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It is frustrating to get this type of question, but having pre-existing ties to an area is not really a prerequisite to getting a job - after all, you were able to obtain offers in Columbus before residing there. The hiring company may want to ensure that you are serious about committing to their location for the long run before investing time with the interview process.
If the company truly has a need to fill their positions and they can't find the best candidate among local or locally connected applicants, they may consider "outsiders". In the event they probe for more details it would also be truthful, based on your posts, to state that your family resides in an area lacking sufficient opportunities in your field. That is a perfectly valid reason to look elsewhere for jobs.
Congrats on the upcoming interviews in Columbus - hopefully (if you want to) the chance to stay in the area will work out for you. It's hard to know for sure but sometimes the lower degree of competition in less major cities may compensate for the smaller number of openings.
I only have one upcoming interview in Columbus. But thanks!
I am in the middle of a cross country job search and I just tell them that I am planning on relocating to XXXXXX in January. You don't need to go into details as that is really none of their business. Obviously they are fishing for stable candidates and there is usually no shortage of qualified local candidates.
This has worked out well for me, as I've gotten one offer (that I turned down) and a number of other interviews.
Other threads in this forum have mentioned that you should revise your cover letter to mention that you are relocating to that specific area. This lets them know why you are applying for that job in that city.
You can also go so far as renting a P.O. Box in a city if you are targeting a job in one particular area.
How did it work for you when you relocated to Columbus?
Part of the reason, when you really get down to it, is employers tend to want people who have personal ties to an area. If the employee doesn't like the company, they're far more likely to stay if they have significant personal ties to the area. Someone without a lot of deep roots in an area is much more likely to find another offer and move.
Yes, agreed. Regarding your previous example, my guess is that employers in a place like Tampa would tend to attract a lot of interest from applicants during the cold weather months - some of whom are a lot more serious than others. But if there's a shortage of the skills and qualifications they need among locals and those with local personal ties, they'll have to choose between considering other people or not filling the position. My current employer in Atlanta has hired quite a few people from outside the area for certain specialized technical and management positions, so being a local resident isn't always mandatory.
Yeah I agree. Employers pry for reasons why you want to move to their area, even though it has no bearing on your ability to perform the job.
They want to know why you are applying because they don't want to worry about whether you are going to end up moving or not. Employers have probably been burned a number of times by people who say they are willing to move and then never end up doing it. They can eliminate the hassle by going after local candidates who have ties to the area. The people contacting you have the responsibility of screening out people who are just going to end up wasting their time. It's a fair question to ask and there will be some companies that will only contact local applicants.
In your case, you are single and don't have any kids. There's really nothing keeping you in Columbus outside of a lease. As long as you articulate this to them, there should be no problems and they can focus on your qualifications.
Well, I managed to receive two job offers when I was living in Connecticut and looking for jobs in Columbus, so I don't see why it can't happen again. Right
I understand that it is a fair question for employers to ask. But the fact of the matter is that even if they hire a local candidate, that candidate could still leave the company after two years or whatever.
It's funny being asked that question even in desirable locations. Columbus is very transplant heavy! It's not like your moving to Nowhere, USA. Years ago when I moved to Los Angeles, the manager who interviewed me was wondering why the hell I wanted to live in LA. Come on! These are places people in numbers want to move to.
It's funny being asked that question even in desirable locations. Columbus is very transplant heavy! It's not like your moving to Nowhere, USA. Years ago when I moved to Los Angeles, the manager who interviewed me was wondering why the hell I wanted to live in LA. Come on! These are places people in numbers want to move to.
Yeah I thought that too. I am also currently working with a recruiter in Philadelphia and he asked me if I have any roots in the Philly area. I was like.....No.
Tomorrow I have a Skype interview with a recruiter in Chicago. God knows what she's going to ask.
I love this new outlook!
Have you thought about looking in San Francisco? There is a city called Concord that is affordable and the BART commute is not bad from there. You could get a really high salary in the SF Bay area / Oakland and live comfortably from Concord. Vallejo would be another option. San Francisco and Oakland don't have as big of a city feel as Chicago or NYC.
Good luck with your interviews and job search! Don't sell yourself short and keep up the positive outlook!
Uggh, no! I live in the Bay Area. I can almost guarantee the wages for accountants will not make up for the much higher rents in the Bay Area. And Concord? Yawn. So boooooring, yet still expensive because it's in the Bay Area. Vallejo? Has a major ick factor there, and has crime issues. Cheaper, but still not cheap--and farther away from employment centers.
Tomorrow afternoon I have a Skype "interview" with a recruiter based in Chicago. How am I supposed to dress for this? I don't feel like wearing a full formal suit just to sit in my bedroom in front of the computer screen, with only my face and upper torso showing on her screen. Can't I just wear a polo shirt or something? I mean, it's just a recruiter, and I'm not actually meeting her face to face. But when I do meet a recruiter in person, I always dress in a full formal suit.
Tomorrow afternoon I have a Skype "interview" with a recruiter based in Chicago. How am I supposed to dress for this? I don't feel like wearing a full formal suit just to sit in my bedroom in front of the computer screen, with only my face and upper torso showing on her screen. Can't I just wear a polo shirt or something? I mean, it's just a recruiter, and I'm not actually meeting her face to face. But when I do meet a recruiter in person, I always dress in a full formal suit.
Wear the suit, at least the shirt and jacket, even if you go commando and don't wear pants. Why make the recruiter question, even for a moment, your professionalism?
Dressing up is only going to take 5 minutes of your time.
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It's hard to know for sure but sometimes the lower degree of competition in less major cities may compensate for the smaller number of openings.
