How to Get Interviews When You Aren’t Local

April 7, 2017

It’s a struggle…trying to get an interview in a highly competitive city when you aren’t local. There’s a strong chance that the address on your resume may completely turn off a recruiter. Some admit that travel costs to fly you in for an interview and also thoughts around wasting their time if you decide not to relocate – are top reasons they may not call you back. So, keeping those objections in mind – here’s your game plan.

Skip the interview trip and book a networking trip

Yes, may seem counter intuitive, but you need to start with step-one – building connections. A networking trip is booked full of lunches with old friends, informal interviews with your existing connections, local professional chapters and networking groups.

Go to LinkedIn

Check LinkedIn to stake out who you may know in the city where you want to move, who is in your industry and send them a message to see if they might be free for lunch. Ask them about local professional groups in the area and where you might be able to hook up with some other professionals.

Book a Two Week Pre-Trip

During your networking trip, you can also let potential employers know you will be in town. Even if it’s informal, grab lunch with someone who works for the company to ask questions like:

What do you like about working for your employer?
Are there opportunities for growth?
Where do you see the company increasing staff in the future?
What product or business lines seem to be doing well?
Do you know anyone hiring in my specific area of interest?
Would you be willing to offer an introduction or pass along my resume?

By scheduling and being intentional about a networking trip, you will be in a better position to land a job before you move to the area. And, if you’re ready to make that move – you can always give Beltmann a call and let one of our specialists get you hooked up with a free moving quote.

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