5 Things to Consider Before Moving for a New Job Given Covid-19

Moving for a new job is one of life’s greatest adventures. The excitement of a new city, promise of significant career advancement, and potential to find out more about yourself—there are many good reasons to take the plunge. Of course, there are also many things to consider before relocating. And due to Covid-19, there are new considerations to account for before making this life-changing decision.

1. Will moving for a job boost your career?

Deciding how much opportunity there is to advance your career will help you determine if the potential risk of relocating is worth the reward. One common reason people move for a job is for career growth. However, given the high unemployment rates and economic uncertainty, making a career change during a time like this can be a risky move. While you might have an opportunity for upward mobility, job security is more important than ever. 

As a result, you’ll want to first ask yourself if there’s growth potential in the city you’re planning to move to—and at the company you're planning to work. As you consider moving and taking a new job, ask yourself: Is there more opportunity for career advancement in this new city than where I currently work? What positions are available there? How does career progress look at my new company?

You’ll also want to determine how much job security you believe you'll have in your new role. Is the position, company, and industry known for being particularly recession-proof? Was the company's industry impacted negatively by Covid-19? The good news is many companies are actually experiencing positive growth as a result of the pandemic. Information technology, online education, and entertainment are all industries that have benefited from the unfortunate state of current health affairs.

2. How will my relationships with family and friends be affected?

The next thing to consider is your personal life. It can often feel like a career move comes before any particular relationship or friendship, but the ability to spend more time with family and friends is extremely important when factoring in career decisions.

In this case, think about whether your family and friends will be negatively affected by your move. Do you have elderly parents who might need some special care, or who are at high risk for being hospitalized if they contract Covid-19? Will your friends be sad to see you go? Are there certain relationships that would suffer irreparably due to your move?

None of these things mean you have to swear moving off entirely, but you'll be sorry later if you take a job in a new city without carefully weighing all the pros and cons, as well as having difficult conversations if needed.

3. What are your long-term plans and goals? 

Figuring out how your move factors into your overall life and career ambitions might be one of the most important things you work through. Moving is a huge and disruptive life event, especially given the associated risks of moving during a global pandemic. And knowing how relocating fits into your long-term plans is important.

For example, one goal many people have is eventually buying a home. Some cities are experiencing rapidly growing job markets and real estate values, making it an attractive time to buy. On the other hand, the economic impact from coronavirus is littered with unknowns, so you need to factor that in when deciding whether or not to buy. Of course, before taking on a long-term financial commitment like a mortgage, it’s important to determine if you’re financially healthy enough. It’s also important to recognize that with all the undetermined impacts of coronavirus, there may be worse economic fallout to come.

For many people, there's also the issue of where to raise their families. If you have children or are planning to have children, you'll want to consider the quality of the schools where you’ll be moving, whether there are plenty of other kids in the area for your children to be friends with, and how many family-friendly fun options there are, like movie theaters, bowling alleys, museums, and parks. Keep in mind that many of these attractions might not be able to be fully utilized for months to come. 

4. How will you move safely?

If you land a new job that requires you to relocate immediately, there are circumstantial details that will impact your move. For example, many moving companies are taking significant precautions to make sure they’re conducting business and providing services with health and safety top of mind. Do your research and make sure the moving company that you choose is engaging in safe moving practices like requiring you to pack boxes 24 hours prior to moving, contactless moving, wearing masks, and frequent sanitization of trucks and equipment.

5. Will you actually be required to move? 

Finally, during your new job search, you might find that many companies are hiring, but due to Covid-19, their employees are working remotely. This could mean that you wouldn’t be required to go into an office space for a while, or maybe wouldn't even have to relocate at all—many companies are now offering full-time remote-work arrangements. If this is the case, some of the risk and uncertainty around accepting a new job would be reduced. On the other hand, if you really want to move and it's not required, then the position might not be the right one for you.

Samantha Rupp holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and is the managing editor for 365businesstips.com. She lives in San Diego, California and enjoys spending time on the beach, reading up on current industry trends, and traveling.