Sounds from the Past affecting the Future

Sounds from the Past affecting the FutureHave the job, then make your move
With all the activities and issues that go along with relocating, it's difficult to stay focused on the job search without stressing out about a move. I advise my children because of my past experience, "I recommend that you have a job before making a move to any new city. Take a few trips to the city to conduct face-to-face interviews with local companies and talk to people and business owners in the community first-hand."

Hopping from the frying pan to the fire

Mike, who recently accepted a job in New York, decided to rent an apartment and commute for the first six months before permanently relocating to the area. He says that this will give him sufficient time to scope out neighborhoods, get a feel for traffic conditions and make sure the job and the area are a good fit. , "I recommend that you have a job before making a move to any new city.”

Do an economic reality check.

Before making a decision to relocate, make sure that a move to your dream destination isn't a nightmare for your finances. Carefully examine the economics of the area, from the cost of housing and groceries, to taxes and regional wage and salary scales.

While salaries in cities like New York and Los Angeles are highest, the cost of living is more elevated, too, and can eat up all the big bucks you were expecting to earn. Conversely, according to Jason Leitz, marketing manager for Workforce Florida: "Two families who recently relocated to Central Florida discovered that their paychecks went a whole lot further when buying a home here. Both were able to purchase four-bedroom, two-story homes with built-in pools in a very nice suburb for the same price as a small loft in New York City."

To compare cost of living and economic conditions, check out Sperling's Best Places at bestplaces.net. And Fortune magazine's "Best Places for Business" report gives a forecast of job prospects across the country.

Lifestyle is everything, baby!

Although it might sound glamorous to trade in your ordinary lifestyle for the rush of the Windy City, it could be a difficult transition depending upon your personality and family situation. Public transportation, crowds, congestion and the steel and concrete of the city may be suffocating after life in suburbia.

On the other hand, the laid-back lifestyle you enjoy on vacation may become monotonous and boring compared to your hurried city life. "Keep in mind that whatever issues you have in your life, you'll be taking them with you to your new residence," Coleman warns. So before packing any boxes, take the time to carefully weigh the pros and cons of life elsewhere.

Can you take the heat?

Experts say that people who are excited about the prospect of a move to their vacation destination often overlook the importance of the year-round climate.

"Job seekers should spend some time in the city where they hope to live to find out if they can tolerate the climate in the off-season," I advise. "For those hoping to relocate to a place that is warm year-round, they also need to think about how important the change of seasons is to them."

"I always tell people that it's easy to overlook the triple digit temperatures in Las Vegas when you're in an air conditioned casino."

Finally, you should talk to everyone you know--and even those you don't--to learn everything you can about the place you think is paradise. Look next and review my Career Market information as that is what you are doing..., Marketing yourself, something that you have been doing since your first cried out in childbirth!