Job Interview Questions: I'm trying to get a job in another city. How do I land that job interview without being a "local."?

I'm desperately trying to get out of my current city. I love it here, but I want to adopt in the near future and need a better job that just isn't available here. I'm looking to move to a bigger metropolitan area, but am having trouble landing job interviews because I'm an "out of towner." I have a local addresses (of friends) that I could use in a couple of these cities, but how do I format that on my resume when I am still employed in my current city?

Types of Job Interview Questions

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I would play the card that since you're from a smaller town, you have customer service skills naturally. You know how important it is to maintain positive interaction with clientele because you only had 5000 people in your city. Say that you're ready to expand your career opportunities and know that the only way to make your dreams come true is to put yourself in a bigger market. Right now, you're the big fish in a small pond, but you want to move up to a larger industry because you would love to be around successful people who are passionate about the same career field. Make yourself sound like a real go-getter and independence seeker. Be the prospective employee with major career goals and small-town values.

You shouldn't have to hide where you live unless the employer is asking that all applicants live within a designated mileage area. I would be upfront and say you're living in your small town now but are actively trying to relocate to whatever the city's name is and that you already have a place to stay in town if a job opportunity is presented. The employers will have a lot of admiration for your honesty and your drive.

Answers to Job Interview Questions - How to Deal With Tough Interview Questions

• You tell them that you are relocating to that area. If they ask when, tell them you are just waiting for an employment opportunity so you can leave your current position and move. Many companies will do phone interviews if they are interested in you. You can also set up several interview for the same day in the new location.


• KMB-
  It is true that companies in large metro areas prefer to hire someone local. The main reason for this is they don't want to pay for your relocation costs. If you are willing to pay for your own relocation, I would write a short resume cover letter stating that.
  
  The key to getting an interview is a well written resume with an excellent Look and Feel. It could be you are being rejected for interviews because your resume needs to be upgraded and polished. When prospective employers are impressed with your resume and read in your cover letter that you don't expect them to pick up the tab for you move, they likely will do a phone interview with you.
  
  Putting a friend's address on your resume could be problematic because you are currently employed. If you were unemployed, this strategy could work for you. But, for now it will look too obvious. Also, if they do decide to do a telephone interview with you, they could put you on the defensive right off the bat by asking you a lot a questions about it.
  
  Your best bet would be to go the cover letter route. Good luck with your search. It's tough out there right now, but there is always a shortage of good talent. So, just keep patiently going about your job search.
  
  Mike


• 1. Use Google Search
  Many headhunters list their job openings on public pages of their sites. Google easily searches them and lists them when searched. When you search for say 'employment' or 'careers' or 'jobs', enclose them in a parenthesis. By doing that, you are ensuring that Google understands your search for pages with any of these words. Next, you want to search for the title of a job. You do that by enclosing the title in quotation marks. By doing so, you are asking Google to search for that particular title intact without any break. Now, you want your local area also for the above specifications. Just type in your local city or town, and Google gets you only the pages that include your area of preference.
  
  2. The Networking Sites
  Social and professional networking sites are of great help in getting latest information of job opportunities in your local area. You can opt to be alerted by email of any new job opportunities. It depends on your ability to network with people and sites.
  
  3. The Offline Search
  Job opportunities can also be found offline. The classified job ads in local newspapers are of immense help. You can go to a local library and search for opportunities. Also, your college career services wing, notice boards of local companies, and trade association offices are other useful places where you can get job information. You can also search local directories for job opportunities.