So, you’ve been slogging it out in the same job for a while and have seen a great opportunity to further your career open up. You apply for the position and get the call telling you that you have been successful – happy days!
Butttttt there is a catch: the workplace for the job is a 10 hour drive from your present home. You want to take the job, but you also want to do what is best for your family. How do you decide whether or not to accept the position?
Below are a few factors to consider before packing up the house and relocating for work.
What impact will relocating for work have on your life?
Relocating for work means different things to different people. For university graduates or young tradesmen, following a job to a new location is an easy choice, since young people (generally) have fewer responsibilities attaching them to a certain location. However, once a partner, kids or even a pet is involved, deciding whether or not to relocate for a job becomes a vastly more difficult decision. You will need to weigh up not just the financial and career benefits, but also the way in which relocating for work will affect those around you.
What will be the relocation expenses?
Moving a long distance can potentially carry a hefty price tag. Not only are there the obvious things like removal vans and airfares to consider, but also the cost of living in the area you are planning to move to.
What is the housing market like? Will you be able to find a suitable home within your price range? How about school fees and even petrol prices? Do your research and consider whether or not your everyday expenses will increase after you move. Even though you could be earning more money after relocating for work, would this financial advantage be cancelled out by higher everyday costs?
Will you have job security?
While the vacant position may tick all of your boxes at present, it is important that the job is secure in the long run. Do some online research into the company to ensure that they have a reputation of treating employees properly. It is also a good idea to ask any contacts in your industry for inside information about the state of the company – in today’s financial climate, even the biggest of corporations can fall on hard times! Nothing could be worse than relocating for work, only to lose that position a year later.
Will your kids still have access to quality schooling and extra-curricular programs?
While financial security is imperative when you have children, so too is allowing them the best opportunities for education and growth. A major determining factor when relocating for work can be the facilities and opportunities allowed to your kids – or lack thereof. Leaving family and friends behind is difficult enough for a child. If your new hometown doesn’t have a basketball team, a piano teacher or other facilities aligning with your child’s passions, the move can totally undermine their well-being. Don’t be blinded by excitement about your own prospects when relocating for work. Make sure you consider your child’s opportunities as well.
What does your partner think? Will their quality of life improve as well as your own?
Relocating for work will open up exciting possibilities for you, but may radically close down possibilities for your partner. Your partner will likely travel without the guarantee of a job at your new location. Lacking this immediate connection to a network of people, they could also struggle socially, and may be at greater risk of feeling lonely, resentful and unhappy after your relocation.
Of course, the opposite may also be true . Your destination could open up a world of possibilities for you both. Regardless, make sure you and your partner speak seriously about the potential positive and negative consequences that moving poses for you as individuals. This will allow you to weigh up which decision is best for you as a team.
Is relocating for work your only option?
Although your new job opportunity is a fair distance from your present home, you may not necessarily need to relocate your entire family to accept the offer. More and more people drive or fly in and out of their workplace, living near their job during the week and returning home on weekends. This lifestyle isn’t for everyone – especially when you have young children, it can be difficult to be apart from your family. However, if travelling rather than moving is on the cards, consider approaching your prospective employer about subsidising or covering your travel fees. If you are the best candidate for the position, an employer will be keen to do anything in their power to add you to their team.
