How To Write an Attention-Grabbing Relocation Cover Letter 

You’ve stumbled upon the perfect job that’s in another state and decided that this would be a thrilling adventure. All that’s left to do is convince the company that you’re what they need. How do you do that? With a great relocation cover letter.

Then, the questions start to plague your mind. Should you get creative? Focus on your skills? Let your awesome personality shine on paper? How about trying to hide that you live across the country?

This article shows you everything you need to know about addressing this sensitive matter in your cover letter. Learn how to write a top-notch cover letter for that out-of-state job you want!

What Are Relocation Cover Letters, and Why Should You Write One?

Is a cover letter even necessary in today’s job climate? At least 7% of job seekers think it is not—since they don’t submit cover letters with their job applications. This is a big mistake. You need a cover letter in any case—but you especially want to send one since you are in the unfortunate situation of living in a different state. You need every advantage you can get.

Taking the time to write a cover letter that stands out will show your determination. Even if your qualifications fall a bit short, a cover letter can still increase your chances of success significantly. Any employer is more likely to meet with a candidate that shows special interest in their company than with one that only bothered to send their resume. 

A cover letter for relocation isn’t that different from your run-of-the-mill classic cover letter. The difference is—you’ll need to mention your intent (and total willingness) to relocate. 

How Do You Convince a Potential Employer To Hire You When Writing Your Cover Letter for an Out-of-State Job?

Let’s assume that you want to work at a company that’s not specifically looking for someone to relocate for work (if they are, there’s no problem). Aim to create a plan that will make it easier for them to choose you. You not only need to meet the requirements that the company has set but also find a way to convince the employer to hire you even though you’ll need to relocate.

The biggest problem you need to tackle is the competition. You’re up against applicants who are potentially equally competent but have the advantage when it comes to location.

Offering solutions upfront, showing you’re cooperative, and being open to suggestions will get you a long way. Throw these points in your cover letter to win the recruiter over:

• Say that you’ve taken care of accommodation—Assure your employer that you’ve found a place to stay. It’s one less thing for them to worry about
• Mention your connection to the place—Hint at how you’re familiar with the place. If you’ve already visited your company’s base or if you have family in the vicinity, say it
• State your moving plans—A fair concern is that if the moving process takes too long, most of the initial communication will be difficult and conducted strictly via video calls. This could be okay for the interview portion, but it’s not sustainable for longer. You’ll ease the recruiter’s mind by presenting them with a moving plan

What’s the Ideal Time To Mention Relocation in a Cover Letter?

This is the elephant in the room—when do you mention this key detail that may end up costing you a spot on the shortlist of candidates? You may be inclined to do one of two things: 

1. Ignore it completely 
2. Address it head-on 

As counterintuitive as it may sound, go with a third option. Mention the fact that you live elsewhere and are willing to move—but don’t lead with this. While relocation should be one of the main points in the cover letter, you want to make your cover letter skills pop first.

Source: Anna Nekrashevich

What’s the Best Way To Structure Your Cover Letter for Relocation?

The best way to write an effective cover letter is to have a clear reference for what should it look like. Whether you’re chasing your first job or a scenery change, filling your cover letter with the right information is crucial. 

Here are some easy-to-follow guidelines that cover all the parts of your cover letter with the necessary relocation shout-out included.

1. Heading
2. Greeting 
3. Intro
4. Body 
5. Conclusion 

Heading—Provide the Necessary Information

Although it’s merely technical, the heading is necessary for a well-rounded cover letter. Here, you’ll state the following:

• Full name
• Cell phone number
• Email address
• The date
• Company information

Keep this part neat and tidy. There’s no need to be creative with formatting—stick to standard fonts and spacing.

Greeting—Set the Tone for the Rest of the Cover Letter 

Addressing the hiring manager in your cover letter for relocation is one of the ways you’ll show how serious you are about the position. Set the tone for the rest of the cover letter by greeting the recruiter properly.

Source: fizkes

If you’re not familiar with the person’s name, it’s okay to use their title. Also, make sure to add a comma after the greeting. Here are some acceptable and unacceptable ways of addressing a cover letter:

Introductory Paragraph—Engage the Recruiter

Explain why you’re interested in the position. You can do some research to learn the ins and outs of the company. Don’t go overboard with this—you’re not supposed to memorize their annual financial report. Apart from showing interest, make sure you include:

1. The name of the company
2. Role title

This shows the company that you are serious about applying for the role in their company and are not mass-applying.

Body—Address the Main Points

The third part holds all the importance of the cover letter. This is the stage where you’ll either win the recruiter over or lose them for good. Make sure to:

1. Sell your skills—Tell them why they should hire you. Don’t merely list the skills that they can already see in your resume. Elaborate on them and show that your particular set of qualifications is compatible with what they are looking for. Use bullets and the bold option to emphasize key skills
2. Mention the relocation and offer solutions—Let the recruiter know about your location and plans to relocate. Have a positive tone and present them with solutions they can get on board with

Conclusion—End on a High Note 

You’ve done it. You’ve gone through the “cover letter hell” and back. All that’s left to do is say your goodbyes with a bang.

Source: Karolina Grabowska

Here’s how to leave them wanting more:

1. Add a CTA—Encourage your future employer to give you a call or to at least keep you in mind if this particular time is not suitable for them
2. Express gratitude—Show that you’re grateful for the recruiter’s time, even though that might be the last thing on your mind after writing endless cover letter drafts (it’s probably up there with jumping from a 500-story building) 
3. Leave contact information—Leave your contact information at the end if you’re sending your cover letter for relocation via email
4. Say farewell—Say your goodbyes appropriately, in a formal and polite way

Here are some examples of how you should and shouldn’t close off your cover letter:

Make Your Job-Hunt a Breeze

Even if you are ready to move out of state, finding that perfect job can be a struggle. Not even hours of endless job browsing will guarantee success. At least 60% of job seekers claim that looking for a job today is more stressful than before the pandemic, and considering that 4.2 million people were out of a job for 27 weeks in 2021, it looks like the stress is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Note that 30% of the global workforce is made of active job seekers, and online boards are the way 60% of them go about the employment search. With everyone using the same channels to look for a job, competition is pretty tough.

The situation concerning the unemployment rate has somewhat improved, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics—still, there’s a long way to go before significant results are achieved.