50 years ago, your resume was pretty hard to send. If you we vying for a job that was out of your city or state, your resume required a stamp and any follow-up was an expensive long-distance phone call.
Today, your resume can be sent in a dozen different directions with the click of the mouse. Social media and email don’t know the difference between three miles and three thousand, so your opportunities as a job seeker are essentially limitless.
While this is great for job seekers across the planet, there are certain things that push them apart from their local competition. Check out three tips to keep in mind when sending your resume to another state (or country!):
Address it early
Put yourself in an employer’s shoes. If you need someone immediately and found a great candidate, wouldn’t you be irritated if they wait to drop the bomb that they’re a six-hour flight away?
In your cover letter and resume, address the fact that you’re a long-distance applicant. Since you already (or should) mention your career goals, bring up your location goals as well. Start the relocation discussion now with how quickly you’d be willing to interview or relocate for this position.
Connect it
As a long-distance applicant, you might feel like you’re at a distinct disadvantage. Employers can think this too, if you let it happen. In your cover letter and resume, connect your experience in a different town to the benefits this company can reap. After all, you are bringing in a new perspective and potentially new clients with you!
Think about the cost
Moving is expensive, not to mention stressful. Before you jet your resume off to the other side of the country, seriously consider what it will cost. If you have a family, this is even harder because you’ll need to uproot your spouse and/or children.
Additionally, do your research on the cost of living in this new area. The job might be paying more, but if rent is double what you’re used to, it might not be enough.
What do you think? Are you planning to work in a new city or state? Have you in the past? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
More on resumes at 10 Signs Your Resume Needs Updating.
Author: Gerrit Hall is the CEO and co-founder of RezScore, a free web application that reads, analyzes, and grades resumes – instantly. Gerrit has successfully combined his passion for computer science and the careers space by helping job seekers write the best resume possible. You can connect with Gerrit and RezScore on Twitter.
