Posted by CathyG on Jul 8, 2008 in
career planning,
job loss,
moving,
relocation In today’s Wall Street Journal, Sarah Needleman writes about companies who mis-handle employee firings. It’s hard to say which is more cruel: getting a phone message, getting invited to a meeting to be told the company will be dissolved or simply ordered out on five minutes notice.
But you can’t control how a company chooses to fire you. You can control how you will prepare for your own worst case scenario.
Diagram your play before you need one.
Imagine a basketball team that’s down by 10 with 3 minutes to go. The coach has a play already diagrammed and ready to go. Even if your team probably won’t win, you know what to do: cut into the loss, hope to pick up free throws and bring out your best 3-point shooter.
You need to be your own coach, although you may hire “assistant coaches” like the pros do.
So let’s say you’re recruited away from a terrific job to head up marketing for a new product line, like one manager in today’s story. You have to move a thousand miles away, uprooting your family. And then the company decides not to move forward with the product line.
I encourage my clients to anticipate being stranded. People do get fired within 6 months of a big move. It happens more than most people realize, at every level of corporate life.
If you’re in a secure position when you’re recruited, you may be able to negotiate a contract or letter of agreement to pay a lump sum if the position falls apart.
You may decide to leave the family and commute for six months while you scout out the situation. You might have a working spouse or a start-up plan for your own business.
Of course, you can probably think of at least a dozen more options if you go into brainstorming mode.
But I recommend taking stock every 3 to 6 months. What will you do if your job disappears tomorrow? There’s no easy answer. But you can set up resources to call, build a network, and create an emergency fund.
And you can come up with a set of questions to ask your new employer before you sell your home and move your spouse, kids and dog across the country or around the world.
Tags: career change, career planning, jobs, layffs, relocation
Posted by CathyG on May 24, 2008 in
moving,
relocation Just came across a book Grown-up’s Guide to Running Away From Home: Making a New Life Abroad by Rosanne Knorr.
The title of this book is somewhat misleading: it’s really a detailed guide to overseas relocation. Knorr’s book gets 5 stars simply because it does what it promises: offers a straightforward guide to those who are considering an overseas move but have no idea where to start.
The book is heavy on checklists, which I usually don’t like. But it’s got lots of text and the checklists are more comprehensive than most.
However, I would recommend (a) reading multiple guides and (b) talking to folks who have been there. Try to find someone who’s been in your situation. A 60+ retiree won’t benefit from talking to a twenty-something; a single person needs to understand how a culture interprets her lifestyle.
I spent a few years in Canada on a “landed immigrant” visa (equivalent to a green card) as a business school professor. It’s been awhile, but I would say the info here seems accurate and balanced. The author assumes her readers will be concerned about safety and health care. Your beliefs, values, and interpretation of events will influence your own priorities.
But for a starting point, you could do a lot worse.
Tags: career change, financial planning, overseas, relocation
Posted by CathyG on Apr 28, 2008 in
21st century,
relocation Richard Florida introduced the notion of cultural creatives to the world. He tells us that tolerance of diverse population groups – old, young, gays, straights and more – predicts happiness with a community.
Now he introduced a new book, Who’s Your City. The premise of this book is that where you live matters. Most new college graduates choose a place to live almost at random, but your city choice influences your career and life trajectory in a profound way.
True. And you can get a self-help version in my own book, Making the Big Move. I even include suggestions for choosing a place to live. I look at the social side; Florida looks at a more macro perspective, like, “Where will you find financial institutions?” and “Did you know that Chicago has more flight attendants than other cities?”
Tags: choosing a place to live, moving, new job, relocation
Posted by CathyG on Mar 10, 2008 in
moving without a job,
relocation A reader sent me this question:
Q. I basically want to sell all of my things, pack up the car and move out west with nothing. I am looking for a resource on how to do just that. Most specifically, how to sell my items off to help finance the move. I don’t know if I am just not using the right search terms or if the info is not there. I thought given your expertise on moving, you may be able to point me in the right direction. I thank you for any help you can provide.
A. Try “estate sale professional,” especially if you have valuable items. You could also try “How can I sell my furniture.” OR you can just go to craigslist, if you live in a town with craigslist.
But I wouldn’t urge you to rush to do this. Make sure you have a Plan B and a safety net. More here.
Tags: moving, relocation, selling furniture
