Living Will Minnesota Download
Career change often begins with a geographic relocation. It’s not uncommon to find people who will pull out a map and start listing places where they might want to live. They often share a dream associated with a particular lifestyle, such as sunshine and beach access or small town charm.
But after you choose a place, your next step is to ask, “Will I find a job I like? And what will I do with my time when I’m not working?”
Experienced career coaches sometimes recommend waiting to move till you’ve got a clear idea of career and job options. Some career changers have discovered they can indeed move to a sunny climate, but they will have to work two jobs to maintain the lifestyle. They might as well be living in Minnesota in January.
Others have discovered that charming small towns tend to offer less charming small salaries. One woman moved to a beautiful southwestern location to enjoy the climate and scenery. She saw an ad for a job listed as $7.25 an hour. She called to see if the posting was a mistake. Shouldn’t it be $17.25 or even $27.25? To her surprise, she was told the posting was correct. A comparable job in a larger city would pay as much as $25.00 to $40.00 an hour.
Here are 3 strategies to help you make sure you will be able to make a living when you move.
(1) Make a personal visit to the city or town where you are considering a move. You can’t just rely on the Internet. One executive was all set to accept a job transfer after viewing many attractive homes in his price range on the town’s real estate site. When he visited in person, he was horrified to discover that the homes were located in rundown neighborhoods. To find a house he could afford, he would have to live at least two hours away from his job.
(2) Make a list of jobs you could and (most important) would do. The more flexible you are about what you will do, the more likely you will find a new career no matter where you go. In small towns, it’s not unusual to find refugees from senior corporate positions who are working as receptionists, coffee shop baristas, or even house cleaners. You may draw on talents for gardening, pet sitting, sewing or party planning.
(3) People who move from a small town to a big city often are surprised to find they cannot get jobs in their own field. They also encounter unwritten rules about who gets hired, as well as regional cultural norms that affect working conditions.
Relocation can be expensive. Many people are surprised to learn that the most expensive component of moving is not hiring the moving van. It’s moving to a new place, realizing you absolutely hate it, and then moving again. To avoid this vicious cycle, Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., has written a Report you can download immediately: Moving as a Creative Life Transition. Get your questions answered at:
http://www.RelocationStrategy.com
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