Job search... Must be local to be considered? (Seattle: renting, moving to)

[steelhead1]

Originally Posted by ptfcNassoc

Whats the risk? If they contact you and are interested then you are in there. The worse that can happen is if they don't contact you at all or they figure it out and then don't give you the job, but they weren't going to anyways if you weren't local in the first place.

I guess there isn't any real risk. The only problem is that if you do get the job and they want you to start right away you're screwed. I live about 19 hours driving time away from Seattle. I would need about atleast a few days get moved there. 3 weeks total time to start for me since I would have to give my current employer 2 weeks notice.

Anyway, I can't fool anyone without making major changes to my resume. My present and past employers have my state in their name so that's a dead give-a-way.

[ijoe13]

Originally Posted by steelhead1

I guess there isn't any real risk. The only problem is that if you do get the job and they want you to start right away you're screwed. I live about 19 hours driving time away from Seattle. I would need about atleast a few days get moved there. 3 weeks total time to start for me since I would have to give my current employer 2 weeks notice.

Anyway, I can't fool anyone without making major changes to my resume. My present and past employers have my state in their name so that's a dead give-a-way.

I guess the risk is more of a morality/honesty based risk. I risk the employer not trusting me. I risk starting off in Seattle with a lie. I just can't do it that way.

[UnusualSuspect]

What's this about faking employers out with phone numbers?? As someone mentioned, a lot of people just keep their phone numbers when they moved, and that's not exactly faking someone out. I've got a Seattle phone number because I lived in Seattle when I got my phone.

A local address is much more useful in a job search than is a local phone number, and that's much more difficult to fake. You can write down whatever address you want, but you probably can't make it to a last-minute interview.

Meh. I'm saving the hardcore job hunt for when I get to town. Hopefully we'll all be stressing out about our full-time jobs soon enough; I'm taking advantage of my free time this spring.

[ptfcNassoc]

Originally Posted by steelhead1

I guess there isn't any real risk. The only problem is that if you do get the job and they want you to start right away you're screwed. I live about 19 hours driving time away from Seattle. I would need about atleast a few days get moved there. 3 weeks total time to start for me since I would have to give my current employer 2 weeks notice.

Normally employers understand if someone is currently employed and would like to give their current employer a 2 week notice. Use that to your advantage. Maybe you don't quite give your currently employer the full 2 weeks notice after all. *wink*

[ptfcNassoc]

Originally Posted by ijoe13

I risk starting off in Seattle with a lie. I just can't do it that way.

Wow, is it really that serious? To each their own.

[ijoe13]

Originally Posted by ptfcNassoc

Wow, is it really that serious? To each their own.

It's karma. Some believe in it, many don't.

[steelhead1]

The address is the key thing here. Your phone number doesn't really matter. If you change your address to a Seattle one on your Monster and Dice profiles then recruiters will start calling you. They don't call unless you're local.

I decided a while back I was just going to be honest about my location and still apply for any and all jobs I thought I had a chance at. I'm doing that until I have enough money saved to make the move without a job. I've had a few call backs but no interview yet. I've got one lined up right now through a staffing agency and they seem to think I'd be a perfect match for the job. They (the staffing agency) don't seem to be concerned at all about my location. I'm really hoping to get the interview.
If not, I'll just keep trying...

One thing I decided is it's better for me just to be upfront about not being local. It's just too stressful to try to move in a real short period of time because the employer thinks your local. Moving is stressful enough...

[MaikeerinWA]

I don't see merely getting a local phone number (or temporary address) as a "lie" in and of itself. Rather, it's just part of one's transition to a new place. And not at all uncommon, job hunt or not.

[MaryleeII]

Its a matter of getting past HR. They screen by zip code, if you're not local, you're deleted, that simple. Once you get past HR, many hiring managers would be interested in certain candidates, and willing to wait a few weeks for them to start. Few serious employers expect a new employee to just start on the spot, unless its the type of job you wouldn't relocate for anyways, such as fast food, etc.

I did that---got another zip code. For some I used family and friends, for another I took out a MBE. In all cases, as soon as I took out a local zip code, I started getting interest. My out-of-town zip code was the bottle neck.

[ptfcNassoc]

Originally Posted by MichaelinWA

I don't see merely getting a local phone number (or temporary address) as a "lie" in and of itself. Rather, it's just part of one's transition to a new place. And not at all uncommon, job hunt or not.

Exactly, that's always the back up "excuse" you should use if you are asked a bunch of questions about it. People buy, rent, or plan on staying with friends and family when they decide they want to relocate and just want to get a jump on the job searching. That should be your story and stick to it.