Taking a Job in a New City

You might have been transferred by your company or you may have thought that taking a job in a new city would be exciting. Either way, there are things to investigate before you make the change.

Know the Economic Difference: Kaitlin, an Artisan Performer, thought she was ready for a new adventure and jumped at a new opportunity in a larger city. Her new salary was higher and the responsibilities were greater. Unfortunately, she hadn't done her homework. She didn't know that housing was tight and had great difficulty finding housing. High rent would make her take-home less than she had before. She ended up subletting a spare bedroom in a house, and felt she had made her living situation worse instead of better.

Investigate the Territory: Jonah, an Idealist Champion, was always reaching out for something new, but he never thought that moving to a smaller town would bring as many changes. Where were the book stores? Why couldn't he see the latest movies as soon as they came out? The only gym was small, smelly, with outdated equipment. Jonah was surprised to learn what he missed about his old life. He had not been an active church-goer and found that church membership was expected in order for him to fit in. Next time, he vowed, I'll learn more about what I am walking into before I make a big change.

Consider the Family: Harry, a Rational Inventor was being moved to another state to help set up a research and development lab for his company. He kept telling his wife Ann, a Guardian Protector, how great the opportunities would be and how excited he was about his new job. He made more than one trip to the new territory, but Ann never came along. While Harry did love the job, Ann longed for her friends, wasn't satisfied with the children's schools, and didn't like the house Harry had picked. Not familiarizing Ann with the new territory and not involving her in decisions put a considerable strain on the marriage.

Learn from Military Families: The military can move families without much notice. The people who adjust the best are the ones who actively grab as much information about the new site as possible. They ask questions of other families when they arrive at the new station. They scope out the territory instead of sitting around complaining. They make new friends.

Ruth advises, "Although I'm a Guardian Protector and not a social butterfly, I learned that I needed to get quickly get acquainted with other military wives so I could learn the ropes in a new place. In our first change, I tried to do everything myself, but another wife took me aside and told me I was making things too hard on myself and my family. When the next transfer came, I reached out to others and things went much better."

Jack, a Guardian Supervisor advises, "A positive attitude is everything. Every time you move there are many new things to learn and a lot of adjustments to make. Things you took for granted in one place are no longer there. If you keep complaining about what you are missing, you'll never learn to see the good things in the new area. Some people adjust easier than others and the thing they have in common is optimism."

Jerome, a Rational Fieldmarshal says, "Scope out the territory and the situation. Make use of all the assets. No matter if you are a planning strategist like me or if you are a diplomatic mediator like my wife (an Idealist Healer) contribute something valuable to your new situation. I thought my Idealist Healer wife was nuts when she started talking to me about positive energy attracting people and resulting in positive action, but I tried it and she's right. I've been a better leader ever since. People tell me how great my wife is. She seems to instinctively know how to find the best in things. She's not a front-line leader like I am, but her quiet influence is felt among her peers. She's more flexible than I am and has helped make our re-assignments easier and more fun. She always finds something good in our new situation even when I know it has been hard for her to lose her friends. Choosing her may be the wisest thing I've ever done."

If your move isn't all that you have hoped for, what are you doing to keep yourself in a positive frame of mind so more good things will come your way?