Cynopsis: Going, Going, Gone

Article for Cynopsis email newsletter GOING, GOING, GONE

By Mark Levine For the financially savvy job hunter, relocation has gone from the worst case to best case scenario. Moving to another area for a new job is perhaps the best way to find a job quickly. It now provides perhaps the only way for someone who has been terminated to maintain or even improve their lifestyle.

Relocation has long been seen as a hardship for families. Families are spread thin, children are uprooted from school, community ties are torn, and reputations must be remade. But none of those are necessarily true. Family proximity is just as apt to create conflict as closeness. Sometimes a little distance can be the best thing. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Children are far more resilient than we realize, and relocation can lead to increased self-confidence. Army brats are disproportionately represented among high achievers. And in the information age, reputations are entirely portable. You can bring yours with you to another city or even another continent.

At a time when cities are flooded with similarly skilled and experienced job hunters, a change in location can be a godsend. Rather than being one of a thousand, you can be one of a kind. And your “foreignness” can add a hint of the exotic that helps you stand out from every other candidate.

Moving to an area with a lower cost of living results in an automatic pay raise. Add to that the lifestyle advantages that could come from living in a more pleasant climate, more vibrant culture, more enlightened community, or more beautiful environment. This is one case when less really could mean more.

There’s also an inherent benefit that comes from change, particularly if it comes at a time of life when you might otherwise be sedentary. New experiences, new places, and new people can keep your mind and spirit young, open minded, and optimistic.