How to Discuss Relocation in a Cover Letter and Resume

How to Discuss Reschauplatz in a Cover Letter and ResumeHow to Discuss Relocation in a Cover Letter and ResumeAsk Amanda How Do I Mention Relocation in My Cover Letter?Each week, TopResumes career advice expert, Amanda Augustine, answers user questions like the one below from Quora and our Ask Amanda form. A certified professional career coach (CPCC) and resume writer (CPRW), Amanda has been helping professionals improve their careers for nearly 15 years. Have a question for Amanda? Submit it here.Q How do I address my desire to relocate for work in my cover letter and resume?Im about to start a job search and want to relocate. How do I approach the subject of relocation in my cover letter and resume? AprilGreat question, April Before you update your resume and cover letter for a long-distance job search, I suggest doing some online research to determine which job markets are healthy and have a decent number of job openings in your desired field. Its notlage enough to know you want to relocate to somewhere warm search your favorite job boards to get a better sense of which locations not only meet your personal needs but also have a high demand for professionals in your line of work. Your current location will be less of an issue when your talents are in high demand.Once youve narrowed your search to a few locations, dig a little deeper to determine which is the right place for you to live. Reach out to friends and friends-of-friends who live in the area and can give you the inside scoop on what its like to live and work there. If possible, visit each city to get a feel for each area.Also, make sure you can afford to move to each location. Use resources like Salary.coms customized salary reports and NerdWallets cost of living calculator to estimate the salary range you can expect to earn in each location and determine if it will be enough for you to live comfortably in that area.How to discuss relocation in your resumeApply these relocation tips to your resume and LinkedIn profile, where applicable.Edit the location detailsIf youve narrowed your search to a specific locale, include the city, state, and zip code in your contact details at the top of your resume. If you havent worked in this city before, consider removing the location information for your employers within your resumes Work History section.Update your resume professional summaryTake advantage of the professional summary section of your resume, space previously reserved for your resume objective statement, to address your desire to relocate. Include a blurb similar to the following toward the end of your summary Interested in relocating to the greater location area. You can take it a step further and mention that youre willing to relocate to location at own expense to demonstrate to employers how serious you are about making such a move. If youre still on the fence about relocating for work, leave a line like this out until youve done your research and found a specific locat ion that interests you and is a realistic option, given your career and the locations current job market.Emphasize other aspects of your employersConsider adding a one-line company description underneath each employer listed on your resume that highlights the aspects each has in common with the companies youre currently targeting for your job search. This could be anything from the companys size to its industry to the types of customers it serves. The idea is to downplay the location of each employer by emphasizing other attributes that are relevant to your desired employer.Related How to Build an Employer Dream List for Your Job SearchHow to discuss relocation in your cover letterYour cover letter and the summary section of your LinkedIn profile are great places to add personal details about your desire to relocate that would seem out of place on a resume.While technology is making the world smaller and smaller, employers still tend to favor local candidates over out-of-towners whe n all else is equal. Why? Because non-local candidates typically cost mora money to hire (i.e. relocation costs) and are often considered mora of a flight risk. Use your cover letter to dispel any false assumptions an employer may have about your decision to relocate.Highlight your historyIf you previously worked or studied in the area, or if you have family living there, incorporate these facts into your cover letter. This information shows employers that youre already familiar with the location and will be comfortable living there. In other words, youve already begun to lay down roots and are less likely to jump ship as a result.Demonstrate your researchIf you havent lived in the location before, show the employer that youve done your homework on the area. When explaining why youre interested in the opportunity, drop in a detail or two that demonstrates what youve learned about the location and why it makes the position more appealing. By exhibiting the research youve done on the area, youre showing the employer how serious you are about relocating.Indicate your familys supportWhile you dont necessarily want to go into the nitty-gritty details of your family, it doesnt hurt to mention that My family and I are committed to relocating to location to show your familys support of the move. If youre relocating because your spouse or partner was transferred to this location for work, be sure to specify this in your cover letter, as it may alleviate any fears the employer has about your genuine interest in relocation. How to approach relocation in your cover letter and resumeOnce youve updated your job-application materials to demonstrate your commitment to relocation, focus on developing a strong network of connections in your desired city to help you sidestep the ATS software and put your application directly into the hands of the recruiter or hiring manager. Click on the following link for more tips for conducting a long-distance job search.Need help positioning your resume for relocation? TopResume can helpRecommended Reading6 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Relocating for WorkWhat Is an ATS? How to Write a Resume to Beat the BotsDont Answer These Off-Limits Interview Questions