Moving is stressful within itself. Moving and looking for work? Well, that’s another story altogether! Here are some helpful hints from our team, to help you with this stressful time…
Let the recruiter understand your situation:
The bottom line is this: the easier you make it for the recruiter to understand your situation, the better! Be as straightforward as possible about your circumstance. Honesty is key in ensuring you are successful with this first step. Why are you moving? Tell the employer why you are relocating and what you expect from the employer in this move. You can write this down in your CV,LinkedIn summary or in your cover letter. You also need to identify what benefits, if any, you expect to receive if a job offer is made. For example, do you expect moving expenses to be paid? If not, let them know that as well.
Using a local address:
What’s your address? Your address is important. If you have an out-of-state address, an employer is unlikely to even consider you for an interview, unless of course you have a unique background or you are a senior executive with key credentials. Do you have family or friends that live in the city you’ll be moving to? If so, consider using their address on your resume (you don’t necessarily need to include the full address). If you can’t or don’t want to use this white lie, you should mention at the top of your resume that you’re relocating by a certain date. If you don’t have a specific date, say that your move is in progress. Be as specific as you can, it makes you look organised and helps the recruiter feel a sense of security when considering you for a position.
How can you increase your chances?
There are a number of things you can do in order to encourage a recruiter to interview you. One is to include in your cover letter, that you are able to come ahead of the move to have a face-to-face interview for the position. If you’re happy covering your own travel expenses for the interview, let them know that. If you are willing to move earlier than planned if you receive a job offer and they need you to start as soon as possible, tell them. These small statements decrease the number of questions they have about you, which will increase the chances you’ll be contacted. Your ability to travel will aid them in the recruitment process and will, therefore, increase your chances drastically, so, think twice about not investing in a train ticket to London for a face-to-face interview.
What else should you be doing?
Network early and network often. Even before you have a set time frame or date, reach out! Look at your LinkedIn and Facebook connections. Who lives in the area and who has connections in that area? Check everything from alumni groups on LinkedIn in your school’s alumni database, and email those people. If you are a new graduate, contact your universities career department. It doesn’t matter if they graduated in a different year or work in a different industry. If they live in the place you’re moving to, they know more people than you do. They can introduce you to others. Start by asking for a brief chat to talk about their city and recommendations. Mention what field you’ll be looking for work in. You never know what options a connection can create. Contacting mentors, professors or employers that you were on good terms with, is another idea. They could have valuable contacts to share with you, or colleagues to send your contact to.
While it’s definitely not a breeze to find a job from afar, there are things you can do to make a recruiter more willing to contact you for an interview. The best thing you can do is to be transparent about your situation and timing, as well as what you require (and don’t). Leave as few questions as possible unanswered in your job application, and you’ll likely become a local (with a job) in no time!
Good luck!
