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Tough Interview Question - Are you willing to relocate? In the future?

Are you willing to relocate? In the future?

Similar interview questions:
What areas are you open to considering for work?
If there were job growth opportunities in the future which required a physical move, would you be open to considering making that move?
Are there any places you would not consider living and working?
Do you have a list of places where you are open to relocating?

Why the interviewer is asking this question:
While some employers have only one location, most larger employers have multiple locations. So the relo question can be asked not only for the initial job for which you are interviewing, but also for future internal moves within the company. Some employees are very flexible about moving and relocation, while others are tied to one specific geography. The employer is seeking to find out how flexible you are about relocation both now and in the future.

The best approach to answering this question:
You should be fully transparent about your ability (or lack of ability) to relocate. Be as flexible as possible, but don’t make it appear that you can relocate if you are not able to do so (due to family or other considerations). If you are flexible in relocating, you can also voluntarily offer up information about your flexibility if you choose to do so.

An example of how to best answer this question for experienced candidates:
"I’m very open to relocating, not just for this job, but also in the future. I currently have an apartment with a lease, but that lease can be broken by paying an extra two months’ rent as a penalty. The lease runs out at the end of the year, at which time I can move without penalty."

An example of how to best answer this question for entry level candidates:
"I’m very flexible about relocation. I currently can fit all that I own into my car, which has been the case each year going back and forth to campus. And I’m open to considering a variety of locations both now and into the future."

An example of how you should not answer this question:
"I would be open to relocation, but only if someone was going to pay me a lot of money for the job and a lot of money up front to buy all new furniture at the other end of the move."

Remember to answer each interview question behaviorally, whether it is a behavioral question or not. The easiest way to do this is to use an example from your background and experience. Then use the S-T-A-R approach to make the answer a STAR: talk about a Situation or Task (S-T), the Action you took (A) and the Results achieved (R). This is what makes your interview answer uniquely yours and will make your answer a star!

Further review: know the answers to these Standard Interview Questions to be fully prepared for your interview!

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