Job Search with Relocation

Frequently clients tell me they are willing or enthused about leaving Nassau County or Suffolk County here on Long Island and seeking employment in another part of the country. If this is you, there are some important strategies to use while conducting a job search with relocation in mind.

Your Zip Code Matters

The applicant tracking software many companies use to pre-screen candidates is routinely set to set to look at the zip code at the top of your resume to identify where you currently live. Furthermore, even if a company is not using such software, employers also look at the current location of an applicant. Companies typically prefer to hire local candidates if local candidates are available and qualified. This is because a long-distance candidate may ultimately change their mind and not move, or there may be complexities with the move in terms of finding a new place to live, and/or selling a home quickly. 

Share Your Relocation Plan

I encourage my clients to make it very clear in a cover letter or cover note that they have a relocation plan in place, and they can predict, with a fair amount of certainty, when they can be available to work in the new city. Using two zip codes on the resume, a current one, and a planned one, can be a workable strategy. If you have friends or relatives in the new city, do mention this. If you are open to moving to several cities, the best strategy is to create slightly different versions of your cover letters and resumes.

If you are ready for professional help in crafting such a resume and cover letter, please visit the resume and cover letter writing page of this website to learn about the service, which is in-person in Huntington, Long Island. If you have an existing resume, use the contact us page to send it to me, or you may email it to me as a simple attachment. I am very responsive to inquiries and you will typically hear from me within two hours.  All inquiries are confidential.