Managing Your Career (HBR Working Parents Series)

9

How to Decide Whether to Relocate for a Job

by Rebecca Knight

Quick Takes

• Ask, Who do I want to become?
• Propose a temporary stint to test out the new location
• Consider the long-term impact on you and your family
• Find out what your next move would be
• Solicit advice from trusted peers

Sometimes the perfect job isn’t down the street, but rather thousands of miles—or perhaps even an ocean—away. If you’re offered a job in a different location, how do you know if it’s worth relocating? Who should help you make the decision? And, how do you weigh the potential upsides like money and opportunity against costs like the impact on your family or the loss of your existing network?

What the Experts Say

Whether or not to relocate for a new role is a ...