Relocating Without a Job

Q. I am an experienced senior program officer, with about 10 years of foundation experience. Recently my foundation has undergone some changes, and I am ready to find a new position and relocate to the San Francisco Bay Area. But despite applying for other grant-making jobs, I haven’t yet made it to the interview stage. I am getting restless and am thinking about just quitting and relocating without securing a new job. Is this is a good idea?

A. No. Regardless of the current state of the job market, it is always very risky to relocate without a good employment prospect, says Julia Hirsh, a recruiter at Boyden, in San Francisco, who specializes in filling nonprofit slots. “Potential employers, employment agencies, and search firms find candidates who are employed much more desirable than those who are unemployed,” she says.

In any case, few grant-making jobs are available, and those that are open aren’t always advertised, so your best bet is to reconnect with professional contacts you already have in the Bay Area, says Ms. Hirsh. Let them know of your interest in moving, so they will think of you when they hear of an open position. And because sometimes foundations have needs that sit unfulfilled because they haven’t yet found the right person to lead those efforts, you might try writing your own job description.

“If you have developed an area of expertise that is the focus of a particular Bay Area foundation, contact them with a specific proposal that explains how your skills could help enhance their program,” Ms. Hirsh suggests.

If you don’t already have professional contacts in the area, however, it’s time to start making some, says Susan Himmelfarb, a recruiter in Oak Park, Ill., who works exclusively with nonprofit clients. Ask your current contacts if they will introduce you to any contacts they may have in San Francisco, she says.

“It’s critical that people in the area begin to know you in person if you’re to connect with the right next job, so plan to spend substantial periods of time in the Bay Area,” she says.

Use a week of your vacation time or arrange some long weekends so that you can meet with foundation executives on Fridays and Mondays. Remember, although you should always bring a résumé with you, these initial meetings are simply a means to make acquaintances and gather information about them and about their work in the Bay Area.

Because the number of people who want to work at foundations far outstrips the number of jobs, you might also take the time to think more broadly about your career goals and be more flexible in your search, suggests Ms. Himmelfarb. Make a full assessment of your interests. What do you like about your current work? What are you best at — working with grant recipients? Analyzing the program or financial pieces of a proposal? Helping shape an innovative project that could lead to social changes? The traits you list may be found in other jobs within the nonprofit or even for-profit arenas, she says.

“Maybe you could run a program at a not-for-profit whose mission you support. In fact, many foundations are looking for this in-the-trenches program experience from their program officers, and it can only help you later if you decide you want to go back to a foundation career,” she says. “Or you might join a for-profit corporation’s cause-related, marketing-program department. There are many possibilities, and it’s only through a sustained networking effort that you’ll get a sense of what those are.”

Lastly, if you’ve been sending out cover letters and résumés but not seeing any interest, have a professional take a look at your materials to make sure that your solid background and experience clearly stand out, suggests Kevin Berchelmann, a recruiter at Triangle Performance, in Bellaire, Tex., who works with nonprofit clients. Be sure to note in your letter that you can quickly learn about local issues, he advises. And if you do not own your home and do not need full relocation support, make sure to say so, he adds: “Because, believe me, the hiring manager is certainly thinking the worst.”