Rethink Relocation

Is your job search stalled or dead-in-the-water?  If you live in a major metropolitan area, like New York or Los Angeles, you may be sending out lots of resumes with little results.  Or, if you’re in a smaller city with few large employers or an unhealthy economy, you can be getting the same disappointing results.  It may not be your resume, cover letter or job skills that are keeping you back.  It may be the box you check “no” on job applications—“Are you willing to relocate?”

Forbes.com reported that Manpower, the recruiting giant, in their latest employment survey, came up with a list of where the jobs will be in 2014.  They surveyed 18,000 employers across the U.S. to find out who would be hiring in 2014, crunched the numbers and came up with a list of cities that will have the most job openings.  If you’re still looking for a job and haven’t been successful, relocating to one of these cities could change your employment situation for the better.

Customer service jobs in service industries like hospitality, healthcare, call centers, business and professional services and food service are on the top of the list of job opportunities in these cities, and the Deltona Beach region of Florida, which includes Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach, is at the top of the list.  If you can handle walks on the beach, lots of sunshine and a more laid-back Florida lifestyle, a move to this area could be right for you. 

Next on the list is McAllen, Texas, which benefits from its close proximity to the Mexican border.  Partnerships with Mexican companies provide lots of jobs in the U.S.   Large retailers also thrive with lots of cross-border shoppers who like to shop for American goods at low prices.  Bi-lingual call centers, construction, and hospital, residential and home healthcare services are also plentiful.

Two other southern cities, Austin, Texas and Cape Coral, FL, report an anticipated 20 percent increase in hiring for 2014.  With so many jobs expected to open up in the Southern part of the country, job seekers should take a second look at whether they are willing to relocate in order to get a job that could start provide an opening to a new career. 

Relocation can be a smart career move, especially with large companies with multiple locations.  In some cases, you may need to take a job at a company’s remote location and work your way up to corporate headquarters where the higher-paying management jobs are located.  Relocation can be the foot-in-the-door you need. 

There are some things to consider before checking “yes.”  Starting a new job can be stressful in your home town with family and friends for support.  Taking a new job in unfamiliar surroundings when you don’t know anyone can be even more stressful.  Take an honest look at your ability to handle relocation on your own.  If you have a family, how will they take the move to new schools and jobs?  It’s too late to discover the move was a mistake after you’ve sold your house and signed a lease on another in your new location.  It can be detrimental on a future job search as well. 

Relocation can be a free ticket to a new adventure with career opportunities and learning experiences. Even a move to a great job without relocation reimbursement can be the right choice.  Before you check “no,” consider the possibilities.  You may find a new career start in 2014 in the sunny south.

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