Looking to move home | Chicago to SF
February 5, 2014 9:24 AM   Subscribe

I'm looking to move back to the bay area after about 7 years away. What's the best way to go about this and find a job?

I currently work in Chicago on a contract for a company mostly based in Silicon Valley. My contract will be up soon and we were told they won't be able to renew or convert at the Chicago location. Given that I figured it would be the best chance I had to move back to the bay area which has been a long term goal of mine.

I'm looking to start applying for jobs but was curious how the best way to go about that would be. My fear is that they'll see a Chicago address and not be interested in moving forward, either for fear of relocation costs or for fear that I'll back out of the move. I can put my parents address down as a SF location, but obviously I don't want to give the impression I'm 100% local and can interview at the drop of a hat either.

(In terms of relocation, it'd be nice if there were benefits, so while I'm not expecting to get relocation assistance, if it is available I don't want to pass it up.)

Is there a good way to approach this from a resume/cover letter stand point? Does anyone else have any experience or advice for me going forward?
posted by Carillon to Work & Money (6 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
I did a shorter move like this and got a local mailing address, used that on my resume and then explained it in the cover letter, toward the bottom. My thinking was that I didn't want my resume to automatically get round-filed for being non-local, but I also wanted to be honest. It worked out fine for me, but I was also driving distance to interviews at the new location.
posted by cnc at 9:36 AM on February 5, 2014


I'd just say that I was working out of town on a project that will end on Date.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 9:36 AM on February 5, 2014


What industry are you in? Silicon Valley tech companies literally fly people in from all over the *world* for interviews. They don't care if you're in Chicago.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 10:09 AM on February 5, 2014


Response by poster: Not a developer if that's what you're asking
posted by Carillon at 10:20 AM on February 5, 2014


Most Silicon Valley companies don't care where applicants are located.
There's also no reason to put your physical address on your resume.
posted by BabeTheBlueOX at 10:32 AM on February 5, 2014 [1 favorite]


I just arrived in SF after conducting my job search from out of town. I came here last week for my second interview and got the job. I used a San Francisco address because many companies will round file your resume if you're not local and many job descriptions say they will only consider local candidates. I told recruiters that I was a local but out of the area for an extended family visit but would be willing to fly in at my own expense to interview. Certainly a lot of companies will fly you in especially if your skills are in high demand. My high tech friends get flown in at company expense for interviews all the time. (Larger companies are most likely to do this.) I usually work as a contractor and in my experience no one flies in contractors.

I requested initial phone interviews to make sure there was sufficient interest in me to warrant paying for a flight. You have to do what makes sense for your situation, skills and industry. Are you applying through company job sites, through recruiters, through your network? Recruiters can help you navigate and let you know whether it matters if you're local or not. You will need a different strategy for each job you apply for. One approach is not going to work across the board.

Full honesty means that some companies won't consider you. However, many companies roll out the red carpet and will fly you in for interviews and offer a relo package that moves your belongings and assists with local housing. Lying can get you into trouble. I tried to meet in the middle by being available on short but reasonable notice for in-person interviews but only after a phone interview. I let them know that I was flying in (so don't waste my time if you're not serious) but that I could start immediately if made an offer. I gave the impression that I was local but out of the area right now.
posted by shoesietart at 12:31 PM on February 5, 2014


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