Sometimes the ideal job you are looking for isn’t in the nearest city, but rather in a different country. If you are offered a job in a different location, how do you know if it’s worth relocating? Who should you ask for advice? And, how do you determine the potential upsides such as money and opportunity against costs like the impact on your loved ones or the loss of your current network? Ask yourself the following questions before you consider relocating for a job:

 

1. Will I be happier if relocate?

Understanding your career path is important, at the same time you want to ensure your current job you are currently in is just as satisfying and engaging as the one you are looking to transition into the future. Reach out to people who are already doing the job you are thinking of relocating, so you can decide whether it would fit you.

 

2. Will my family be happy if we move together in this new place?

Reflect on how the idea of not only adjusting to a new job but also how your family will feel. Relocation to a new place can be overwhelming for some people while some can easily adapt to it. Be mindful of your spouse’s career options and consider your children’s ability to adapt to a new environment before making a move

 

3. What is my contingency plan if things didn’t work out?

No matter how excited you are about the prospect of relocating to a new location for a new job. If things didn’t pan well, will you be able to move back to your prior location and will the company support you do so? Would your previous job be available if you need to go back to or are there are other positions that you can consider? While it won’t be an easy feat to map out every potential outcome, having a failsafe plan for you to fallback to will help put your conscience at ease.

 

4. What are the benefits of relocating for this new job? Do they outweigh the setbacks?

If you are considering a big move for a job, the money and opportunities should be greater. What you need to look into is your salary relative to the cost of living. 

 

5. Will relocating for a new job provide me with better opportunities compared to my current job?

Talk to the recruiter about the company’s hierarchy and opportunity for career advancement. If you’re an employee within the company, you should have a feel for how employees are promoted from within the organisation. If you opted to relocate, you need to see a whole new potential career path revealed because you don’t want your career to reach a dead-end.

 

6. What are the career advancement opportunities?

If your main goal is to advance your career and gain more recognition, a move might be necessary to make your goal achievable. If you are still contemplating, you need thorough research about the position’s duties and requirements to determine if this is the right career path for you. 

 

7. What does the future of this company and job would be like?

You can conduct your market research to determine whether the company will be in business for the next five to ten years. If the company is publicly listed, look into its finances to gain a better understanding of its viability. You should consider the position of the company in the market relative to its competitors. This isn’t going to end well if you make a move and the company isn’t going to make it into the next year.

 

8. What is the cost of living in this new city? Will I be able to accommodate in the new city and still save money?

Before moving, you need to compare the cost of living to your current place and determine if your new job salary will adequately cover all your essential expenses. That being said, the promise of a higher salary should not automatically convince you to relocate until you take into account for all of your expenses.

 

9. Who will offer to pay for relocation expenses?

The company you are relocating for should have a relocation policy in place. It helps the employer and should make you feel more comfortable about relocating. This will layout the relocation costs that will be covered or offset and if it will be the sum or direct bill method. There could be various policies depending on if it’s a short or a long term relocation and whether it is domestic or international.

 

10. Request for a try-out

If you are not certain about relocating, it may be worth requesting if you could do a short-term relocation in the proposed location before considering moving out. Relocating to a new place is extremely costly, and if things don’t work out for you, this would get a whole lot worse. By any chance, if the company did not state about offering this choice, it certainly would not hurt for you to request.

 

What other factors that you should put into consideration if you are planning to relocate? Leave us your thoughts on the comment sections below. Head over to Jobstore.com and unveil your next job opportunity.

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