The prospect of relocation is something almost everyone eventually has to consider for their career. Although many students graduating from college have a hard time dealing with the idea of relocation others view it as an exciting prospect for their career and personal development. As a result of these equally legitimate, but conflicting views, those considering relocation typically fall into one of two categories: those who may are asked to relocate solely for career reasons and those who are seeking to relocate for career or personal reasons.

Facts to consider regarding Relocation (Reported by the Fantus Company, the country’s largest relocation consulting firm):

• 62% of the Association of MBA members indicated they had moved over 35 miles within the past 5 years
• 78% of the Association of MBA members indicated they had moved over 35 miles within the past 10 years
• The most successful professional managers do not spend their working careers in one specific location.
• The choice to relocate is ultimately up to the individual person, and can be turned down; however, this decision may inhibit future advancement with a company.
• Although relocations have actually decreased in recent years, students should be prepared to relocate in order to get their first job, as we still live in a mobile society.
• Two of the primary reasons students do not want to leave town are they do not want to leave family and friends and they will not know anyone in the city of relocation.

For those nervous about relocating: good friends and family will always be there; it is always possible to call, email, or visit. The Career Service Center can help you with meeting new people. Consider joining the CSU Alumni Association. Listed alumni can help with questions about their cities and ease the transition. Think of relocation as a challenge and as a way to meet new friend and see new places.

Relocation is not something to rush into. It will be necessary to conduct research and ask a lot of questions before making a decision:

Considerations for Those Asked to Relocate

• Be sure to understand the new job responsibilities, career potential, and fringe benefits offered.
• Some research and calculations will show if the salary offered will meet any increased living and housing costs.
• If part of a two-career family, career plans and goals for both partners should be considered and discussed.
• If you have school age children or if further college education is planned, the education facilities of the relocation city will need to be checked.
• Check with the company in order to find out what their policy is on relocating employees. It is very important to find out what the company will pay in the way of moving expenses. This information will be helpful in making any decisions.

Considerations for Those Actively Seeking Relocation

• Narrow your relocation search to a specific region or a couple of cities, instead of focusing on the “South”, select a state or a couple of cities to concentrate your efforts.
• If part of a two-career family, career plans and goals for both partners should be considered and discussed.
• Contact a career services office in the cities in which you are looking to relocate. Some universities allow the public to use their career services for a small fee (typically cost of an alumni membership). Most major cities will have career service organizations and companies you can use for free or a small fee.
• Subscribing to the Sunday edition of a city’s newspaper or finding the on line version of the paper is a good way to learn about housing costs, politics, and business news.
• Contacting the Chamber of Commerce will help you become familiar with the culture and hiring climate of the cities where you seek to relocate.
• Real estate agencies can help you find a new place to live, but they can also provide information on the hiring climate and economy of the city of relocation.
• Be sure to compare salaries for cities you are considering. How much will you need to maintain your standard of living in a new city? Use a salary calculator to determine this.
• Use the Usacitylink site to explore cities in different areas.