You received a promising job opportunity either within your current company or a new organization. Problem is, it requires a move. Is this the right step for you? What should you consider before relocating for a job? Read below on how to evaluate job outlook as part of your moving decision:
- Will You Have to Pay Relocation Costs? Find out from your potential employer will pay relocation costs. Obviously, your costs will vary significantly based on how far you are moving and how much you have to relocate.
- Consider Your Relationship Situation: Are You Married, Single, Have Kids? Your current relationship status will of course be impacted by any relocation. Therefore, if you are dating, married, have children, etc., all situations should be considered when contemplating such a change. If your kids are in school, you will have to consider the new location’s school system. Is it as good as they are leaving? What about other options besides public school? These are questions you need answered before relocating.
- Will Salary be Enough For Cost of Living? Cost of living varies vastly throughout the nation. This means you could get a pretty good increase in salary, yet not actually see much of an improvement income wise due to an increase in the cost of living where you move. In other words, a great increase on paper, might really mean breaking even in reality. Check out this cost of living tool from CNN that will give you an idea how different the cost-of-living is where you live versus where you are thinking of moving.
- Have You Actually Visited The Area? Never, ever, consider relocating before actually visiting the area in person. It is one thing to see photographs of the area. They will seem great. After all, do you ever see publicity photos that show the rough side of a neighborhood or the three hour traffic jams? No! Visit the area. In fact, visit and stay at least a week if possible. Check out your daily commute. See if you would have to deal with significant traffic. Is that going to be a problem? How easy is it to get from point A to point B? Find all this out “before” relocating.
- Don’t Underestimate The Weather: If you are considering an area with hurricanes, earth quakes, etc. you might have to get additional insurance. Also, if there is frequent snow, are you prepared to handle that? Consider all these factors before moving.
- Know If You Can Advance or Change Companies: Will There be Additional Career Opportunities? Another element to consider if you are thinking of relocating is whether you can advance. This might mean moving up in your current company. It might also mean changing companies. Therefore, it’s a good idea to know if the area you are considering has options in your career field. For example, if you are in the medical field, an area like Charlotte, NC, is great because it has a concentrated healthcare market. Check into your specific career field stats in order to safeguard yourself in the event you don’t like your new job. You want to have other options in the area.
Follow the tips listed above when evaluating job outlook as part of your moving decision.
Sources:
https://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/cost-of-living/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/06/17/20-questions-to-ask-yourself-before-you-relocate-for-a-job/#12e2bce7b619
https://www.moving.com/tips/moving-for-work-questions-to-ask/https://www.gqrgm.com/is-relocating-for-work-worth-it-10-things-to-consider/