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You may be inquiring about tips for applying to jobs out of state for several reasons. We all know the job market is tough and it is only getting tougher. Trying to find a job is one of the most stressful things you can do in your life. It may help if you expand your horizons and not limit yourself to jobs where you reside.
Expanding your job search geography will most surely open up other job opportunities that you may be eligible for. This is especially true if you currently live in small town or city, or if your education and expertise is in a niche field.
Applying to jobs out of state is now easier than ever since most companies are used to working virtually (thanks COVID! đ). Here are 3 tips for applying to jobs out of state that may help you make that transition a little bit easier.
4 Tips for applying to jobs out of state
Leave your address off your resume
Looking through resumes is an exhausting task for HR and hiring managers. You are being 100% judged on what you write on a piece of paper. If a company is on the fence about hiring a candidate from out of state, you may be easily disqualified. They are immediately thinking that you are a candidate with baggage and that they may have to go through several hoops if they want to hire you, including shelling out a relocation package.
You do not need to put your address on a resume. An email and phone number as contact information is enough.
You want HR and hiring managers to fall in love with you first, before you present them with the hurdle. Ideally, they want you so much for this position that they would not see this small technicality of you being out of state as a hurdle at all. The only way they can do this is if you get an interview first.
Your interview is your chance to wow them and convince them to hire you, regardless of your current location. So leave your address off your resume and get the interview first before telling them your baggage!
State you are willing to relocate
If you must put in an address on the application form because the website will not let you move forward without filling in the address box, then put your real address.
Do not put a fake address or a PO box or use your friendâs address who currently lives in the city of your new potential job. It is never good to lie on a resume and if the new company does a background check, you may not pass it.
If you must put in your address, then make sure you state that you are willing to relocate either on your resume or your cover letter. If you are relocating to this new location anyway on your own accord and expense, make sure you state that on your cover letter.
Related: How to write a cover letter
Only apply to jobs where you would want to live
This tip may seem intuitive, but may slip your mind when youâre job searching with rose colored glasses. You may see a job posting that is your absolute dream job with an amazing above average salary that may make you want to ignore the location.
Think about if you really want to live in this city. There is no point in relocating for a dream job only to live in a place that will make you miserable.
Do you see yourself living here? Would you be ok with the weather? If you are a young single individual that enjoys the busy city life, would this place offer that? What is the cost of living there? What is the crime rate? Would you feel safe living alone there or walking down the street at night?
You may see an above average salary for somewhere like Houston, Texas, but would you enjoy the high cost of living in the summer heat where you may not be safe?
Do some research on the city and try to envision if you would be happy there. If not, donât apply to that job no matter how perfect or high paying it is!
Get a job offer in writing
Before you do anything permanent, like quit your current job or move across the country for a new position, make sure you get the job offer in writing!
Moving requires a lot of work, time, and money. It is a lot of work to pack up everything you own and move out of state. It can also be very costly. You have to find a new place to live at your new location, which is stressful enough in itself.
Before you commit to doing all these things, make sure you have a job offer in writing. There are many many times and many instances that can happy for a verbal offer to fall through. A verbal offer is NOT an offer!
GET A JOB OFFER IN WRITING!
Verbal offers can fall through due to budget reallocation and the position isnât available anymore, company restructuring, decisions from upper management to hire internally, corporate politics, or simply the hiring manager changing his mind.
Before you uproot your life, make sure you have a job offer in writing and a signed contract.
So there you have 4 tips for applying to jobs out of state. Good luck in your job search journey!