NOTE: I did not write this and cannot take credit. It came in a newsletter I got today and the author did not sign it
I have some food for thought from a friend who hires for her company: doing your (BA/MPA) in a specific city doesn’t automatically make you the obvious candidate for jobs in that city.
In fact, it might make you one of dozens of equally obvious candidates.
Think about it: everyone in your cohort is looking at the same job boards. Multiple people from your class did their internships at the same organizations. They have connections to the same people. They are applying to the same positions. And from the hiring manager’s perspective, you’re all kind of blending together. Same degree from the same program, same graduation timeline, same geographic preference, similar experience level. How do they pick between you and the person sitting next to you in your class(es)?
Sometimes, it’s actually harder to stand out locally sometimes because the competition is so specific. You’re not competing against a general pool of applicants. You’re competing against people with nearly identical qualifications and connections at baseline. The organization already knows your program well. They’ve hired from it before. They know the curriculum, they know the quality, they know the typical graduate. So they’re not dazzled by your (degree) from your program—many other candidates they’re interviewing have one.
This is why some of the best moves people make are actually looking outside their immediate market. Going to a city where your cohort didn’t all move to. Applying to organizations that don’t have established recruiting relationships with your program. Building your early career in a place where you’re not one of many but actually stand out as an individual.
I’m not saying not to apply locally. Apply locally, especially if you like the area! But also think strategically about it. Do you stand out enough from others in your cohort? Do you leverage your contacts in your network wisely? Do you have folks who are willing to fight for you? Who knows, you might actually advance faster by being a bigger fish in a less crowded pond for a few years. I know it’s not feasible for everyone, but, if you can, apply to some outside your obvious market, along with some local postings. Consider both.
Sometimes the better move isn’t staying where everyone else is staying—it’s actually moving.
(And if you are open to moving, there are a lot of great opportunities posted right here on the Hub!)
