A survey by the U.S. Labor Department studied how far job seekers lived from the jobs they obtained. The results showed that 24 percent found their jobs 5-10 miles from where they lived, about 21 percent obtained a job 11-25 miles away, and about 15 percent lived more than 25 miles away. Only 40 percent of the job seekers found a job within 5 miles of their home. These results reveal that job seekers must be able to travel a long distance to reach a desirable job. If they don't have access to public transportation, or don't own a car, or aren't willing to travel, they will have far fewer job choices than job seekers who are willing and able to travel.
The Job-Club solution is to not let the lack of an auto prevent you from applying for an attractive job, no matter where it is located. Generally, you can always get a ride with someone who lives near you and works at the same company or at a place nearby. If you have a car but fear the expense of commuting, arrange a car pool and take turns driving. If you don't have a car, arrange to ride with someone else, and share the expenses. If lack of money is what keeps you from owning a car, you may be able to afford one once you get that distant job, making the car-sharing arrangement only temporary.
Assume that you have obtained a job at a distant location and wish to make a ride-sharing or car pool arrangement. As soon as you learn that you have been hired, call the personnel manager or your supervisor and ask for the name and telephone number of any other employees in the company who live near you. Call up these people and try to arrange car sharing with one of them. If no one in the company lives near you, ask for the name and telephone number of any other nearby businesses. Then call these businesses and ask the same questions. Whenever anyone you call can't make the arrangement, ask him or her to suggest other people you can contact.
Some job seekers have been reluctant to call up strangers to ask about sharing cars, but there's no need for hesitancy—the individuals contacted often are very pleased to consider this mutually beneficial arrangement. To help you feel comfortable about what to say, use these sample statements as a guide.
Introduction
Hi, Mr.__________ , we haven't met but my name is __________
Ms.__________ , the personnel manager, suggested I contact you. I just
got hired at __________ where you are working, and I found
out that we live pretty close to each other.
If you don't have a car (car-sharing desired)
So I was hoping I could pay you to give me a ride to work and we could help each
other out that way. I don't have a car so I'd be glad to pay you.
If you have a car (car pool desired)
So I am wondering if you would be interested in starting a car pool with me and I'll drive half the time. That would save money for both of us and make our cars last longer.
If you are calling someone who works at a company close to the one where you will be working, introduce yourself slightly differently:
Introduction
Hi, my name is __________ I was just hired at
__________, which I understand is pretty close to where you
work. Ms. __________ at my new job suggested I call you. I
found out from her that you live not too far from me.
You may have a further transportation problem if you can't get to the interview to apply for a job in the first place. One solution is to ask to borrow a family member's car. Or ask a friend to drive you or to lend you the car. Or, if someone in your family drives to work, suggest that you drop him/her off at work and then pick the person up at quitting time. This gives you the use of the car while the other person is working. Usually, one of these arrangements can be made.
Getting temporary use of a car for distant interviews and planning to car-share after you have been hired lets you seek out distant jobs that are more attractive than those within closer range. Once you have arranged transportation for interviews, you should freely explore job leads at distant locations, since you can be fairly certain that you'll be able to arrange steady transportation later on. This strategy will widen your job opportunities considerably.
See the following articles for more information:
- 21 Major Interview Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs
- The Best Way to Prepare for a Job Search and Interviews
- How to Talk About Other Interviews in Your Interviews
- How to Answer the Tell Me About Yourself Interview Question
- How to Answer the Do You Have Any Questions for Me Interview Question
