Dear Cindy – Really, I'm Relocating!

My husband and I are in the process of moving. My husband has applied to all kinds of jobs, but has had no luck. I think that when employers in the city we're moving to see that we don't live there, they don't give him a chance. What can he do?

Sincerely,

N

The unfortunate thing is, despite the fact that much of the workforce is highly mobile, some employers find it cheaper and more convenient to hire locally. So my guess is that your husband isn't hearing from potential employers because they are concerned about issues surrounding your move.

For example, they may be concerned about his level of commitment – that is they're interested in his background, but are concerned that he may change his mind about moving, and so they'd have to do their search again. Or maybe they insist on in-person interviews, and don't want to go through the trouble and expense of having to have your husband fly in. Or they could be concerned that your husband may want relocation expenses covered, which they cannot afford.

There are some things he can do to help his situation. He should stress in his cover letter that he is committed to moving. (He may even want to give a reason for the move being a "done deal.") If you have a specific date for the move, he should state this in his cover letter, e.g. "I am permanently relocating to CITY2 on DATE1, and will be available for local interviews on DATE2." Also, if you have your new address, or a contact address in the new city, he could use this as an "in care of" (c/o) address for correspondence.

Good luck in your move.