Whether you are simply looking to grow your career or you are having difficulty finding a new position in your area, there are many reasons to consider before relocating for a job. Before you jump in headfirst and start applying to jobs that require a move, there are several things to consider.
If you want to know how to decide whether to relocate for the job, the best thing you can do is ask yourself questions. The more you ask yourself about every aspect of the move, the clear the picture becomes. Let’s look at the most important questions to ask yourself and things to consider.
Intention Not Compulsion
The decision to move should ultimately come from within you. It should be organic, holistic, and intrinsically motivated (that is, it should be an extension of your own desires and decided to grow). Compulsion comes when your job essentially forces you to move. You’re more likely to be happy and satisfied if you make the decision, not your boss.
Who Is Paying for the Relocation?
If your company is helping pay for your relocation, things look great, even if it is a fraction of the expenses. If they don’t want to take any responsibility for you packing your world and moving, ask yourself how invested they are in you.
It may simply be that they are testing the waters and if things don’t work out they will take a few steps backward. One of those could be that you have to come back or being cut loose.
Are You Going to Love Your New Position?
Oftentimes companies offer you a promotion or other perks to compel you to move or to not have to pay for your relocation. Even if your company has been more than cooperative, you must ask yourself if you will like what you will be doing there.
Perhaps the new geographical necessities of the company do not align with your own mission and vision. Your consciousness is going to begin to question the move as soon as the newness wears out. You have to prepare answers. This may just be the most important question of them all.
Where Will I Live?
Make sure to do your research on living costs and expectations. Even if you were going from one big city to another! For example, expect the rent in New York City to be at least three times that in Philadelphia for less square footage. Make sure you’re okay with crowded areas, or relative isolation, depending on where your job is taking you. You owe it to yourself to be prepared. You absolutely want your mind to focus on work, and not be distracted or worse, entangled in life stressors.
Are Your Financial Goals Being Met?
Financial security is one of the main reasons you work for someone else. Your financial goals cannot be sidelined or taken for granted. The new place shouldn’t be so expensive that you are not able to save anything significant.
Likewise, just because you’re moving to a quieter place doesn’t mean that your work will go for any less than you have been getting. Therefore, it’s important to decide if the new position will help you achieve your financial goals or if it is going to make it more difficult for you to achieve them.
Did You Think Long Term?
Many companies have back offices outside of New York City and along the East Coast. It’s quite natural for many young people to be transferred to NYC if they are any good, or if that is their intention.
You will do everyone a big favor if you do your homework and consider everything over the long term. The big city is a fantastic place to work, just as it is to meet someone special – but there isn’t much agreement over raising children in the Big Apple.
Social Life
Along with considering how a new employment opportunity will affect your work-life balance, you’ll also need to consider how a move might affect your free time.
Moving to a more rural area, for instance, can offer the chance for greater space and a lower cost of living than city living. However, this can imply that making new friends is more difficult or that there are fewer things to do during your free time.
Advancement and Learning
Then again, you have to think long-term about your prospects. Do you stand to learn in the position you will take on? Is there room for you to grow? It is important to consider your own personal development in your new role and the growth opportunities you’ll have with your new position.
Likewise, it also makes sense to compare your pay increment rate with inflation and other costs you can expect in your new location.
Culture & Offerings
San Francisco and Miami are large expensive cities with prospects. However, they have extremely different cultures. You have a carefree, hippie vibe in one, whereas in the other, you have an overbearing celebrity culture. It’s a big consideration, not just for you but for your entire family. It can be helpful to see where the consensus lies.
After all, you won’t be happy if your family isn’t. However, it’s important to remember that no one will be happy if safety becomes an issue. Find out about what to expect in your new city.
Also, consider how much there is to do in the new location. Resist the temptation to include things beyond a certain radius. Chances are you won’t find the time, energy or schedule to go above and beyond. Consider what is immediately available. A good way to do so is to look at the most important parameters first: for example, where your children may go to school!
Family Considerations
Take into account the needs of each family member and how relocating to a different state will affect them. Research the extracurricular activities that might interest your children, as well as the variety and quality of schools that are offered in the new location. Consider the accessibility of parks, libraries, and community centers for family activities while researching the available childcare alternatives in your area. Research local amenities thoroughly, especially if this is your first time moving, to gauge the lifestyle and conveniences available in the new area.
The effect of the move on your spouse or partner’s career should also be taken into account. Examine the employment prospects in the new location and think about how it might affect their earning potential and professional aspirations. Consider the availability of health care and support services in the new region if you are caring for elderly parents or other family members.
Plan Ahead
Finally, always have a backup plan. That goes for your move as much as it goes for life itself. There is a chance that things will not work out at the new location. But if they really do – imagine the windfall!
It’s crucial to be practical and have conversations about how you’ll go forward if things don’t work out, even if it’s fantastic to focus on the advantages and prospects that a new job offer and the new city might bring.
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If you feel that you’re not advancing in your present job and don’t feel that your current city presents the right opportunities, then you should seriously consider relocating.
Moving is universally cited as one of the most stressful experiences a person can face. It’s right up there with divorce, loss of a job and death of a loved one. So, whether you are a seasoned professional considering a promotion or a recent college grad starting out in a new city, it’s worth taking the time to determine if moving for a job is the best option for you.