How to indicate that I am actively (desperately) seeking to relocate?

[u/SamePoetry8623]

My fiancé and I currently living in different states, and both trying to apply for roles in hopes that one of us will be able to move to the other ASAP. A role that I am very qualified for popped up in his area, and I don’t want to mess up my application. Should I include that I am looking to relocate in the cover letter, and how so? Additionally, should I put his address on my cover letter?

The reason I haven’t been including his address is because is because my work experience is all with my home state university, so it is very clear where that work is located (and therefore where I am located). The role i’m applying to is with another University, and they will definitely be familiar with my institution.

Thanks in advance.

[u/ProneToLaughter]

I'm at a university, experience reading applications for both staff and lecturer jobs. Edit: we are still "read everything" type of people.

I've seen a short sentence "actively looking to relocate to JobRegion as I have close family in the area", usually in the closing paragraph, and it's always landed well with me. Details about fiance are maybe a bit much although I've seen people make it work--for a faculty-type job where people are very familiar with the two-body problem you maybe have a little more leeway. I think the closing paragraph is the right place, definitely not the opening.

We are in a VHCOL area so it is hard to get people to move here so knowing they are local or want to be local and also have good access to info about the cost of rent is very reassuring, and for me, local/ish can be a deal-breaker between two very similar strong candidates in making shortlists.

If your current job is 2023-present, and you list a home city in a different state from the job, I would be confused in a negative way. Better to explain the reality.

[u/HeadlessHeadhunter]

Recruiter here, NEVER put Open to Relocation on your resume, that is big no no. You want to put instead is "Moving to XXXX by YYYY date, can move earlier if needed". In addition don't put that in the cover letter, no one reads those, even if they are required.

[u/SamePoetry8623 → u/HeadlessHeadhunter]

Do you put that at the top of the resume? I work in higher ed recruiting and admissions so I come from a very “we read everything” type of background. I am applying for another higher ed recruiting and admissions role, but not sure how they operate in their office.

[u/HeadlessHeadhunter → u/SamePoetry8623]

Directly under the contact information.

[u/cwajgapls → u/HeadlessHeadhunter]

“No one reads those, even if they are required”

Obviously, the process is what the process is, but what a colossal waste of time and resources.

[u/xtc46 → u/cwajgapls]

Agreed. No one wants to pick a fight over a policy that they can also just entirely ignore. It absolutely sucks.

Same reason tons of job descriptions suck. Trying to fight with HR over titles, baselining the role for pay, differentiating it from other roles, etc. so much work, so most managers say screw it, post a super vague approved description and just deal with crappy candidates.

[u/anonymouse278 → u/xtc46]

It's maddening. I work in nursing, where the same license/job title could mean wildly different things, and virtually every job description, no matter what the employer, is like "supports our mission to provide quality healthcare to the population we serve." Does that mean I'm gonna be doing scoliosis assessments and hearing tests in a school or vaccines at public clinics or dressing changes in a hospital or auditing trauma charts in an office or diabetic education over the phone from home like please give me a crumb of context for what actual specific tasks this position entails before I waste all of our time.

[u/agreensandcastle → u/cwajgapls]

We read them. HR doesn’t but the actual hiring team does. The bar is in hell though. Legibility goes far

[u/cwajgapls → u/agreensandcastle]

Wait are you saying that people hand wrote them? Is that required or recommended? If so I’ll be screwed if I’m ever job hunting again

[u/EfficientProject7408 → u/HeadlessHeadhunter]

Why not? I had a FAANG recruiter suggest to put open to relo, hybrid and remote on my resume. What’s the harm in doing that?

[u/velmah → u/HeadlessHeadhunter]

Can you elaborate? I am temporarily living in my parents basement and I would literally relocate to anywhere but I can’t lie and put dates for every city I’m considering. I’m fairly certain my address in bumfuck nowhere is hurting me but I don’t know how to fix it without moving preemptively

[u/kittyxandra]

Had to deal with this when I was moving. I always put a small paragraph towards the top of my resume with a description of my skills and what I’m looking for in a job. That’s where I also put “relocating to ____ in early October” when I was in the middle of relocating. It gives them a loose timeline and an explanation as to why you’re applying to a job in a different state.

[u/Blooming_FigLeaf]

Don’t over think it. Put the city on your resume and a dash, followed by “relocating”. 

[u/walrusdinosaur]

I agree with the commenters— a simple sentence in the cover letter offering a moving date has worked for me, and I’ve moved cities 2 times.

I HIGHLY suggest having a practiced and simple answer for interviews. You can even bring it up in the initial “tell us about yourself” question.

Keep it simple— “I’m relocating to be closer to family” or “I’ve visited CITY regularly for years and decided I would love to live here, and have plans to move xyz month.” Don’t over explain, don’t bring up that it’s an either you or he move situation. Jobs are looking for people with stable lives who will stick around, so just show that you reflect that.

[u/Repulsive-Honey7305]

When we've moved states we put (relocating to X in <season><year>) under the contact info at the top. If its a cover letter situation I put it in the first sentence "what a wonderful coincidence that you are seeking a candidate just as I am operationalizimg my move to X. You will see that my experience matches your needs perfectly blah blah blah.

[u/gaytee]

Why wouldn’t you just say you live there? You can easily send mail to his house, and even if it costs a bunch, get a last minute flight and be there the following day.

Don’t mention that you don’t live there at all, just be ready to fly or drive whatever to pretend you live there until you actually do. Once you’re through a couple rounds of interviews you can say something like “my partner lives here and I’m in the process of moving, so I’ll be able to attend company meetings/functions in the next few weeks”

[u/Fluid-Village-ahaha]

Do you want a relocation assistance? If not then just put a name and address that you are relocating to the area for personal reasons as a line in cover letter or resume.

[u/Ok_Chemistry6317]

Pretty sure that most AI will screen out your application if the address is not local. I would use his address and if asked during the interview process, say you have leased this apartment with your fiance who moved out there ahead of you while you wrap up some things in your home town.

[u/itsveryupsetting]

I’d just apply as if you already live there and not expect any compensation for moving. No one is going to pay for your relocation unless your skill set is very niche. The job market is too bad right now.