Not Getting Interviews Because of Location

PasturesNew

Yet again this morning I've had a fast response from applying for a job to say that the employer won't be even considering me because I'm not local and have no local connections.

As I am applying for jobs across the whole of the bottom of one county, I am not keen on actually moving (especially mid winter) to a place that might turn out to be the wrong end of the county for any job I secure, as I'd prefer to get a job then house-hunt within 2 miles of it.

Would you:
1] Accept that until you're local you're rarely going to get an interview and just sit and apply for ages?
2] Move and pray you'll get a job by being local?

I'm tempted to just move and be done with it. Thing is .... what if I then spot jobs in the next county ....?

jackomdj

Have you backed up your applications stating that whilst you are not currently local you are looking to relocate to the area.....it is true as you will relocate to whatever area you find your new role!

I found a job in Reading whilst living in Cornwall as we were looking to move.

Annisele

*Confused*.

Admittedly I live in London and commuting is not unknown here, but I'm not sure what on earth you can be doing where 'the other side of the county' counts as not local?

PasturesNew

Annisele wrote: »

*Confused*.

Admittedly I live in London and commuting is not unknown here, but I'm not sure what on earth you can be doing where 'the other side of the county' counts as not local?

Applying for jobs at the moment 2-3 counties away, 200 miles.

PasturesNew

jackomdj wrote: »

Have you backed up your applications stating that whilst you are not currently local you are looking to relocate to the area.....it is true as you will relocate to whatever area you find your new role!

I found a job in Reading whilst living in Cornwall as we were looking to move.

They're not wearing it because I have no family/connection to the county at all. It's even been brought up as an issue for jobs I've been for in Devon.

Family = in Cornwall
Me = in Cornwall

... so they're wondering why I want to move...

I don't want to be here, there's nothing here for me. I want to move out, not far, just up to 200 miles.... near the coast. But not bothered which county. So applying for "stuff I could reasonably expect to get an interview for" in "places I wouldn't mind living".

PasturesNew

People are obviously vaguely interested or they'd have not bothered responding to tell me my location's an issue, so I must be vaguely what employers are looking for if agencies have bothered to respond at all.

honeypop

PasturesNew wrote: »

They're not wearing it because I have no family/connection to the county at all.
<snip>... so they're wondering why I want to move...

Are you telling them you have no connections at all to the area? If you are getting as far as a discussion with them regarding where you live, then I would simply tell them you are relocating to that area (wherever it is that the job is you have applied for). It's of no matter that you have no connections to the area, people move all the time to places they have no connection to.

If you are not telling them the above, then they must be assuming it and therefore you need to explain before they get that far.

I would mention in all applications that 'I am relocating to the area in the very near future' so although they will see from your contact details that you are not local right now, but you are intending to be. Doesn't matter that you don't know exactly where you will relocate to, as it depends on where you get a job, but make them think that 'their' area is the one you are moving to. If they think you are only 'considering' moving to that area they will think you might not stick around long with no connections, but if they believe you already ARE moving to that area, they might assume you intend to stay indefintely and consider you for the role.

lynzpower

Id be tempted to say "I have some friends in the area"

Sammyantha

Either apply for jobs which are local to you, hence avoiding the problem, or just say you already live in that area (or are moving soon).

PasturesNew

So you're all really saying: Lie.

OK. I'll lie.

I don't like lieing because I can't. I'm a rubbish liar. All part of the ASD thing - ask a direct question, you get a direct/truthful answer.

PasturesNew

honeypop wrote: »

Are you telling them you have no connections at all to the area? If you are getting as far as a discussion with them regarding where you live, then I would simply tell them you are relocating to that area (wherever it is that the job is you have applied for). It's of no matter that you have no connections to the area, people move all the time to places they have no connection to.

This morning it was a direct statement, by email, telling me they're not recruiting non-locals nor people without a local connection. So I didn't lie, I said I wanted to move there.

One was a job interview as they'd already hired somebody from a city before and they'd left as they couldn't cope with the remoteness. I said although I was relocating 80 miles there, I was used to that type of remoteness and, in fact, where their office is based is less remote than where I am now. Never heard another thing.