How To Increase Your Chance Of Landing That Out of Town Interview

During this tight job market, more job candidates are looking beyond their city for job opportunities.  But with many companies taking a closer look at their expenses, many may be hesitant to grant an interview to a job candidate that is not local.  Here are few tips for increasing your chances of getting that out-of-town interview:

1. If you’re already planning to move to the city you’re looking for a job in, consider setting up your address in that city before sending out resumes. Many employers will be more receptive to job candidates with a local address. This doesn’t mean that a job candidate should be deceptive about where they are currently living; but they should be clear that they are intending to relocate to the city in which they are applying for jobs.
2. If you are applying for several job opportunities in the same town, try to schedule more than one interview in the same stretch of time especially if you are paying your own travel expenses. And most likely, at least for the initial interview, you will be responsible for paying your own travel expenses.
3. When applying for an out-of-town job opportunity make sure that you address why they should hire you as opposed to a local job candidate.  Does the city lack candidates with your experience or expertise?  Whatever the reasons are, state it clearly in your cover letter and in the telephone interview which has become standard for out-of-town job candidates.
4. And finally, make it easy for the employer to grant you an interview. Remember, currently the biggest concern of many employers is the expense associated with interviewing and hiring out-of-town job candidates.  If you are able to reduce that expense in any way, you may increase your chances of landing the interview.