Whilst it is frowned upon to submit multiple applications for the same position, what if a company advertised the same position, but in three different locations?
Should one submit multiple applications due to the different locations? Or will it look bad on the applicant tracking system?
If the jobs are advertised separately, then apply to all of them. By separately I mean that they have a separate job posting number.
Why apply to all the locations that you are willing to work? They could be interviewed by different hiring teams. I worked with hiring teams that could never make a decision, and ones that filled positions as quickly as possible. It is possible that if you pick only one to apply to, that could be the one that takes weeks to setup interviews, meanwhile another site interviews the only two people that applied, and makes an offer by the end of a week.
It is also true that the jobs despite similar job descriptions could still differ in working conditions. This could be a difference in project, pay, working hours, and team dynamics. These are only knowable as you go through the hiring process.
In places I have worked when a hiring team made a decision the offer letter explained that the applicant as part of the acceptance process had to remove their applications they had submitted to the same company. This was to avoid two projects competing for the same individual. It was not unusual for individuals to apply to multiple positions.
If there is only one central place to submit applications, then it is clear what to do.
So, we will presume that there are multiple email addresses, web forms, whatever.
You _could_ submit to all three, but things might get messy if all express interest.
My advice – if there is a a way to submit a converting letter, would be to make a single application. If there is no way to attach a covering letter, perhaps an additional front page to your CCV would suffice to pass a message. I have resorted to that before, and gotten the job.
Which leaves the choice of where to submit it. Perhaps to the head office? The one nearest to you? Your first choice? Only you can really decide that, although I personally would go for first choice.
I would explain that I am interested in multiple locations, and would express an order of preference, with reasons why. Hint: make these reasons that appeal to the company, rather than just saying “that one offers most salary” ;-) Interests in a project or its technology might be a good reason. A location close to family, which would tie you to the area might appeal to them. You get the picture, think of your own.
