I have had the pleasure of providing career-coaching services to several engineers recently who are considering and seeking advice for successful geographic relocation in their engineering careers.
Therefore, I decided to write a series of two posts to assist those engineers out there that might be making (or considering making) a geographic relocation in their career. This first post will give some tips for a successful relocation and for the second post I will interview an engineer who recently relocated from North Carolina to Alaska.
Tips for a Successful Geographic Relocation
I have never personally relocated in my engineering career, however I have talked to many engineers who have and formulated these tips/strategies based on their advice and recommendations:
1. Like Your New Location
A CEO of a large company once told me that one of the keys to his career success was always choosing to work in a geographical location that he liked. For him, warm weather was a must so he would never even consider taking a job in a cold weather region like the northeast. While this may sound obvious, many people will take an offer based on salary and just take the approach that they will learn to live with the cold weather.
2. Visit the City Before Relocating
Be sure to visit the city that you plan to relocate to prior to making your final decision. This may also sound obvious, but people do make decisions like this without doing this! Don’t think you are going to like a city because everyone says it’s a great place to live. This is a life changing decision; you want to be sure that the place you are moving to is right for you and your family.
3. Include Your Family
Since this is a life changing decision for the entire family, include them in the decision process as much as possible. If you have kids and can afford to take them on a pre-decision visit to the city you are considering, do so, otherwise teach them about the city by showing them photos and information online. Make them feel like they are part of the process, not just along for the ride.
4. Consider Commute Time
Commute time can have a huge impact on work-family balance and your overall stress level. When relocating from one part of a country to another, the seemingly small detail of your daily commute time can get overlooked. Keep this in mind when searching for your new residence.
5. Get Involved in the Community
Try to get involved in the community as soon as possible. Join the local engineering society, and also other community groups like the local chamber of commerce. Also try getting your family involved as well, to help ease their transition.
6. Have a Back Up Plan
What if you pack up your family and relocate and in 6 months for some reason, you lose your job? Ensure that there are other engineering companies/opportunities in your new location just in case you need them.
7. Professional Licenses and Certifications
Consider the impact that a geographic relocation might have on the licenses or certifications that you have or are currently pursuing. For example, if you have a PE license in one state and are relocating to another state, just be sure to find out what process you will have to go through to get licensed in your new location. You may want to do this ahead of time so you are ready to practice when you get there.
For those of you out there going through this decision process, I hope these tips are helpful. Part 2 of this series, which will include the interview mentioned above, will be coming soon.
Please comment below and provide any other tips that you can share from your relocation experiences.
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To your success,
Anthony Fasano, PE, LEED AP
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success
I relocated from Washington State to Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. Professional engineers are covered under the NAFTA agreement and work permits can be obtained, at any U.S./Canadian border crossing, as long as you have a letter of job offer and proof of your P.E. certification. Each Canadian Province has their own professional engineering certification board. In Alberta, APEGA is the professional engineering certification board. You need one year of Canadian work experience and then you can apply for a professional engineering liscence (P.Eng.). The application process requires all submittals of college transcripts, E.I.T. test scores, and proof of the P.E. certification. The process is well worth it. Salaries, benefits, and working hours are good in Canada.
Great information Patrick! Thanks for sharing.
I am in the process of relocating and, so far, have to agree with the above-mentioned points. I’d definitely suggest looking at your everyday actions and think about what you really love and need. It seems obvious, but when you’re relocating you have so many things to consider that the little, everyday things that we may take for granted can get lost in the shuffle. Even things like places to eat lunch and locations of gyms made it into my decisions! They by far weren’t make-it or break-it, but they helped to tip the scales.
I also think that you made a freak point with having a backup plan! Imagine moving somewhere only to see that the job wasn’t what was advertised or the work environment was less than desirable or the position is cut. Can you see yourself living there no matter what? Do you think you can find another career opportunity if you needed to?
I relocated as a new grad from Tallahassee, Fl to Broomfield (Denver), Colorado and I would have to agree with everything listed in the recommendations.
I was able to visit the location for two week increments a couple times which enabled me to find suitable accommodations that were within a reasonable distance from work.
I was recently informed of a reorganization that is going to lay off our department, but because I have been heavily involved in the community and have made connections, I was able to get several interviews that seem promising.
Yes Christie – thank you for sharing your experience here – I love how you said the gym and places to eat lunch were part of your decision – that’s exactly one of the things I was thinking about when I wrote this!!!
And Jasmine thank you for sharing your experience, getting involved with the community an having a back up plan were one in the same for you and I hope our readers keep that in mind!!
Hey Anthony,
Great post! I’m in the process of negotiating a short term move to Brazil, so this will definitely be a help. Number 3. – Include your family – is huge. You’re 100% right that this is a decision that effects all those who are close to you.
You asked about what other tips we might have. One that I’m finding to be very helpful for me is to consult people who have made the move before, if possible. If you’re making a transfer within your organization, maybe there’s someone who made the same transfer before that could be of assistance.
Thanks again, Anthony. Great post!
Pat
Wow Pat – best of luck with everything. Great tip about consulting someone else in your company who has made the move, they would be a great source of information!
Again, all the best in your relocation!