If you are one of the many Americans looking for work, things are still pretty rough out there. After all, the unemployment rate in the United States, while up slightly, was still 8.3% in January. Even if you are currently employed and looking for a change, passing out your resume and not receiving any call-backs can get very frustrating. After a while, it may feel like you’ve exhausted all possible options for progressive employment in your city. But the truth is that relocating can help your career.
For many Latinos moving away is a hard choice given how tight we are with our family and how much we count on them for child-care, elder care and general support. But moving to where there are greater opportunities is exactly what our parents and grandparents were doing when they moved to this country. And very often, the best way to grow in your career is by moving where the challenges are. Of the many powerful women I recently interviewed for my upcoming new book El Poder de Mujer (Woman Power), a large percentage had moved several times throughout their careers. So it’s important for you to seriously consider this option.
Read Related: 10 Moving Tips for Expectant Moms
Here are just some of the reasons a new city can breathe new life into your career:
- Different Job Openings—Try expanding your search options to include other cities in an online employment search and see how many additional results you get for your type of position. What you’ll find is that many cities cater to certain type of worker or professional demographic and have numerous job openings in that sector. Bloomberg Businessweek suggests places like Durham, North Carolina, and even Huntsville, Alabama, for technology jobs, for example. Allhealthcare from Monster.com suggests taking a look at Austin, Texas, if you are in the medical field. And if finance is your forte, Investopedia lists cities like Boston and Chicago as having great potential.
- More Options—If you work in a small city with one large employer, a different city means different companies and organizations. You may have put your “dream job” on the back burner because you simply knew that job didn’t exist in your small town, for example. But who said you have to stay there forever? Companies are always looking for fresh faces with new ideas. Your background and work ethic could be precisely what’s needed at that big-city firm.
- New Hispanic Markets—According to the U.S. Census, the Hispanic population of this country grew over 43% from 2000 to 2010. While many larger cities have been accommodating Spanish speaking immigrants for decades, others are not so well prepared. Small towns especially are struggling to keep up with the needs of their new residents. As a second or third generation immigrant, your background could provide you with easier entry into markets like these.
What you’ll find as you research potential cities is that the current economic situation isn’t so bleak in every single locale. When the evening news discusses the national unemployment rate, it’s just that—national. Some cities are experiencing relatively prosperous times and below-normal unemployment. This list of ten cities from The Street includes vibrant spots like Austin, Augusta, Georgia, and Madison, Wisconsin, to add to your list of potential new home towns.
Cities like Richmond, VA can’t keep up with the demand for services of their new residents who need help with everything from taxes to translation. Smaller towns throughout the country and especially in the plains states are similarly stressed, looking for bilingual personnel to help fill voids in the customer service, teaching, banking, health care, and sales sectors.
Moving to a new city, state or country is a big change. But these are the kind of changes that can give a significant boost to your professional life. When interviewing for a new position, explaining your willingness to transfer if the position so requires will make you a more attractive candidate.
Sometimes in life we have to take major steps to see major results. Whether you love the company you’re with and are interested in moving with them or you are looking for your dream job during these difficult financial times, a new location has the potential to dramatically change your life for the better.
