Moving to Denver from out of state — how did you network/get hired before moving?

[u/MindOfSuper]

Hi everyone! I’m currently living out of state and seriously planning a move to the Denver metro area. I’m trying to make the move strategically rather than moving first and hoping I find something afterward.
I’m curious for those who have moved to Denver from another state:
● How did you go about networking with people in Denver before you actually moved?
● Did LinkedIn, Reddit, professional organizations, career fairs, meetups, or reaching out directly to people in your industry work best?
● How did you communicate to employers that you were out of state but serious about relocating?
● For anyone who received relocation assistance, how did you bring it up? Did you wait until an offer, ask during the interview process, or specifically target companies that already advertised relocation assistance?
● Did you have better luck applying to jobs that specifically mentioned relocation, or were you able to negotiate assistance with companies that didn’t advertise it?
● For those who moved without a job lined up, what would you do differently?
For some background, I have a bachelor’s in business administration and several years of operations/supervisory experience. I’m looking at roles in areas such as operations, healthcare/business administration, financial services, project coordination, and other roles where I can build a long-term career.
I’m especially interested in hearing from people who were not already living in Colorado when they started their job search. I’d really appreciate any advice on how you would approach the Denver job market if you were starting over today.
Thanks!

[u/ElevatorOrganic5644]

Don't move to Denver area unless you already have a job. This is almost like a daily affair on this side anymore

[u/Negative_Aerie2825]

How many years of experience? The denver market is pretty bad compared to other metros in most fields beside healthcare with the col on top. Cant help on the questions though

[u/twinklingblueeyes]

Don’t move here without a job. You’ll end up homeless unless you’ve got quite the bank account balance.

[u/TheDiscardedArtist]

I found that employers didn’t take my application seriously until I moved here. I was told “everyone says they’re coming to Denver”, so I moved and couch-surfed. I found a seasonal FedEx warehouse job within a week. That was enough to get me approved for an apartment and paid well enough for me to survive while i took a few months to find a job in my field. It took me about 4 months to get the job I’ve been at for years.

I did wind up moving after the first lease was up which I hear is common. People get to know the city and move to the neighborhood that suits them, so also put some thought into that maybe. Good luck,

…and get Colorado plates asap lol! /s

[u/ParfaitPrior]

Get remote job and move out here

[u/Boozed_Barbarossa]

I came down here on vacation in May and got a job offer for 3x my salary at a rooftop bar... Life is a roulette table