Relocating to a different state w/ same company

[Caldus]

Hello,

I am wanting to find a new job in a different state. I currently live in Missouri. I also want to try and stay with the same company if I can. I see some job openings for my company, but they are all in different states (such as Phoenix AZ and Washington DC). So I have a few questions about this:

1. If you want to avoid having your potential new employer call your current employer as a reference (otherwise the current boss will know I am looking), how do you go about doing this? How does this usually work out?

2. I heard that most employers will trash a resume if it's from another state. I don't want to lie, but I also want to have a chance at a job. What should I do about that? Again, what's the usual protocol?

3. I obviously have no clue about what I'm supposed to look out for or what I'm supposed to focus on when trying to relocate to another state within the same company. What unspoken rules to follow? What unspoken guidelines to follow for scoring a new job in another state?

Thanks!

[abitbroken]

Hello,

I am wanting to find a new job in a different state. I currently live in Missouri. I also want to try and stay with the same company if I can. I see some job openings for my company, but they are all in different states (such as Phoenix AZ and Washington DC). So I have a few questions about this:

1. If you want to avoid having your potential new employer call your current employer as a reference (otherwise the current boss will know I am looking), how do you go about doing this? How does this usually work out?

2. I heard that most employers will trash a resume if it's from another state. I don't want to lie, but I also want to have a chance at a job. What should I do about that? Again, what's the usual protocol?

3. I obviously have no clue about what I'm supposed to look out for or what I'm supposed to focus on when trying to relocate to another state within the same company. What unspoken rules to follow? What unspoken guidelines to follow for scoring a new job in another state?

Thanks!

If you are moving with the company you are currently with, they would consider you from out of state, but may consider promoting someone local first just because they know that person is committed to the department. When I moved with a company - it was a parallel move they asked if I had relatives or ties in the area. It really wasn't their business I suppose but I think they wanted to see if I was seriously going to consider sticking in the area and had other reasons to. They didn't want me to take the job and then quit right away because I was homesick. You also have to show that you have something to offer rather than it all being what they can offer you.

As far as a company goes, they will only call your current company to verify employment with the HR department - they will not call your current boss unless you use them as a reference. If it is a situation where you fill out an application, you can usually check off not to contact the current employer. A lot of employers are sensitive to that for confidentiality. Also, there is nothing to say that you can't use a coworker as a personal reference. They just couldn't be used as an employer reference.

If you want to move within your current company, a reference from your current boss would really help your case.

If you want to move to another state - don't just want to move anywhere. I would research and decide where you would like to go because of what's in the area, proximity to things you like proximity to relatives or whatever your reasons are. And I would save some money for moving, etc, and would research cost of living. Missouri has a lower cost of living than some other places and taking a job that pays the same might not cut it in some areas.

[alli]

I don't have a lot of personal experience, but for your first question, I don't think that the new employer would call your current employer unless you have a very good chance of getting hired, if they do at all. Not sure if they would do it shortly before or after the interview, but I would think after. So if you don't even get an interview, don't worry about it. In the even that your employer does find out you are applying for new jobs, I'd just say you are looking for a change & would like to relocate, and since you've had such a fabulous experience with him & your current employer you would like to stay within the company.

I've never heard that an employer automatically tosses out out-of-state apps. Maybe some do, but I highly doubt it is a common practice. Why would that do them any good? Just make sure you have a very good resume. Clear, concise, to the point & makes your jobs sound important. If you aren't sure if your resume is ok, you can usually go back to the school where you got your degree & get some guidance. Or ask a smart friend.

Third question, I have no experience in so I'm not even going to try that one!

[Caldus]

If you are moving with the company you are currently with, they would consider you from out of state, but may consider promoting someone local first just because they know that person is committed to the department. When I moved with a company - it was a parallel move they asked if I had relatives or ties in the area. It really wasn't their business I suppose but I think they wanted to see if I was seriously going to consider sticking in the area and had other reasons to. They didn't want me to take the job and then quit right away because I was homesick. You also have to show that you have something to offer rather than it all being what they can offer you.

As far as a company goes, they will only call your current company to verify employment with the HR department - they will not call your current boss unless you use them as a reference. If it is a situation where you fill out an application, you can usually check off not to contact the current employer. A lot of employers are sensitive to that for confidentiality. Also, there is nothing to say that you can't use a coworker as a personal reference. They just couldn't be used as an employer reference.

If you want to move within your current company, a reference from your current boss would really help your case.

If you want to move to another state - don't just want to move anywhere. I would research and decide where you would like to go because of what's in the area, proximity to things you like proximity to relatives or whatever your reasons are. And I would save some money for moving, etc, and would research cost of living. Missouri has a lower cost of living than some other places and taking a job that pays the same might not cut it in some areas.

Thanks for the post. I see what you mean about being asked about relatives and all. I'm unable to provide a cover letter when applying with my company online I just found out today. So I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to tell them that I am willing to relocate at my own expense and that I will be closer to family, etc. on my resume. I talked with an adviser in my company and they said that there is really in the end nothing stopping a manager from looking up my current boss by searching on our systems. It is public domain knowledge who my boss if you are on the company's intranet.