Today’s Tip: Applying for a Job Out of Town? Act Like You Live There!

Employers are very reluctant to consider candidates that may require relocation expenses. In addition, they won't even consider people that are willing to relocate themselves (out-of-pocket) because they believe that the local candidate pool is swimming with fresh fish and they also don't want to appear "cheap" by not offering a full relocation package. So do you move to that new city, get an apartment, phone number and then apply? No, there is a much easier way! The answer is to make it appear that you live in your target company's geographic area.

You accomplish this by listing (on your resume) a phone number that has the same area code as your target company. In other words, if you are looking to relocate to Miami, you would obtain a free voicemail phone number that starts with the area code 305. To obtain a list of providers that will do this for free, Google "free voicemail number" and you will have many to choose from. Your potential new employer will see your Miami area code phone number and think that you are local to them and if your skills match their requirements, you will get that call!

To further compound the "ruse", you might want to obtain a "street looking" Miami, Florida address.  There are many companies that will provide a mail drop address (Mail Boxes Etc. and UPS to name a few).  A mail drop is a secure address recognized by the the postal service, where you can rent a box and effectively use it as a postal address for that city in which you rent it from. They then will forward your mail to your "real" address.  Note: this is not a PO Box, this is a real "street address".

Some of you may say this is trickery! I won't do that! But I say to you, do you want a sure "No" (by the employer throwing away your resume) or a possible "Yes" by them assuming you are local to them, calling you, and giving you a CHANCE to sell yourself as the best candidate for the position. If and when they learn about your real current location, you can say, "My family and I are planning to move to Miami and we are laying the groundwork for that move".