 🙁
Thanks in advance 😉
Hi Gracie ! I’m a late bloomer 🙂 I’m 45, a real estate paralegal from Atlanta. My partner of 5 yrs and I will be in NYC mid October to get married. We would love to find jobs & move to NYC after. Do you have any recommendations or suggestions of where I can blanket my resume while there? Kindest regards !
Hi Heath!
I’ve only worked with one placement agency, at it’s Clarity Staffing. Unfortunately I don’t have any recommendations than that :/ the only other option I can think of is getting your resume out there on CraigsList or Monster.com, but you can run into a lot of bad recruitment agencies that way (but then again, someone from Clarity found me via CraigsList, so it really is hit or miss!)
Sorry I can’t be of more help! Best of luck 🙂
Wow. This is an awesome post Gracie. I would say that everyone is different and you have to first know who you are and what works best for you. If you believe and have the courage to take chances, do it. Don’t let anyone talk you out of your dreams because it’s your dreams and only you can make them REAL. Everybody’s journey is different and you have to listen to that voice deep within you. Follow that gut feeling and be prepared to put in work. Excited about this new adventure for myself. NYC Baby!
This helped me so much! I’m planning to move to NYC this up coming summer, and I’ve been freaking out about the job situation. I’m from Miami florida, and I’m planning to go to FIT. It’s almost a weight off of my shoulders to know it is possible! 🙂
there is also a down side to neew york city that no one is talking about. if ayoung girl has no money to live some where or eat she will more than likley be eaten up by pimps. i have seeen this happen to many a young girl.
i want to live in NYC to have a job there,if someone is interesting to live with him please call me(0914138663) i’m already ready to enjoy with you.
Hi Gracie!! I read this blog post many times before making my move to the city, which I did 3 days ago now. I’m hoping to land a job very soon and figure everything out! I went the route of saving up first so that I have a couple months of rent saved, so hopefully I can land an amazing job in the next few weeks! If you have any advice for now, AFTER I’m already here, I’d LOVE to hear it!! :]] Thanks!
I strongly advise NOT moving to NYC without a job, it’s very competitive, unless you want a job that just pays the bills, that’s different. But if you want a professional *good* paying job, i.e. over 60k… might take awhile. I have 6 years of college education, was summa cum laude and had 7 years experience. Looked for jobs in NYC for 3 months and only had one phone interview. Fortunately I had a free place to stay, but, I could have totally blown through a lot of money. Have been looking for 3 months now and not heard back a peep except a sole phone interview. I’m going to start looking around the whole country now. If you just want a job at whole foods or waiting tables or something,you could probably find that and get by but at my point in my career, I’m not down with living with roommates or just living paycheck to paycheck. I’ve lived in other big cities, while NYC is cool, other cities are cool also… go where the best job is.
I moved here without a job and lived with family for a year. I had to lower my quality of life for a while. Well, for ten years. But it’s not as bad as it sounds. I was already an adult when I moved here, accustomed to an upper middle class lifestyle. I moved here from a luxury apartment in an upscale Texas neighborhood. That’s relevant because when I say that I lowered my lifestyle, it doesn’t mean that I was living in the gutter, just not as nice as what I was used to.
So at that time I was fortunate enough to find a place in Herald Square (by Macy’s) for $400/month. Without making this too long, I ended up going back to school, getting a job in my desired field, exceeding my prior lifestyle (after 10 years) and enjoying success. 19 years and going. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. So many opportunities and connections have resulted from living here.
what itty-bitty Christian college did you go to? I went to Roberts Wesleyan, I am always super excited to read that other people exist who went to these colleges too! Not that I was the only one who graduated, but you know what I mean? :p
I live near NYC, and am working my butt off to try to get a job down there.
Question for ya- have any experience with reference letters? How did you have your previous employers send them? Did they give them to you then you distribute copies as necessary, or woould you ask them to mail or email a copy as necessary? (that sounds labor intensive for them though, so probably not)
I went to Eastern University 🙂
As for reference letters - I only provided them if the new employer requested it, but it wasn’t as common as I thought it would be. If I remember correctly, one of my Deans had one mailed and a previous employer sent and email or fax to the new employer.
Great blog, just landed across it while researching NY!! Moving over in one month. I have been applying for jobs from Ireland but really is there any point, even to the big companies??
Any advice on getting contacts in these big companies?!
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Don’t move here! Didn’t you see the survey that says NYC is the unhappiest city in America?? All your money will go on rent and all the cool and fun places only pretentious finance people can afford. I live here but I’m tired of a small cramped apartment. I want to have a garage, front porch, backyard to garden and BBQ, a pool 🙂
Hey Gracie,
I am Donnah living right now in Canada, AB, Calgary. I am permanent resident in Canada but hating this place. I have lived here for 2 years and now I m sick of this place. Recently I came to New York for a vacation and I fell in love with New York. It was like “HEAVEN” for me and I really wanted to move into New York. I have a diploma in IT - Software, completed my class portion of my Bachelors in GIS but yet my practical experience is incomplete which I thought of completing it in New York. Give me some tips as I really wanted to move to New York. TBH, I am an Indian so kindly help me.
Thanks,
D