Where the big jobs are

I relocated from the Gulf Coast to SW Florida 2 years ago. They paid for the move and I had to sell the house. I love my job, but am not a fan of the area. I’ve looked at moving, but the relocation packages offered by most companies are a joke.

Relocated from massachusetts to Maryland, 3 years ago. Totally hate the job, the area…it’s expensive, crime ridden, higer taxes than Mass.

Food, clothing are taxed. Job is awful, boring, horrible people, a truly bad experience all around.

Moved to Phila. from the NYC region about a decade ago – husband’s job choice led us here. We have yet to move up in our careers – the locals really don’t trust outsiders. So learn as much as you can about the local social norms BEFORE you move somwhere.

I believe it’s very difficult today to make that decision. If you are single, it could be a different story. There is no loyalty from both the employee and the employer today. No matter how good you are in your position, if it needs to be cut, it will be. If you see a good opportunity with another company you’ll take it. What ever decisions you make today you will have to live with the consequences tomorrow good or bad. I left one job for another and didn’t have to relocate. People think that the grass will be greener on the other side and it’s not the case in most situations. You have to really do your homework!

I run things and solve things and design things as an engineer with his own company for 30 years. Lately some of it is overseas as you would say, or “here” as i would say right now in asia. But “TAKE A JOB?” in the sense of fitting into someone elses corporate beehive? No wonder there is a ’shortage’ of skilled people, I would enjoy some new challenges and increased workload, but not in a beehive. contract me to assist or solve, but don’t contact me to “join”. I have staff with 40 years experience needing new work too, ready to “step in”, but not to be a small cog.

> 40% of these rest-of-the-world executives say that the proliferation of online job boards led them to actively explore opportunities abroad (…) That compares to just 7% of U.S. senior managers who say the same

Comparing moving over borders in Europe or North America can be misleading – in Europe, such a move might not involve a long distance, while the continental US alone is larger than the whole EU.

Moving is personal choice and a lot of factors play into the decision. Just rejected a VP job because my family did not want to move. Two kids one in HS and one in Middle School. Probably would have made another 30K a year but in the end you have to consider who you are working those long hours for…your kids. If they are not happy then you are wasting your time.

say there’s a shortage of people who can step in and run things.

What recruiters??? I have been “stepping in and run things” for 30+ years, yet am having a hard time finding those recruiters!

1. Hiring companies are not able to commit financially long term.
2. Falls promises are easier to spot
3. gaging company’s culture is difficult– in my case, sr.vp(knew me & my abilities well) hired me,1 year later in sr,management shake out he was gone,new management rooted out all connectd with this sr.vp in a classic office politics–made it very painful experience–Honesty of sr.management is good as man at the top–ie church is as good as pastor and his message

I just finished nursing school. Part of the reason I became a nurse was so I get out of expensive, unfriendly, clubby Boston. Many places (though not Boston) are looking for nurses. I’ve always wanted to live on the West Coast.

Unfortunately, my mother was diagnosed with cancer 3 weeks after I graduated. Between that and my father-in-law’s health problems, we’re stuck her until both of them die.

I wish I could move. At least I don’t have to worry about buying a house. As long as we live here, we’ll never be able to afford one.

Want to know why there’s a shortage?
Have you seen these postings? “Must have 10-15 years experience in blah blah blah”.
For the past 15 years GenX has been hitting their heads on a ceiling in the middle ranks, getting no where, and not getting the experience that will land them these jobs. Now, all the Boomers are retiring and no one “qualifies” to take their place.

I am enjoying all the rich commentary connected with Anne Fisher’s article, as these individual experiences help supplement ExecuNet’s research.

The “where the big jobs are” data comes from our annual executive market report, and, if you are interested, you can get the executive summary here:
http://www.execunet.com/marketreport

It’s depressing to read some of these comments — definitely locating for a job that isn’t a “sure thing” in the long run (what is?) is always a risk, and the truth of the matter is that companies, even ones in industries that are experiencing growth at the moment, are flipping middle and upper management employees like crazy. I don’t know where they keep finding them — at my company we’ve managed to get a few good execs off recruiting marketplaces like Dayak (which are quickly becoming the standard for management hiring) but let’s face it, with the economy the way it is most start-ups need to prepare for failure, and the first person to get blamed for that is higher management. I see a lot of room for structural innovation here — one small company I know, for example, has a system where upper-management duties are split between a collective of middle and lower management employees. It distributes the responsibility, and the pay, a little more effectively. But this isn’t always possible. I think what is slowly being discovered is that management skills are far rarer than we once thought, and many industries are suffering due to this error.

My perception is that there is job growth for executives now, and most of it is occurring in turnarounds (whether or not they disclose this to the candidates). So, it’s good to assume that the company is a turnaround until they convince you otherwise. I haven’t ever relocated for a job, but I’d definitely relocate for the right job opportunity now: interesting work, higher income, and lower cost of living, the trifecta. Your current company is probably in more dire straits than you realize. If there’s a paid move and the new job pays better, then you really have little to lose. If the move is unpaid, then you need a signing bonus and a certain guaranteed ‘runway’ or paid time at the company. Also, try to avoid commission deals: stick to salary, cash payment. As the larger cities become steadily smoggier and more crowded, a move to a medium or small city with a short or walking commute would be very nice.

When I was in the business world, I was single and “fairly” young so relocating was no problem. I think that it is easier to “move up” when you are willing to move. So, I received a promotion and salary increase every time I moved.

Now, I am trying to relocate again, from Texas to either Orlando or Tampa, and the comments from several of the Florida residents are a little scary. However, this time my relocation is for family reasons. I do not intend to ask for any relocation assistance, and plan to take care of that on my own. My bigger concern is that I have been in the education field for awile (I am starting my tenth year with a school district), and I am finding that salaries are much lower in Florida. I know that I will have to take a pay cut, by so far have l been offered positions that are about 50% less than what I currently make.

We have relocated 4x – and would do it again for the right opportunity. There is a “cost” in terms of risk, beign near family and friends, etx. but for us the payoff has been worth it.

No matter how they are presented, the current crop of Senior Executive roles are typically short term engagements replete with morally or legally questionable first-order-of-business activities which the incumbent Executives wish to be performed by their unsuspecting new hire:
1. Executing mass layoffs of current and competent American workers in order to achieve mythical cost savings by shifting jobs to India or Manila, where they will be underperformed by a faceless cadre of high-attrition, low experience new hires with inflated resumes.
2. Executing pension liability asset shifting to decrease pension benefits for retired corporate rank-and-file employees while increasing the already exorbitant pension and benefit schemes of the Executive tier.
3. Onshore delivery of a single US role created by the recent failure of an attempt to off-shore five US jobs. Essentially, an unachievable 24 hr a day job that was previously performed by 5 US workers.
4. Replacement role at a fraction of the salary and benefits of a recently laid off US incumbent. Complete with smiling assurances about advancement opportunities and eventual back end rewards that you will never see because you too will be terminated long before your reach any reward anniversaries.

Given the current MBA playbook which regards US workers as easily replaceable ‘assets’ representing expendable costs simply to be ‘managed’, here are the rules for self preservation:
1. Insist upon a non-refundable hiring bonus, payable on day one of your employment.
2. Insist upon a 3 month ‘walk away’ clause to protect yourself against the trap of being handed a legally or morally questionable first-order-of-business task such as one of the three listed above.
3. Insist upon housing relocations costs, as these are the only costs which indicate an employers seriousness of commitment to you.
4. Recognize that no US corporation has any intention of retaining any US employees for more than 2 years, as they have been advised (at massive cost) by Accenture or McKinsey that all US operations can be performed in Asia for a fraction of the cost, with no loss of quality or timeliness.
5. Begin searching for your next job immediately upon landing in your new role, with an eye toward higher salary, greater perks, and more up-front bonus payout because the only way to work for a corporation these days is to be paid up front…promises of Long Term Corporate Culture or Advancement Opportunities are simply HR fiction.
6. Financially plan for long periods of unexpected unemployment when the layoff wheel pops up with your name, no matter the caliber of your achievements in any role.

And when you tire of working for people who operate like this, form your own company and finally achieve stability.

I was laid off from my job at an aerospace company in Phoenix, AZ. I moved to Fort Worth TX to work for a helicopter company and was not happy with the job or the state of Texas. I am now back in Phoenix, plan to stay here, and the only way I would move again is if it was a major promotion that couldn’t be passed up. Incidentally, I moved to Phoenix from the Florida pan handle after being laid off from a job there so I have made a few moves due to jobs.

If you have the competancies to work for a corporation and provide real value, you are much better off starting your own company. Today’s corporations are owned and operated by and for the super-rich, and the jobs being offered are not long term, not stable, and structured with back-end rewards that you will never receive because you will be terminated long before you reach those events. It is highly advisable to find a way to operate your own business, rather than be used and abused by the current crop of useless CEOs and their short-term mentalities which focus only on mythical income numbers totally at the expense of the lives of any employees foolish enough to trust these employers.

In 1979 my employer insisted that I pack up and move closer to the office because he did not like the fact that I commuted. Three months later this same employer telephoned me on Christmas Eve to tell me that the company was going out of business, closing its doors permanently. I never moved for a job again.

Over the years we have made 4 significant relocations. All have been very positive with the exception of the last. We were forced into a relocation decision we have regretted.

I absolutely agree with your column companies are committing less in terms employment contract and compensation for transportation of goods, closing costs, house hunting trips etc. Sure they will pay it and then turn around and W-2 those expenses as income resulting in a sizable tax responsibiliy at year end. Make sure you have all your commitments in writing and fully understand what they accept as financial responsibility and what your bill will be in the end.

For the most part It hink people generally just don’t give relocation a chance because they’re used to certain things. Yes the culture is differrent US cities, but some people are just not willing to compromise some things. They want their new city to be just like their old city, there’s no “adventurous” spirit. It’s quite a big difference that 40% of foreign execs are willing to move across nations and only 7% of US execs are willing to move across state lines.

People always say they don’t want to uproot their kids and all that, the kids I knew were resilient, they didn’t have all this cuddling. If their parents were optimistic about a move and I guess were always adventurous in some way (basically just letting them know what was out there outside their environment), I think it wouldn’t be that bad. There will obviously be an adjusting period.

I relocated from Austin, Texas to Ottawa, Ontario Canada for an executive job with a technology company and worked in-country for 4 years before returning to the US. I can say it was a horizon widening experience that develops within you a whole new perspective on the critical part that the US plays in the world economy and politics. And you gain a tremendous appreciation for the things you took for granted in your own country. Here are a few things to keep in mind about international work and relocation:

1. Do not close any of your bank accounts, credit card accounts, brokerage accounts etc. You will need them to maintain your credit rating in the US. Once closed, opening a US financial account for anything while out of country is very difficult or impossible due to anti-terrorism laws.

2. Since you will likely not have a credit history in-country, you will not be able to get a loan or obtain anything other than a pre-paid credit card. So keep your US credit cards because you are going to need them. Credit cards and most banks will allow you to change your billing address to the foreign country or a US mail service address. Use the online features of your credit and bank accounts to pay bills or check balances.

3. Make sure you understand what the local currency will buy and what your tax liability will be so that you can determine what your standard of living will be in-country vs the US. The Canadians I talked to all swore that everything was cheaper in Canada, but my research proved the opposite to be true (around 10-30% higher) which resulted in negotiating for a higher salary than the one originally offered.

4. Do not attempt to do your taxes on your own. Employ a tax professional in-country or in the US that is an expert on local and US tax law. All US citizens are required to file a tax return no matter where they live. The rules for filing deadlines, foreign earned income credit, foreign income exclusion, and other filings for US citizens working in treaty countries are extremely complex. It cost me $500 every year to make sure my taxes were right and it was the best money I spent all year.

5. Make sure you negotiate relocation both ways: moving in and moving out. You don’t want to be stuck paying your own way back to the US if the company folds, decides to employ someone else, or you decide to take a US based position.

6. I moved my wife and 3 children with me so be sure to check out the immigration employment rules for your spouse in the foreign country and what the differences in education requirements will be in-country and in the US when/if you return. The further children get in highschool the more complicated the re-integration in a US school will be.

7. Establish bank accounts with a local bank that provides US dollar par-cleared checking accounts from a branch in the US. This is extremely valuable when exchanging local currency to US currency for bill payment or funds transfer. The par-clear feature complies with US anti-terrorism and money laundering laws.

8. Pay US bills online or mail them very early if you have to mail them at all. Foreign postal services in my experience are nowhere near is effective overall as the US postal service is. I can’t believe I used to complain about USPS. Expect about 30% of your cross-border mail to be lost or delayed in-country.

9. Budget for visits home at least twice a year and keep a fund for emergency travel. Nothing is worse for your morale than living abroad while a US relative is experience a severe illness. Cultural difference will add up and overwhelm you when you least expect it so plan a few trips back home to relax.

10. Avoid all discussions about politics. Many countries are intensely interested in US politics and have a strong negative view of US influence in world events. When I arrived in Canada, the first question was “What do Americans think about Canada?”. To which I had to answer, “I think Americans are far more concerned with Mexico and Mexican citizens than they are with Canada and Canadian citizens. But I would have to say we have a vaguely positive impression of Canada”. I am amazed how much more concerned Canada is with US affairs than the average American is.

Being prepared and with a complete understanding of what you are getting into is critical to having a good experience working abroad. I recommend it to every executive that wants a broader view of world industry.

My husband and I would move in a heartbeat if the chance arose. We are both in retail sales for over 20 years, both managers. Our only child just graduated college with a degree in psychology from Penn State. Although she has her first job she still has not found her passion yet. We are waiting for her to start her new life and out on her own and then we are selling our single home we bought 6 years ago and going somewhere, anywhere. Although we both love our families, it’s our turn now. We bought our house with the intentions of an investment for retiremment but it is more house than we need for just two people and the maintainance of the garden gets real old. I would rather be at the beach. I hope it’s not just a dream. We seriously thought about moving to Vermont over 12 years ago, my husband had a possible job opportunity, but I was not ready to leave my extended family. We are both more than ready now. Same old routine day after day gets old fast and we are not old.

When I graduate from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale with my Bachelor’s in Web Design and Interactive Media, I plan on finding work in the South Florida Area. This includes possibly working for an out of state company from my home. However, being that I have no family and don’t own a home, picking up and moving out of state for a good job opportunity would be simple for me.

Anne, what other sectors in the Southwest are expanding other than energy? I’m jobseeking in the Southwest. If you haven’t experience in oil and gas, you going to be working retail. That’s why it’s so cheap to live out here. Add to that the great quality of life factor.

However, it looks like I’ll have to take my financial and business analysis skills back to the horrid metropolis of the East Coast to find employment.

Ar we becoming a wandering workforce with shallow roots an all-electronic social life? That doesn’t sound like a very fulfilling lifestyle.

We relocated from the Northeast to Texas three years ago for my husband’s job. He has been in the same position in the last three years and I have landed my dream job. It was the best thing that we have ever done. We get much more house for our money and our home town was just in the top 20 of the Best Places To Live so we know that the move was perfect for us. Would we move again? With one child, it makes it difficult to pick-up and move. If the relocation is good for all of us, we would consider it.

There is no universal right answer to this question. However, having relocated once or twice myself for a job, across continents, it always turned out for the better. The world is big and exciting, and opportunities are waiting. I have no doubt that I could make things work and be happy just about anywhere in the world, as long as it is a safe and stable country. We Americans have a false sense of entitlement and live with the illusion that life is only good here, and we have made ourselves dependent on all our stuff. These are signs of old age and decandence. If you can’t adjust maybe you don’t deserve that job. Be positive, keep a sense of adventure, and know that you can make new friends anywhere.

We moved from a major city to Orlando, Fl for a “senior executive position.” If we could turn back the hands of time, never ever would we place our trust into the hands of two millionaires who exaggerated almost every detail of the company & senior executive position. My husband has increased their company’s value in excess of $100 mil. in just two years, but they have yet to live up to THEIR promises. His is currently looking for a new position either in our home state or here — but never again will we trust anyone. Our children are young, so we will get through this & thank God we kept renting homes & not buying. The money lost — we will chalk up to our “education” in the ways of the very rich.

Readers, what do you think? Would you relocate for the right job opportunity?
As a soon-to be graduate in engineering, I can certainly say that fresh out of college engineers are way more willing to relocate, and even desire to travel for a few years before settling down. After they settle into a community, however, it’s always going to be hard to uproot someone without compensation. Engineers really need to work in close quarters if they are going to be effective in a team as you can’t have 100% personal motivation and feeling of requirement if you’re working from a distance 95% of the time.

A lot of people wish they could work from home, but the reality is, you need to separate work from home life. This could jeopardize efficiency as well as motivation to get out of bed and get a job done. It’s easy to misread the urgency of a matter if it’s always written in an email, or coming out of a speaker.

As I see it, high level positions are really only offered to the more experienced engineers, and with good reason. Only after a few years’ experience and an MBA do I see the reality of a high level job on the horizon.

My husband’s company (insurance industry) puts a lot of pressure on their employees to be “mobile.” We’ve moved twice for them, but I’m not sure I would do it again. The benefits of having extended family nearby and involved in my children’s lives outweigh the financial rewards of the promotions. In addition, I resent the fact that the company expects me (the spouse) to put my career on hold or make moves that do not necessarily benefit my career. In an age in which a lot of work can be done remotely, this company continues to lose talented employees who put their families first.

Fair warning to all considering relo to a part of the US you are not familiar with or might be considered contrary from where youy are from.I am from NYC and have lived in Los Angeles, Cleveland, Richmond and Indianapolis. Some of these towns were a good fit for me some were a really bad fit for me. Don’t be so impressed with low real estate prices until you spend some time visiting the area and immersing with the gen pop. People, customs and cultures vary greatly from region to region. You and your family have ot be comfortable and able to exist on a social basis in your new locale. Having a great big house and a few acres of land is worthless when you are socialy isolated.

This article points out how important it is for the newly hired senior executives (30% growth in the $51-200 million companies) to ensure they are assimiliated effectively into their new organization. The article rightly points out that the costs of bringing these high level executives into the company are great. Smart companies will take proactive steps to ensure these new executives are engaged, connected and committed early on. They will also take the appropriate steps to ensure they are making the best hiring decisions possible, including conducting more in-depth assessments of the backgrounds, skills, talents and interests of candidates they are seriously considering. As engagement and retention experts, located in the Southeast, we know the importance of these programs in this great war for talent.
Congratulations to Fortune and to ExecUnet for bringing this issue to the fore.

I can tell you why there is a shortage in executives. I’ve been watching a growing phenomenon for several years now. Corporations are becoming top heavy with executives. These employees are useless drains on the bottom line, since they do little but run from meeting to meeting and demand from their management teams endless streams of reports that no one ever reads. They speak almost exclusively in a meaningless biz-speak, which they consider some private language that only the members of their club can understand. They don’t see how absurd they really are; they don’t have to. Thirty years ago, if a 28 year old had demanded the title and position of vice president or director, he’d have been laughed out of the room. Today, every Tom, Dick and Harry with a useless MBA and five years of experience thinks he’s entitlted to an executive title, a six-figure salary, stock options, a corner office, and a staff of talented middle managers, who will make him appear to be worth every dime. It took me 20 years of hard work to gain the real experience needed to become a VP. Silly me, all I really needed was to earn an MBA in a 20 weekend program, lease a Mercedes and adopt an arrogant posture.

I agree totally with the comment about Florida. I would move from Orlando at the drop of a dime for a six figure income. Cost of living here is rediculous. Florida has condo’s for 250k when the Dallas Metroplex has 5 bedroom houses for 250k with better paying jobs.

Moving out for a job really depends on what one’s priorities are. Personally, I wouldnt move out of family for a better opportunity elsewhere. Rather I would look for options that enable me to enjoy a successful career as well as stay with family.

This is interesting. I wish the article could elaborate more on the issue. Are there any specific companies that are particularly looking for senior management? Thanks!
-M

I can understand that. Our taxes, insurance since the hurricanes, HOA fees are so high in Florida and yet our salaries do not equate with the cost of living here now. It makes us want to leave the state for a higher paying job. When you can’t rent or sell your home, that’s a problem. This is a hospitality based area with low paying jobs (under 50,000)-not much for tech jobs, pharmaceutical, etc. Its good for doctors, lawyers, and retirees but it is not a metropolitan job market\. If you live in Stuart, Fl and lose your job making 60,000-good luck finding a replacement

My husband’s an engineer who works on the west coast while we live in the southwest. He typically works remotely from home for two weeks and onsite for one. He earns enough that keeping a tiny apartment on the west coast for the periods he must be onsite is actually cost-effective.

He’s in his second year in this position, and so far, so good. His employer is happy, he’s happy, I’m happy. There doesn’t seem to be any reason to uproot us both — and move us to a city I’ve never enjoyed with a MUCH higher cost of living.

Mind you, one never knows what tomorrow will bring — when he accepted his current position, his other options were all in the Rust Belt.

At present, he outearns me, but that isn’t always true (I typically earn well into six figures, as well), and bottom line, his needs don’t outweigh mine. I’m not interested in living someplace I hate to further only his career.

Maybe I’m ahead of the curve but I have been commuting between Georgia (home) and Virginia since 2002 in order to capitalize on high value/high satisfaction positions. It works best for empty nesters where both husband and wife have highly successful/satisfying career tracks.

I’m an engineer with about 17 years of technical and managerial experience. I have two technical degrees and an MBA from a top B-School. In all my years, I’ve never seen such a huge demand for people with engineering backgrounds. Since about the beginning of 2008, I’ve been averaging about two phone calls a month from recruiters looking to place senior managers with my experience set. Until this year I hadn’t really been looking, but considering the interest in my skills, I realized I had to update my resume. It had been about 4 years since I’d done that. I’ve only had a polished resume since the 4th of July, but within the last month, I landed an interview for an executive level position (next week), and I’m expecting an offer from another firm in the $200,000/yr range. I have a very close friend with a similar background (engineering/MBA) who moved on after about 25 years with his company. He’s now making over $250,000/yr working as an independent consultant.

As far as this article is concerned, I could not agree more that the pendulum is shifting toward people that can add value toward improving operational performance. For years now, the financial deal makers, banks & private equity firms were the ones who were pulling all the big money off the table by flipping companies and executing transactions – really just smoke and mirrors. Despite all the rhetoric, I’m skeptical that any significant value was added to the underlying operation. It was all too easy to flip companies like people were flipping houses. Transactions don’t add value and deals are hard to come by now that the credit markets have dried up. As the article says, it’s not so much the big firms who are looking for people, they’ll always be there, it’s the middle market and small firms that need efficiency quickly. Those who own small & medium sized companies, and those who want to sell them, need to be competitive in this recessionary market. The finance guys can’t make an operation more efficient. The value is in people with the technical know how to make business operations run efficiently. It seems that the all those private equity managers and business owners, that are stuck in these deals, are finally going to have to do what they said they were going to do in the first place, add real value to the enterprise.

My advice to those with technical backgrounds is to get your profile on LinkedIn. It’s the hottest thing going.

My husband was transferred to the Atlanta area a year ago from the Chicago area, and 9 months later was told they were closing down the facility. He was offered the chance to transfer back to Illinois, but with the same salary and the same (very very small) relocation package. There is no way we would be able to sell our new house without taking a huge loss (even if it would sell in this market), and didn’t want to move our children again, so he is now unemployed for the first time in his life. Far away from our families, and struggling to stay afloat, it seems cruel what his company did. He’d been a fantastic employee with that company for 6 years, and this is how they reward someone who was willing to move their family and start a new life.

I moved from Indiana to North Carolina for a communications job at an energy company. During my first two weeks at my demanding job, my husband left me with the two kids and moved back to Indiana. So the stress was, ahem – significant. Still, it was the best career move I’ve ever made. This step has set me up for a great career in energy – an opportunity I would have never had were I not to relocate.

I moved from California to Texas three years ago for a promotion. My family has been very happy with the move as have I. It was very important to us to get a relocation package since I was only in middle management I was concerne we wouldn’t. Research the company and the location of the job.

It’s ashame you didn’t address the largest sector of unemployed workers.The blue collar worker. I guess it’s more important that out of work executives find a job. Rather than a middle class American worker. Great article

With prices sky high in the NYC area, after 20 yrs, we left. Took a medical job in the Midwest where the cost of living was much less, we got more for our money, and the stress level on all levels being lower was definitely a major consideration. With telecommunicating now the norm, one doesn’t have to be abused by that type of system. It definitely was a wake up and smell the roses life style change and for now, we are very happy.

As middle management, I relocated from metro Atlanta to Cary, NC, but was unable to sell my home in the slowing market, without cutting the price. To do so would leave me with a smaller down payment for the next purchase. Luckily, I was hired by an executive I previously worked with and am able to work out of my home in GA. We lived in Cary, NC for a year, but with higher home prices, we would have experienced a decline in lifestyle. The decline in lifestyle and feeling of starting over was hard to accept, which made accepting a telecommuting position that much easier.

In my area, there is no opportunity for most positions unless you have previous professional experience in most fields. Granted there are a few ‘entry-level’ positions, but in most cases, trying to get started at a company requires experience despite the fact that you may hold a BA,BS or Masters.

I’m a senior manager in technology living in South Florida, I have been out of a job for 14months. My wife and I would have no problem moving for a job and at this point even for a lower level position.

I saw this article about relocating for a Job. Two years I relocated from Texas to Indiana to take a management Job. That’s a move of about 1000 miles. The company paid relocation and it has worked out well. We love our new home, the job is great and we love Indiana. I would say to anyone who has the opportunity, take the chance and move. You never get anywhere without taking a chance. Good luck

I am confused as to why the heading “Best Places to Live” was even used in the later portion of the article. Did I miss where that topic was discussed?

Absolutely, I would relocate. My kids are now college age or older. My parents are retiring. I spent 8.5 years at night school in college to graduate college (Business Admin.) with honors. I am ready to live my own life and dream. Any offers? tmariegriffin@yahoo.com

We have moved all over the country over the past 20+ years, always for the job. There have been a few times that we did not, for the job. However, for the most part I am not completely convinced that all that moving was all that beneficial for the family in the long run (economically & physicall). Now it seems that more than ever, if the opportunity arrises, there is a move involved. However, I am certainly more reluctant & more inclined to really analyze the situation even more thoroughly. Not to say for the most very right opportunity & the right conditions to a very accomodating location that we would still not pack up our bags & head on out again, but all the cards would have to be on the table for the table & they would have to be an excellent hand.

Based on my experience I will most probably not move for a job again and would advise my friends to be Very, Very careful. I moved several times, even abroad, with my family and regreted it. Family stability was badly shaken… Relocating is only for people without family.

I relocated for a job, with no expenses paid, only to be sexually harassed daily and after less than 6 weeks had my hours cut in half! Needless to say, I found another job, but am stuck in the city I relocated to for the first one.

I did have a wonderful relocation offer to go to Atlanta from South Florida. Unfortunately, to absorb rent in Atlanta while trying to rent or sell my home in South Florida did not seem advantageous based upon a 80,000 salary, mortage taxes, rent etc. By the way, the company was still courting me in Atlanta but laying off people left and right-and they only wanted to give me 1800.00 to move. I found I could have slid in serious debt despite a positive career move

How about a job producing more energy in a state where energy is not a bad word. Wonder why the Texas economy is doing fine?

Certainly, relocation should come with the desired benefits of job satisfaction and “security”. When a professional is sure he/she is going into a job they want to be part of, then that is an enough excuse to move because, they have a long term sight of things. On the flip side, why move if you are only trying out a ‘job sample’? If you asked me, i would rather stay at home.