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Whether or not it's "silly" is irrelevant. Whether or not certain workplaces have dumb policies regarding long distance calling is irrelevant. Whether or not some people see a non-local area code and develop an immediate bias is not something the OP can control, nor is it something they'd ever admit to him.
The point is, if the OP genuinely wants to know if having a non-local area code may have an impact on getting hired, there are some instances where it may. He may decide he cares enough to change it or he may not. The question was asked and a variety of answers given.
My point is that anybody who is going to hire can call long distance. Therefore that particular excuse is silly and can be completely discounted. It is not worthy of consideration because it is not going to stop anybody from being considered for a job.
As an employer, this is as accurate as it gets. A not local area code is meaningless especially in today's world of number porting.
The only red flag or issue would be an area code with no conncetion to the information on your resume. If your showing education in a state with 10 years of work in that same state, having an area code from somewhere unrelated to your information may possibe be the only thing they glance sideways at. And that's only if they even notice it.
You may need to start going back further. I know a lot of barely 30-year-olds who've had cellphones from the time they were in HS, moved out of state for college and never returned home. So they'd have 10 years, non-related work/education to their phone number.
To the OP:
In this age of no long distance nor roaming charges on cellphones, I don't think it's a liability. So far, no one even mentions my out of state area code (I have a local address). Usually they see my out of state work history and ask about that. I also have Google Voice and I just have it forwarding to my cellphone. Never had any issues with it. I would warn the person that I have a bad signal sometimes, but they can't even tell I'm on a cellphone. Just my experience with Google Voice both over my wifi and cellphone.
I agree with Colorado in that I prefer my phone # match my current state of residence. I've relocated a lot, particularly the past 10-yrs, therefore, I've changed my # quite often. We each differ, but the discrepancy in area code & zip code has come up in interviews for jobs & even just recently with several property managers when viewing apartments. Since it's been brought up, I don't want to take a chance it could exclude me from a job opp... it's a simple step to just change the #.
But, I did want to ask... is there no generic area code, like the fictitious 555 exchange used in movies?
Thanks for the tip on Google Voice, as well. It may not be perfect, but as it's free, I'll test it out.
I simply meant that if you are young and out of state looking for work unless you have impressive credentials an out of area phone # is going to be an obstacle to overcome IMO. I don't agree with you that people typically keep their numbers when they move unless they are experienced professionals.
I have known a lot of people who have moved to NYC from any other place in the country. I do not know of a single person who has changed their number to a "NY" number from the number they had. And most of these are people I have met long before we were "experienced professionals." No one wants to bother changing a number that everyone has/knows since they were probably a teenager just because they moved, especially because cell phone-to-cell phone, long distance doesn't matter.
Location: The Northeast - hoping one day the Northwest!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by venicebeachcalifornia
I've been using this out of state cell phone number all my life and I'm not giving it up. Do you think it's a "liability" on my resume even though my address is local or it really doesn't matter in this time and age? Thanks!
I don't think so. Especially now w/ cell phones and people moving. Having out of state area codes is really quite common!
It really depends on the area, I know of several employers in Colorado that will hesitate to call people with out of state numbers, if there is enough reasons on their resume to indicate that they really are local, then they may still get an interview but if there is not enough indications of a connection to the area they are DQed.
The reason that some look at the phone number in addition to the actual address is that many people seem to want to move to Colorado and love to use local friends, relatives, or mail box etc addresses to get a job. While in many areas that is not a big deal, in an area where even jobs selling cars get a 1000 resumes, they are looking for any reason to DQ people.
I have 2 cellphones. One is from 1-million years ago & is a Trackfone, the pay per minute co. Unless I google the area code, I have no idea to which state the # is attached. I don't change that # & will unlikely get rid of it, because it's a stable # & all family has it. Everyone tired of my 'Here's my new address & phone' emails.
For work (& daily use), I have a Smartphone & change the # to match whichever local exchange I'm living. Depending upon the job one is applying for, I think a nice clean resume in which everything matches looks very detail oriented. Since my normal work is very detail oriented, I'm creating the impression I'd like.
An aside, but interestingly enough, I just relocated to CA & have been approved for an apt. The property mngr used to be an HR Mngr for major companies for 30+ years. She not only verified work/landlord references via phone, she told me she googled the names of my previous employers to see if the phone #'s, supervisor's names & company names I supplied matched & if she could find multiple sites where they all synced. Wow... I realize she's a bit nosey & she may be bored with time to spare, taking her job responsibilities a bit too far or is simply far more an*l retentive than I (or perhaps that degree of checking is just routine nowadays?), but I had no idea an apt complex would do so & still wouldn't know unless she mentioned it.
So, to the OP's q... is it necessary? Maybe not, according to some. But, if I'm looking for a new job (& I currently am), I want to present a polished package & not be excluded for some unknown reason, which I could have easily, cheaply & quickly remedied. I'd say, match the # to the local area in which you're looking for a job. In this economy, I don't want to risk exclusion for any reason.
I have known a lot of people who have moved to NYC from any other place in the country. I do not know of a single person who has changed their number to a "NY" number from the number they had. And most of these are people I have met long before we were "experienced professionals." No one wants to bother changing a number that everyone has/knows since they were probably a teenager just because they moved, especially because cell phone-to-cell phone, long distance doesn't matter.
Since they were a teenager? Oh, ok just so we know what demographic we're addressing here.
I "bothered" changing my number. In a heartbeat. I relocated and transferred my BUSINESS to another city and it is OUT OF THE QUESTION to have an non local number since I work in people's homes and being LOCAL is a super big deal. I would have done the same thing had I been job searching, because as I posted before - remove all barriers and subliminal issues. Of course plenty of people retain their out of area number. But it's incorrect to say "No one".
Adding a Google Voice to forward to an existing number is NOT a "change of number" anyway. You high tech Millennials know that, right?
What we're seeing unfold here is the RESISTANCE to even CONSIDER facilitating a potential employer's possible direct or indirect reasons to complicate and accomplish the job search and hire process. Plus extreme condescension. As if everyone ELSE is an idiot.
Have at it. Ya'll are such special snowflakes, after all.
PROTIP: When you move to FL and refuse to change your Yankee NYC number or provide a local number, don't be surprised you get no interviews.
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Wow... I realize she's a bit nosey & she may be bored with time to spare, taking her job responsibilities a bit too far or is simply far more an*l retentive than I (or perhaps that degree of checking is just routine nowadays?), but I had no idea an apt complex would do so & still wouldn't know unless she mentioned it.
