Using a local address when looking for work out of state (interview, employer)

[djchriscruz]

I'm from Virginia and have been looking for jobs in San Francisco. I have an aunt in the Bay Area letting me use her address. But I've been wary of using it on my resume because you can easily tell my education and work experience is all on the East Coast.

If anybody has used another address on their resume have you been upfront with interested employers that you're currently not local?

[Nick99]

I think San Francisco is one of those places where nobody is actually from there. It's OK to indicate you are an out-of-state candidate. If you don't, you risk the casual invitation in for a meeting, since they think it's no big deal for you to show up.

If they know you are out of state, and you are invited in, you know they're serious. If they balk at paying you relocation, depending on how badly you want the job, you can always say it's not a problem to relocate on your own dime. Although I wouldn't surrender this off the bat.

Good luck. Frisco is gorgeous, although so is VA (I lived near Roanoke for a couple years)

[rfr69]

Originally Posted by djchriscruz

I'm from Virginia and have been looking for jobs in San Francisco. I have an aunt in the Bay Area letting me use her address. But I've been wary of using it on my resume because you can easily tell my education and work experience is all on the East Coast.

If anybody has used another address on their resume have you been upfront with interested employers that you're currently not local?

I see why your temtped to do this as many people won't consider out of state applicants, even if you state you are in the process of moving or interested in moving.

The downside of this however is that the employer thinks your local. A buddy of mine was trying to get a job in TX and lived in Chicago. He was called on Mon and asked if he could interview on Wed. Didn't have money to fly so basically had to pack up and drive straight through the night to TX for interview b/c a local person would have no problem doing that.

Well the interview was on like a Wed, they got busy asked to push it back til Monday. Had he been upfront he probably could have said hey I'm just in town for this interview, anyway we could push this up or you could accomodate me? B/c he said he was local he had to sleep in hotels and car, waste money and wait til Monday.

It's tempting to do as your more likely to get a callback but tis not like your in Mich trying to get a job in Chicago where though its an inconvenience its only a ride of a few hours. Your talking about clear across the country.

[djchriscruz]

^^That's what I fear in using a local address. The employer calling and saying "we really like your resume and would like for you to come in this week for an interview" I would fly out to SF if I had at 2-3 interviews lined up for I'm not sure if I would fly cross country on a whim for 1 interview.

[Ohiogirl81]

When I was planning a move to Philadelphia, I used my Ohio address but bought a cell phone with a local number. The people that hired me had no problems bringing on someone from out of state, but they were impressed with the fact that I had procured a local phone number.

Something to consider. Although distance is more of a factor for you than it was for me.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by djchriscruz

^^That's what I fear in using a local address. The employer calling and saying "we really like your resume and would like for you to come in this week for an interview" I would fly out to SF if I had at 2-3 interviews lined up for I'm not sure if I would fly cross country on a whim for 1 interview.

There's your answer. If you're not willing to do whatever it takes to keep up the illusion that you live locally, you shouldn't use a local address.

If you use the local address, you stick with that story forever. You don't suddenly say, "but I'm really in Michigan."

Even after they hire you, you can't use it as a reason to not start working in two weeks.

You only use the local address if you have the financial means and the transient life that allows you to just pick up and go as if you were local.