International Relocation - how to not scare off recruiters?

Question

Hi FGBers, I am asking for advice on how not to scare off recruiters while I look for jobs in the US from overseas.  I relocated over a year ago for a job, and while the experiences have mostly been good, my partner and I have decided it's time to go back to the States.  I usually operate under 'Honesty is the best policy,' and I've been up front about this on job applications.  A recruiter from my target job reached out (yay!) and wanted to set up a chat.  When I mentioned the time zone difference and my current location, the recruiter seemed to tap the brakes, mentioning unable to relocate from my city and the job is not remote.  I quickly replied that I am moving back and am seeking the next career opportunity to make that happen, but then no response or scheduling.  I plan to follow up 24 hours from when I received the first email.  Any advice on what to say?  I would rather leave compensation conversations for later on, and while I don't need massive moving assistance from overseas (most of my things are in a storage unit back home), I don't want to say I don't need ANY, in case there might be some amount on offer.  Thanks for your help, ladies!

Georgene Huang · Answer

I think you did the right thing, personally, by being up front and honest about what you want. If you say that relocation assistance is not something you expect, but could make a position more enticing, I don't think that would necessarily turn off a recruiter unless they are looking for a role to be filled very, very quickly. Your location could make it hard for someone who has other candidates to consider that are literally ready to start in a week or two.

Chre M. Davis, M.S.Ed. · Answer

I have had similar experiences and agree it is very frustrating!  Appreciating the responses and following along in the discussion!

Alyson Garrido, Career Coach · Answer

I think you did the right thing with your up-front approach. External recruiters tend to be very conservative in finding someone who perfectly fits in a box so it may be difficult to gain their trust from afar. You might think about ways to leverage your existing network for opportunities, too. They already know you so they’ll have a built in trust regarding both your qualifications and commitment to return. Wishing you all the best with your move.

Barb Hansen · Answer

If you think you scared off that first recruiter and you are worried about it happening again, then schedule your first recruiter call in a North American time zone (and you'll be up very early or very late to accommodate that call). I would remove any chance of a recruiter discounting you while you are in the very early stage of the interview process.

You are not lying about where you are located in the world, because you are moving back to the US anyway and other than having to deal with where you are in the world prior to hiring (like they want to you fly in for an in-person interview or they want to hire you before you have officially moved back to the US), I think it's fine to be accommodating to a North American time zone during the first rounds of interviews.

International Relocation - how to not scare off recruiters?

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