The question “Are you willing to relocate?” looks like a yes-or-no checkbox, but a useful answer is more specific. Hiring teams need to understand whether you can work at the stated location, how often you can be onsite, when you could move, and whether you are actually eligible to work remotely. Your answer should give them that information without promising a move you may not make.
Treat relocation as a hiring constraint rather than a personality question. Before you choose “yes,” “no,” or “maybe,” confirm the worksite, the required onsite schedule, your realistic commute or target radius, your move timeline, and any assistance you would need. This approach helps you communicate a genuine commitment instead of giving a vague answer simply to remain in consideration.
Research the job before choosing an answer
Start with the job announcement or application page. Identify the exact work location, whether the role is onsite or hybrid, how frequently employees must be onsite, and whether telework is available. Do not assume that a position listed as “remote” has no geographic requirement; use the employer’s stated arrangement as the basis for your answer.
Federal applicants should be especially methodical. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management identifies the position’s location, relocation reimbursement, and telework eligibility as essential elements of a federal job announcement. Review those details before answering, rather than treating a federal role as automatically transferable or remote. See the Federal Employment Overview for the relevant announcement details.
Next, compare the jobsite with your actual options. CareerOneStop supports job searching by city, state, ZIP code, and commuting radius, which makes it useful for defining a practical search area. Its Job Search resource can help you assess whether a role is within a radius you can consistently manage.
Then decide what “relocate” means for this specific job. You may be willing to move to one metro area but not another, commute from a nearby town, work remotely from your current home, or move only if the employer provides assistance. Those are different answers, and each should be communicated plainly.
Use a specific commitment level
A strong relocation answer separates willingness from ability. “Yes, I am willing to relocate” may be accurate, but it does not tell the employer when you can move or whether you can meet the work arrangement now. Add the detail that determines your fit: a destination, date, commute range, onsite capacity, or assistance condition.
For example, an applicant moving to Illinois could write: “Yes. I’m planning to relocate to the Chicago area by June 2027 and can work onsite or hybrid within a 30-mile commute.” This answer communicates a target area, a move date, and a commute limit. It does not claim that every Chicago-area location or every schedule will work.
Avoid saying you are willing to relocate if you are only open to a particular city, salary level, commute, or remote arrangement. Guidance from the Society for Human Resource Management notes that employers may prefer local candidates because of concerns about relocation costs and applicants changing their minds. Precision gives the employer a clearer basis for evaluating your application. Read SHRM’s guidance on local applicants for that context.
Confirm the job’s worksite and onsite requirement.
Identify the location where you could realistically live or commute from.
Set a move date or state that you can begin under a specific remote or hybrid arrangement.
Decide whether relocation assistance is required, preferred, or unnecessary.
State your answer in one or two sentences using only commitments you can keep.
Ready-to-use answers for four situations
1. You have already relocated
Make your local status easy to find. On an application, select “no relocation required” if that option exists, then give your current city or work location when requested. In a recruiter message or interview, you can say: “Yes. I have already relocated to the Denver area and am available for the role’s required onsite schedule.” Replace Denver with your actual location and avoid suggesting that you have moved if you have not.
2. You will move by a fixed date
Use a date that reflects a genuine plan, not an optimistic guess. A practical script is: “Yes. I plan to relocate to the Chicago area by June 2027 and can meet the role’s onsite requirements after that date. I can discuss whether the team needs an earlier start under its available work arrangement.” If you can commute before moving, say so only when that is realistic.
3. You will move only with assistance
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Do not hide a condition that could affect your decision. Try: “I am willing to relocate to the Raleigh area for this position. I would need to understand the available relocation support and would be able to move after agreeing on the package and start timeline.” This keeps the answer positive while making assistance part of the discussion. If reimbursement is listed in the announcement, refer to that stated policy rather than assuming what it covers.
4. You want remote work but not relocation
Answer the question you can support, not the answer you think will sound most flexible: “I am not planning to relocate, but I am interested if the role is eligible for remote work from my current location. If periodic onsite visits are required, I can discuss the frequency and travel expectations.” This wording distinguishes remote eligibility from relocation and leaves room to assess the actual arrangement.
Where to communicate your relocation plan
Your location strategy should appear wherever a recruiter or hiring manager might otherwise misunderstand your situation. Keep the wording consistent, but adjust the detail to the space available.
Resume header
If you have already moved, list your current city and state in the header. If you are moving, you can make your target clear with a line such as “Relocating to Austin, TX — available July 2027.” Use this only when the plan is genuine. A transparent header can prevent confusion when your current address is outside the job’s area.
For design and placement ideas, compare relevant resume templates and resume examples. The important point is not to add a prominent relocation statement everywhere; it is to place a concise, accurate location signal where it can be understood quickly.
Professional summary
Use the summary when location is relevant to your candidacy. For example: “Operations manager targeting the Phoenix area; available to relocate by September 2027 and work onsite.” Connect the location statement to the role’s arrangement rather than leading with personal circumstances.
Application field
If the form offers only yes or no, answer according to the job’s actual requirements. Use an explanation field to add your location, date, commute limit, remote condition, or assistance requirement. If there is no space, keep the detail ready for the recruiter conversation and make sure your resume does not contradict it.
Recruiter message or interview
A short message can remove uncertainty early: “I’m currently based in Atlanta and targeting roles in the Washington, D.C., area. I plan to relocate by October and can work onsite or hybrid within the position’s stated requirements. Could you confirm the expected onsite schedule and any relocation policy?” This invites the information you need without presenting assumptions as facts.
Plan the move without overpromising
Moving for work affects more than the application checkbox. If you are actively planning a move, update your resume and references early, focus on roles within a realistic radius, investigate remote or internal-transfer options, and prepare for possible in-person interviews. These are among the job-search considerations identified in SHRM’s advice for candidates moving.
Keep a simple relocation record for each application. Write down the worksite, onsite frequency, target radius, earliest start date, move deadline, and whether assistance is necessary. This prevents you from giving different answers to different people and makes it easier to identify roles that are genuinely practical.
If an employer asks why you are applying from another city, answer directly and briefly. “I am targeting the area because I plan to move there by June, and I have limited my search to roles that match my move timeline” is more useful than a general promise that you are “open to anything.” If your plan is not firm, say that you are exploring the area and ask about the expected timing before making a commitment.
Finally, revisit your answer before an interview. A relocation statement is credible only if it matches the worksite, schedule, timeline, and conditions you are prepared to accept. The best response is not necessarily an unconditional “yes.” It is a concise explanation of where you can work, when you can be there, and what would make the arrangement workable.
Job Search — CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor
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