Since the recession began in December 2007, 5.1 million jobs have been lost in the United States alone, with almost two-thirds (3.3 million) of the loss occurring in the last five months. The total number of laid-off Americans receiving unemployment rose to 5.84 million during the week ending March 28, the most on record dating from 1967 and higher than analysts expected.

Job seekers in most fields today are competing for open positions more aggressively than they have in more than 40 years. As more people look for work among fewer available positions, they may choose to expand their search by considering relocation.

Focus your Search
Narrow your list of locations by considering the cost of living in other areas, places you might like to live and locations where you have family or friends. Staffing firm Robert Half International, at CareerBuilder.com, recommends considering: "Which cities have the best job prospects? What is the state of your industry in other locations? Where is there demand for the type of work you do?" In its latest annual Best Places for Business and Careers list, Forbes considered such key factors as the cost of doing business, crime rate, education opportunities, living costs, projected income growth, projected job growth and subprime mortgages.

Some technology professionals may consider working abroad. Says Monster Tech Jobs expert Allan Hoffman: "U.S. techies, especially consultants, are often paid a premium for working in other countries." Particularly for these consultant jobs, "deep and industry-specific" expertise is crucial to finding suitable work.

Hoffman advises targeting high-growth countries: "Research countries with vibrant technology industries and demand for your specific skills. Look for countries trying to lure technical talent. But remember: You'll have tough competition, because countries seeking foreign tech workers often look to the same countries U.S. companies do, such as India and China."

If you are in the U.S. and are confident you're in a good position to get work abroad, look for an overseas position with a U.S. company. If currently employed while job searching, you can start by seeing if your current employer operates in offices abroad.

Consult Various Channels
"Although 23 percent of employers will decrease their recruitment budgets this year, 19 percent will devote more recruitment dollars to online hiring, such as generalist sites, niche boards and local job boards," Careerbuilder.com reports. Consider that even if you find an appealing job posting for which you are overqualified, at least now you know the company is hiring and can visit the prospective employer's Web site to see if there are any additional openings.

But don't use online job postings exclusively. "Develop a multichannel strategy and invest your time accordingly," Monster.com recommends. "Those channels might include recruitment agencies, professional associations and, of course, your network." (See: Monster's Professional Associations for Engineers) Moreover, create ways for potential employers to find you: Let your network contacts know you're looking, and use social networking sites such as LinkedIn.com.

Low unemployment rates seem harder to come by in today's economy, but keep up to date on the locations with the most available job opportunities by checking the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' most recent data for local, national and international unemployment rates.

Acknowledge your Willingness to Relocate
Rather than mislead potential employers by fudging your address to be near the employer, be open about your current situation. You can start by mentioning relocation at the top of your résumé. In online job sites that allow it, list all potential locations where you want to work and answer "yes" to the "Are you willing to relocate" question. "When employers search résumés, they usually have the option to include job seekers who both reside in or are willing to work in the selected locations, so be sure your name makes their hit list," Monster advises.

If you're targeting a specific area, a statement such as "Searching for a position in the Nashville area," "Open to relocation to the Southeast" or "Available to relocate nationwide" should be sufficient.

In addition, your cover letter is the best place to explain why you are searching for a job outside your immediate area. For instance, Robert Half notes, you may mention that you are targeting a specific geographic area (e.g., returning to your hometown) or that you "have long wished to work for a particular firm and are willing to relocate in order to do so."

Be Flexible
After suggesting an initial phone interview, if there is mutual interest to meet in person, don't waste an opportunity to sit with someone. Even if your cover letter mentions your availability for on-location interviews, "when possible, work around [hiring managers'] schedules when arranging phone calls," Robert Half advises. "Keep in mind that you may have to pay for your own travel arrangements if asked to an in-person interview."

Although some employers pay for relocation, or spousal relocation assistance, "you have to be willing to pay for your own move and relocation expenses if you receive a job offer," both Robert Half and Monster make clear.

The Usual Rules Apply
It should go without saying that, when looking for a job that involves relocating, the usual job-searching rules still apply: work on your résumé, cover letter and interview techniques; inventory your talents/abilities; work your network; sell yourself; keep up with business trends; and stay positive.

Though these steps are standard when looking for work, failing to take them in today's tight job market will almost guarantee your name is crossed off the list of potential candidates.

Resources

The Employment Situation: March 2009
U.S. Dept. of Labor, April 3, 2009

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report (week ending April 4)
U.S. Dept. of Labor, April 9, 2009

Unemployment Rate for US Engineering and Computer Occupations Jumps Significantly
IEEE-USA, April 6, 2009

The Right Way to do a Long-Distance Job Search
Robert Half International / Careerbuilder.com, Jan. 29, 2009 (last updated)

Best Places For Business And Careers
by Kurt Badenhausen
Forbes, March 25, 2009

Job Seekers Not Stifled by Economy
by Rosemary Haefner
CareerBuilder.com, Feb. 18, 2009 (last updated)

Laid Off? Eight Effective Ways to Respond
by Ian Christie (BoldCareer.com)
Monster.com, 2009

Professional Associations for Engineers
by Monster.com staff

Seven Tips for Social Networking Online
by Allan Hoffman
Monster.com

Rev Up Your Résumé to Relocate
by Kim Isaacs
Monster.com

Techies Look for Work Abroad
by Allan Hoffman
Monster.com

Additional Resources

Job Hunting in a Tight Market
by Anthony Balderrama
CareerBuilder.com, March 5, 2009

The Full-Time Job of Finding a Job
by Anthony Balderrama
CareerBuilder.com, Feb. 26, 2009

Look for Work in Troubled Times
by Therese Droste
Monster.com

Eight Tips for Job Hunting During the Recession
by Margot Carmichael Lester
Monster.com

Find the Right Job in 3 Steps
by Ellen Alcorn
Monster.com