Month: May 2018

Three Tips for Rocking an Out of State Job Search

So, you’ve decided that you’re ready to spread your wings and relocate to another state for your next career move.  If so, you’re not alone.  A recent survey from MSN shows that 1 in 4 jobseekers are willing and ready to relocate in order to facilitate a career change.  With those statistics, you might think that employers are open to candidates from varying locales, but ask any number of job seekers who have been in the hunt for a job outside of their current area, and you will likely find that securing a position in another state is a bit more challenging than you’d expect.  Oftentimes employers do not offer relocation packages, and they may look poorly on candidates from different areas because of the time and effort that it would take to have them move to the job location.  Sometimes employers just don’t want the bother.

So, what can you do about it?  Below are three tips to help you move your interstate job search forward.

  1. – Remove location markers from your resume

Most recruiters agree that when they see a resume with an out of state address, it comes off as something of a red flag.  They anticipate that employers will give pushback on those candidates, and therefore they are moved to the bottom of the “priority list”.  One of the easiest things that you can do to make yourself more competitive in the out-of-state job market is to remove your address from the document altogether.

Also, keep in mind that an address is no longer an important element of the resume – in fact, it is pretty erroneous information at this point.  You would be better served to use the area traditionally reserved for your address to instead showcase a link to your Linkedin profile or a headline introducing yourself to the employer.

You can also take it a bit farther and remove the locations of previous jobs that you have held as well (since this is also not pertinent information) and use the Google voice app to create a local phone number.  These two strategies are less common, but still considered acceptable according to most recruiters.

  1. – Talk about it and BE HONEST

Once you’ve been called for an interview, it is best to address the topic upfront.  When talking with a potential employer, you should use affirmative language and reference a time-frame for your move.  For example, you might ask for a Skype or phone interview for the first round.  At that point, you would let the company know that you are planning to relocate by saying something along the lines of, “Yes, I currently live in Ohio – however, I anticipate moving to Boston within the next 8 weeks.”  You should also include that you are prepared to move at your own cost, as many companies rule out candidates for whom they feel they will have to make a substantial investment in up front (such as a relocation package).

Also take care not to lie or lead an employer on.  I’ve often seen candidates use a local address on an application in order to avoid getting red flagged for being a non-local applicant.  This is fine – however, be sure that you explain clearly to an employer that this is the address you anticipate staying at once you arrive in the area, and not your current address.  Telling an employer you currently reside in LA with a current employer in Colorado is a sure fire way to get those red flags raised again, and, what’s worse, now you look like a liar to the hiring manager.  Don’t do it – this is never a good idea.

  1. – NETWORK!

Aside from the above two tips, you should treat your out of state job search largely the way that you would a local search – with the exception of needing to cast a much wider net.  Network with as many people as you can from your target area – Linkedin is a great tool for this.  You should be making connections with people in your industry and preferred area – be diligent about this, and make sure any meetings/informational interviews/etc. are as fruitful and meaningful as possible.

You should also be prepared to make a few trips to your target area as well.  Doing this will allow you to meet with your connections in real time, as well as become familiar with the area itself.  Depending on your familial situation, you may also need to research housing, schools, etc.  All of this will be much easier to do in person.

The ACM Staff is Out and About!

 

Believe it or not, occasionally we here in the Office of Alumni Career Management step outside of our hallowed halls and enjoy a little sunshine!  When we are not busy coaching clients on how to build a career that they love, we enjoy doing professional development and partnering with our fellow Alumni Association and University colleagues to further promote our mission.

In the last week, we have been doing a lot of that.  Here is a quick catch-up on some of the things that we have been up to lately:

 

GradFest!

Our illustrious university graduated more than 11,000 students last week, and we appreciated the opportunity to help welcome them into the alumni family!  On Friday, May 4, the ACM staff participated in GradFest – an event hosted by our friends in charge of connecting with Young Alumni.  At this event, we were able to talk to hundreds of new grads as they told us about why they chose their majors, what their plans were after undergrad, and some of them even let me in on a few tidbits about “what I wish I’d known” going into their degree programs.

Each department in the Alumni Experiences unit was represented at GradFest, and we all sought out special ways to connect with the new grads to make them feel welcome, and assure them that as Buckeyes, they always have a home here in Columbus, no matter where their journeys take them next.

 

National Conference on Diversity, Race, and Learning

OSU’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion is holding it’s 24th annual conference on Diversity, Race, and Learning this week, and the ACM staff had the wonderful opportunity to attend the pre-conference diversity training.  With topics ranging from “Improving Educational Outcomes for Underserved Students in Postsecondary Education” to “Creating and Flourishing with Diversity and Inclusion in a New Era,” my colleagues and I were privy to some great training that opened our minds to new ways of looking at diversity and inclusion, and how we can apply those principles in our everyday work lives to better serve our clients.

The larger conference is being held today, with Twitter’s own Candi Singleton as the keynote speaker – this should prove to be an excellent experience all around!

 

Also coming up soon, our staff will be attending a retreat with the University Career Services Council, which will feature training on working with clients with intellectual disabilities.  We are also planning some excellent professional development events for you all as well – be on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks!