Geographic discrimination

What is the name of your state? Washington.

I am an unemployed high-tech worker. I've been unemployed since January of 2002. I have 17 years of experience, and a wide variety of skills.

Many times when I apply for a job, usually out of the state I live in, I will receive a response that I am very qualified for the position, but the hiring company is only interviewing local candidates.

Isn't this a type of discrimination? Considering...

- I am willing to travel to the interview at my own expense.
- I am willing to pay for all of my own relocation costs.

I would be interested in your thoughts.

[cbg]

Semantically, you're correct. It is a type of discrimination.

However, you discriminate when you pick the blue shirt over the white shirt. You discriminate when you order fish instead of roast beef. You discriminate when you name your daughter Sarah instead of Anne. Not all discrimination is illegal.

Legally, this is not prohibited discrimination.

[Beth3]

No, this isn't remotely prohibited discrimination, although I do understand your frustration. An employer can interview whomever they wish as long as they don't use race, age, gender, national origin, religion, etc. in making that decision.

This is a silly example but if the employer only wanted to consider candidates living on the east side of the street within a 10 mile radius of the job site, they can do that.

When you send your resume in for these positions, are you making it clear in your cover letter that you will pay for your own travel costs to and from the interview, as well as relocation costs should you be hired? If not, you should be sure to put that in a prominent place in your cover letter. If you get a response saying they are only considering local candidates, then you should immediately write back re-stating your willingness to pay for your own interview travel expenses and relocation costs, in case the recruiter missed seeing that in your cover letter.

In addition to employers not wanting to spend any unnecessary monies on hiring candidates out of the area, you are also undoubtedly experiencing a glut of similarly qualified individuals in your field on the job market. As an employer, I'm asking myself why should I interview someone from Washington when I have a number of equally qualified candidates within a 30 mile radius?

As someone who had been recruiting for years, I'll give you a couple of tips that may help.

1. In your cover letter, state that you are planning on visiting their area soon and would be very pleased to visit with them if the employer would consider interviewing you while you are in town.

Be non-specific about the dates of your "planned visit" so you can accommodate whatever the employer's time frame is but this way, the employer will understand you are already going to be in their area and won't be making a special trip (regardless of who will be paying the freight) just for them. Frankly, I'd feel GUILTY about having a candidate spend a lot of money to fly in, only to decide within 30 minutes that he or she wasn't going to cut it as often happens with a candidate.

2. Another alternative would be to ask the employer to consider interviewing you over the telephone as extensively as he/she wishes and if they are favorably impressed, you would be happy to pay for your own travel expenses to visit them in person.

3. You may also want to state in your cover letter that you have a strong desire to move to their area because... [give some plausible reason.] More than one employer has been burned by a candidate who said that moving to their locale to accept the job wouldn't be a problem at all, only to have that individual quit within the year to move back home because his/her spouse or kids are miserable.

I can't guarantee these will net you some interviews but they should help. Good luck.