ITCareerAce.com

Whether you are just embarking on a new career or are an experienced IT pro, the perfect career opportunity may not be in your back yard. It might just require you to pack your bags, say goodbye to friends and family and head toward some horizon. Are you ready to make the move?

The opportunity you seek may be with a company you’ve had your eyes set on since you received your certification. There are many advantages of going with a well-respected company, such as Microsoft, Cisco or Google, starting with prestige. There is a lot to learn from working for an established, stable organization with well-run sales and marketing arms. For technical professionals, it is an enviable position. It’s the chance to be close to the technology, to be a part of building the next great product and to have access to a tool set unavailable to the rest of your IT colleagues.

Another common reason to consider relocating is the chance to pick where you want to live to better meet your lifestyle. Have you ever wanted to experience California or New York? Perhaps you like to ski. Never think it’s too late to pursue your passion.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Before you say yes to any opportunity, there are some things you should consider. You can start by making a quick list of pros and cons associated with your move. It’s best to do this early so you’ll have realistic expectations as a result of knowing exactly what you are getting yourself into. It is also important because if you truly want to make something happen, you need to have a plan.

Things you should evaluate include the impact of the move on your lifestyle, family, children, friends, non-salary-related finances and career path.

• Lifestyle. Start by making a list of favorite recreational activities. These are things you do outside of work. Are you on sports teams? Do you enjoy regional sporting activities like skiing or cycling? Do you enjoy city life, arts and theatre? Will these venues still be available when you move? How well will you adapt to a colder, wetter or more humid climate? What impact will this have on the type of car you drive, your sports gear or recreational toys?
• Children. Consider these same impacts on your children or spouse. How will they adapt to new schools, making new friends and their own recreational activities? The decision becomes tougher when children and spouses are involved, but if you have clearly thought out and discussed the pros and cons of the move, it does not mean that your decision will be any different.
• Family. If you are part of a close-knit family, consider how often you will get to visit them or they will visit you. If you move to a highly desirable location like California or Florida, you may be surprised at how you might not get a chance to miss family.
• Friends. Friends are like family. They too will visit, but don’t expect relationships to stay the same. You may continue to stay in close touch with your old pals, but in order to feel settled, you will have to create new ones when you move. Until you do, I can promise it won’t feel like home. It does become easier if you move to a place where you know a few folks already. And even though you’ll make friends through work, you’ll still want to create a balance by making friends outside of work.
• Selling Your Home (and other expensive property). There are financial implications beyond the new salary that you will want to give careful attention to as well. These include selling your home and vehicles. How is the real estate market doing? Will you lose money if you sell your home? Will you have enough equity to purchase a new home? What type of home will you be able to afford based on the new cost of living? Do you have to downscale your living arrangements and worry about storage facilities? If you’re moving from a rural area to a big city like New York, will you have to sell some of your vehicles because of public transportation and garage fees? If you are moving to a colder climate, will you have to purchase a four-wheel drive vehicle?
• Further career opportunities. A very important aspect to consider is future career opportunities offered in a new place. There might be career opportunities within the same company because more positions are available in the thick of things at headquarters, or there may simply be a larger market to choose from. Larger cities offer more opportunities than rural areas.