How to Deal With Recruiters for a Long Distance Relocation Job

Sometimes applying for a job is easy--it's in your local area, and if you accept the job, you will have a short commute on a daily basis. Other times, though, to get the job you really want, you might have to apply for positions that would require you to move to a different location of the country. In this situation, speaking with a recruiter for the company you are applying with can provide you a lot of valuable information to help you determine if the job and the relocation are the right match for you. The recruiter will interview you, but as the applicant you should interview the recruiter about the position as well.

Instructions

1. Ask detailed questions of the recruiter when you first speak with him. Find out details about the job and the anticipated time for filling it up front. Explain to the recruiter you would need to know this in case you are offered the job to make some preliminary preparations for relocating.

2. Find out if there will be any relocation assistance if you would accept the long distance relocation job. Ask if that assistance will be for you only or if the company would also pay for your family.

3. Inquire what the procedure will be for applying for the job. Find out how many interviews will be held and if they all will be over the phone. If interviews will include ones in person, find out if you will be traveling to the business or if a representative will be coming to visit you. If you will be traveling, determine if you will be expected to pay your own travel expenses for the interview or if the company will pay for your travel and hotel.

4. Ask if the position is a new one or one that has been vacated by a former employee. If the position was held by a former employee, ask how long the employee was in the position. This can help you determine how stable the job is when determining if relocating yourself and your family is worth considering the position.

5. Find out from the recruiter what your daily responsibilities will be with the job and what a typical day will be like when working for the company.

6. Treat the questions the recruiter for the long distance relocation job asks you just like any other interview. Just because the recruiter would not be your boss does not mean you should give the interview any less value when preparing for it. Keep in mind if you don't impress the recruiter, the chances of proceeding to the next round of interviews is very slim.

Tips & Warnings

• When talking to a recruiter, you are being interviewed about your qualifications for the job, but you should also interview the recruiter. Part of a recruiter's job is to sell qualified applicants on the benefits the job can offer them and the attractiveness of the position.