There may come a time in your career when your current employer requests that you relocate. Many times individuals are reluctant to relocate due to family considerations, the challenges of selling/buying a home, fear of the unknown and more. Relocating is something that eventually may have to be done in order to either obtain a better position, to advance upward in the company or even to retain your current position. In most cases, the choice to relocate is up to the individual and can be turned down. The problem is that sometimes any chances for advancement with that company are reduced considerably when relocation is refused.

In a recent study conducted by the Fantus Company, the country's largest relocation consulting firm, it was reported that with regard to the question of relocation, 62% of the Association of MBA members indicated that they had moved over 35 miles within the past five years and over 78% had moved within the past 10 years. These statistics indicate that most successful professional managers do not spend their working careers in one specific location. Refusing to relocate can severly limit your career opportunities!

With the difficult economic times in our region over the past few years, many companies have closed or relocated to other parts of the country. This has forced employees to consider accepting positions with longer commutes, working out of town during the week and returning home on weekends or moving to a new location to stay with their current employer or to find a new employer. The more flexible and focused you are in your job search, the sooner you will succeed in securing your new position.