Research Assistant Jobs- Do they only consider local applicants generally?

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clinneuropsychhopeful2015

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Hey everyone! I've been lurking here for awhile, and I just have a quick question for those who are working as an RA, particularly outside the area you obtained your undergrad degree.

Right now I'm looking for neuropsych testing experience, but I live in a deadzone as far as neuropsych testing practice and research goes. We have only 2 organizations in my area that offer testing, and state regs make it so that only present grad students can test or score patients without losing the right to accept Medicare. So unfortunately volunteering at a lab in my area appears unrealistic, and I'll need to find a paid position farther away if I want to get this experience I need.

I've seen it posted before not to bother applying to job postings outside your area, as they either have a local student already in mind or they assume you will not relocate. Have you found this to be the case? If so, is there a way to work through this bias against non-local applicants?

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Unless there is a fee for applying, there is little harm in at least trying.

Anecdotally, I applied to dozens of research assistant job postings to try and gain additional experience prior to graduate school. Out of the dozens of applications, I only heard back from a small portion, but did receive interviews at a few out of state positions.

In the end, I received a job at my undergraduate university; the job was technically posted online and open to apps from all over, but historically went to someone who already had experience in the lab. I take it that many other online postings are similar in that they technically must be open to the public to apply, but may already have a winning candidate in mind.

All in all, if you have the application materials prepared, it can't hurt to at least try. However, research assistant jobs are highly competitive, and the process can be challenging if not discouraging.
 
I worked in a lab where the PIs were "suspicious" of out-of-towners (they wondered why someone would want to move for a job like that...nevermind that it was an awesome city.) If you're game to move, I'd say go for it. You could even throw a line in your cover letter stating that you would be eager to relocate and have a new relevant clinical experience in a new city.
 
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As someone who has been on the receiving end of CVs and helped in the hiring process of RAs in our lab, it really depended and we usually wondered what the motivation of the person applying was. I think if you mention something in your cover letter about your "desire to work in research prior to starting your graduate education and how you have limited opportunities locally but the job at XXXX is too good not to apply to" then that would take out a lot of the questions. That being said, the greater the distance the trickier it will be (a few hour drive vs. several states away) and you will really have to work hard to sell yourself.

Don't worry about saying that your long term goal is to go to grad school. Most labs (at least the several I've worked in) at this point expect RAs to be transitional as they prepare for that kind of a career so they usually require that you stay on at least a year, but expect you to be there no more than 2. If you need help when you write your cover letter for wording around some of these issues feel free to PM me.
 
I just got an email about a new RA position database. I'll try to remember to post the link later when I have access to that account.
 
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I just got an email about a new RA position database. I'll try to remember to post the link later when I have access to that account.

Any chance it is this one? http://clinicalpsychgradschool.org/

I posted the website on SDN a few weeks ago as a great resource for students looking at grad school, but it also has RA positions listed.
 
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