Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've wanted to move out of the state I live in for a long time and go to New York. I haven't seriously searched for a job there yet, because I've been tied up with a few things here. I plan to be ready to start seriously looking in May, 2010. One thing that I'm a tiny bit worried about is that a friend of mine also relocated out-of-state and had a hard time finding a job. He said that he was told that having an out-of-state address on his resume caused a lot of people to throw it out. He said only after he started using another friend's address, who lived locally, was he able to get interviews.
I'm worried. I don't know anyone who lives in New York, so I can't use someone else's address. And New York is 1,200 miles away from where I live now. How much do you think it matters that I have a far away address?
It matters because they'll be worried about relocation and interview costs. If you put your out-of-state address make it clear you'll pay for relocation costs in the cover letter, and that should help a lot. If you're not willing to do that.. then your chances will suffer, mainly because there are many local candidates out there who don't have these issues.
I think it matters a lot. Employers see 'hassle' when they see an out-of-town address. Hassle at scheduling an interview, hassle at setting a start date, hassle at time off needed to finalize moving arrangments. Some employers will consider you, but most won't.
If you don't know anyone in town, rent a mail box and Mail Boxes Etc or some place like that and use that address. If there are local chapters of professional associations that you can join, do that, and add them to your resume to show 'local ties'.
I agree with Kodakas first paragraph. The second one I don't agree with at all. How on earth do you plan on explaining that you live in NY and work 1200 miles away, and have worked 1200 miles away your entire life? Employers aren't stupid, and they are going to question that. They will wonder that if you aren't being honest about that, what else are you lying about.
I ran into the same problem when I had homes in both NJ and FL. I'm not talking about mailing addresses. I'm talking full fledged name on the deed property tax paying homes. I didn't need relo costs, and was happy to foot the bill for interview costs. And I still had a terrible time finding a job in FL. That was when the u/e rate was 2%. I finally quit my job in NJ and moved entirely to FL, and then was able to land a job. it was a huge risk but I had significant savings and as I mentioned, the U/E rate was very low. It's something I'd never try to do in this day and age.
The best advice is to be honest in your cover letter, let them know you don't need relo or interview expenses paid, and keep your fingers crossed.
Thanks! Telling them that I'm willing to foot the bill on relocation costs sounds like a great idea. But do you think that most of them will bother to read my letter when they see the address in my heading?
Maybe I could take my address out of the heading and make it smaller in the footer...so it won't be the first thing they see. Or would that be sneaky?
I've also thought about moving before finding a job. And then maybe just trying to get any kind of a job to hold me over until I find the one I want. Or maybe I can try to save up a couple month's worth of living expenses. But I think doing that would be a last resort. It sounds scary.
I don't think that putting your address in the footer of the cover letter is at all sneaky.
Frankly with the U/E rate the way it is, even those "fall-back" low wage jobs are difficult to come by these days. I would NOT move wothout a firm written offer of employment.
I am a New Yorker and can attest that the job situation is dismal here, too. Before you move, perhaps you can plan a "visit" to the State and do some job searching in the area where you plan to settle. I just can't see moving anywhere in this economy without having a job lined up unless you are definitely moving to an area that has not been hit heavily by job losses in your field.
I did just read on a website this week that it is ok to leave your address off a resume if you are job searching out of state. I'm sorry that I can't recall where. I'm not sure how helpful that is if your contact phone numbers are also out of state.
Leaving it on or off doesn't matter, they'll figure it out based on your current employment--and then wonder why you left off the address.
But couldn't I just leave the cities and state off of my previous jobs? The names of the companies I've worked at don't give away what state I'm in.
The schools I've gone to all have "Arkansas" in the name, though. In fact, I'm still going to school to try to make myself more marketable. I guess it would be pretty obvious that I've recently lived in Arkansas when I list a graduation date for May, 2010 from the University of Arkansas.
Oh, and obviously, I'd have to include my phone number, which might also be a giveaway. I guess trying to not disclose that type of info on day one is a little unethical, anyway.
I found this response to an old discussion thread. This might be a good idea...state that you're planning to move in right in the header along with your address.
To help prospective employers understand that you are mobile, DON'T omit the locations of previous jobs. Instead, put your mobility in your header, right below your current contact info. Like this:
Tyneshia Farmer, MBA tyneshia@gmail.com (902) 555-1212 Atlanta, GA Planning to self-relocate to the Upper Midwest or New England in 2009/2010
Your plans to self-relocate are also perfect for a cover letter.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
