Number nine on Indeed’s list of reasons to make a job change is relocation. This is an excellent reason, and many make the change because of it. Annually, on average, about twenty-five percent of the individuals, we work with, are seeking to make a change in their career due to moving away from their local area. This is a solid reason to make an employment move if you have first thought through a few things such as timing, logistics and if you have other family members who are making the move with you who are in agreement to the relocation.
After Covid hit, the number of persons contacting us here at FLCC to make a move to Florida easily doubled. Those that were realistic with their expectations and embraced the challenges of starting again, not just with a new company, but in a new region of the country not only achieved their goal of relocation, but were able to achieve their goal to secure a solid, new position.
Below are some of the reasons why we have seen people relocate over the years.
- To be closer to a family support system or to provide family support to loved ones
- To experience better weather conditions
- To follow a significant other who received a job transfer
- To pursue education or follow a loved one pursuing educational opportunities
- Received a home through an inheritance
- Sought more challenging projects
- Sought more or different job opportunities
- Schooling or Medical Support for a loved one
- And most recently political affiliation has been at the forefront of relocations
What should you have prepared or determined before you start actively interviewing for positions that require you to relocate out of your current region?
Buy-In.
Buy-in from your significant other to join you in the move is extremely important. Buy-in as to what the relocation looks like for them, for their career, timing, leaving their family and friends and the familiarity of the current home, children relocating schools and friends, or leaving an acre of land for a zero-lot line home or condo are all important considerations.
Many times, we hear, after an offer is made, that a significant other only agreed to discuss a move to Florida, but not to actually move forward with the relocation. This is a supreme waste of not only everyone’s time, but also the loss of an opportunity that may have solidified with proper planning and communication. The significant other just wasn’t ready as it just all happened too fast for the them to be able to assimilate.
Interview Documents.
You should be ready with a current and updated resume, project list if applicable to your experience, reference list, including verified phone numbers and email addresses, along with any copies of certifications, diplomas and licensure verification. All of these are a common request during the interview process.
Budget.
You will have fixed expenses on certain items that transition with you in the move. Even if an employer picks up some of the cost of the move, there is always a cost in a move, even when in the same town. Understanding your costs associated with and budgeted for the move will ensure that you don’t just make the move, but make it with as little financial stress as possible. Items you should consider could be breaking a lease, the cost of moving your goods yourself, possibly carrying the expense of two households while you sell your house or wait for your loved one to join you in the transition and travel costs. Oftentimes people take a position at a higher base salary, but do not have appropriate savings to offset the ramp up time in transition with the cost of getting established in the new area. There will be costs for application fees, membership fees and even motor vehicle transfers if the state you are moving to does not have reciprocity with the state you are leaving.
Compensation Expectations.
Your expectations and what your technical, soft skills and experience equate to in a new market are all relevant to the cross over in that region. If you are coming to Southeast Florida from New York City, you may be thinking your base salary, even with a lateral move, provides you with a raise. However, if you don’t have out of the ground experience or relationships with the local subcontracting community, municipalities and the nuances associated with building in Southeast Florida, the reality of where your job offers come in and your expectations could be misaligned. For example, if you are a Project Accountant, you may have a lateral position offer if the supply and demand is there for a Project Accountant in the region of which you relocate because you are not as affected by the differences in building experience as you are in knowledge of job cost accounting and there is less of a learning curve for your job if the accounting department is similar. Similarly, if you are coming to a metropolitan area from a rural location, oftentimes you will find it is not only project scope that varies, but size of project teams, and requirements for documentation and risk management and therefore an employer may be willing to hire you, but in a lesser role, paying less until you are established locally and understand the risk associated with the region. At FLCC we help our candidates understand how their skillset and the opportunities transfer from the region they are coming from.
As a real-life example, a year ago, we started working with a Superintendent who was coming from the Pacific Northwest to Florida. He had excellent experience, references and soft skills, yet in the Pacific Northwest, the projects he was building were equivalent to the level of “fit and finish” for architectural interior in our area, as he was building slab on grade with wood framing and so for exterior, he didn’t have experience with poured concrete and masonry. He also had not done a project with metal stud interior framing. He did not know the codes, the subcontractors amongst other nuances of which he would need to adapt. He and his wife did not know Florida well enough to determine what area their young family would best adjust to. After working through the process with us which included bringing his wife to tour the state, educating him on the different building styles throughout the state, our understanding of his learning curve and really being able to dial in on his budget, we were able to clearly articulate his attributes and parameters to a potential employer in an agreed upon region of the state. That employer was so impressed with his soft skills and interpersonal skills, along with the baseline building skillset, they made him a more-than-fair offer and gave both time and financial assistance to help with his transition.
Relocation looks different for everyone. Those with a marketable resume, relocating by themselves or with families prepared to relocate, with a budget and flexibility on timing always get the best offers because they demonstrate out of the gate to an employer their planning, communication and organizational skills.
At FLCC, we offer a track record of sound career advice to help with one’s relocation. We are with you, every step of the way, educating you on the local region and job expectations and always giving you an opportunity to succeed. You should remember that being from out of the area can also bring new advances for you to the new workplace because of what you have to offer that may not have yet been introduced to the local jurisdiction yet.
This year marks the 30th year of my relocation to Florida from Vermont after accepting a new position and leaving all behind. It was quite the transition, including learning about hurricanes fast with devastating Hurricane Andrew hitting just six months after my arrival. I remember that first year with everything being new and different, especially the grid system for directions, instead of local landmarks. No GPS back then. But I have to say, that even with all of that, it was one of the best decisions of my life, and it could be for you too, if you are thinking of a relocation.
To Your Ideal Relocation Time,
Suzanne Breistol
