Would you move for a job?

Here’s the scenario: After a conversation with your sister where she expressed interest in moving out of state you turn to your husband (or significant other) and ask “would you move out of state”?  The quick answer for us was yes.  Instead of the normal parameters of sticking within the state I changed my sights to the whole United States (and dabbled with the idea of moving to some where in Europe) and started searching for jobs in areas that I felt we would be most likely to succeed. That’s when it sank in.  Were we taking the right things into consideration?  Were we ready?

Depending on your personal situation the questions you could be asking are endless and at times feel more like soul searching.  Here are a couple questions that I feel are important to ask yourself, your significant other, your children or your potential employer:

• Do we have permanent ties?  This boiled down to do we have legal reasons why we can’t move away (i.e. child support, court order and divorce agreement). Give you self plenty of time to settle this issues.
• Can we afford it?  I’m sure others are in my situation where the economy hasn’t been kind to your bank account.  This question turned into “how much can we afford to lose” and “what will be gain”.  Be smart about financial planning and give yourself enough time to stock pile if you can.  Talk to employers up front about who will take care of relocation costs.
• Will the children be okay with the move?  I think my children are more pumped about the idea then we are!
• Is the economy worse or better?  If the economy is better than that’s great!  If it’s worse see if other aspects will outweigh the disadvantages.
• Is the job aligned to your professional goals? Knowing where you are and where you need to go in your career is important to know at all times, so if you haven’t done this in a while, do it now. Being able to gage if this opportunity will help you get to the next step is what you should focus on.
• Is the company reputable, reliable and set up for long term growth? Research the company’s website, blog, and social media.  Search their name in reputable publications like Forbe’s, The Wall Street Journal or the “it” magazine in your profession.  A plain old search in Google is a good place to start.
• Will I like the jobs location?  Opportunities can come to you from all across the globe so you’ll want to take into consideration the language barrier, climate, amenities and culture.  Again a plan old Google search will help you start collecting data.
• Am I forgetting anything?  Be sure to think of all the aspects of daily life that affect you, talk to family and friends and don’t stop researching even after you move.  After a conversation with my family I realized that I hadn't taken a couple things into consideration.

Remember: Don’t make a decision until you’re comfortable and ready!

Make a list, spreadsheet or any other type of document to look at the pros and cons, asses your expected budget or create a listing of the local schools, communities, and rates of important items.