Dealing With a Job Relocation

Dear Carnegie Coach:

I have recently been offered a significant promotion if I am willing to relocate to Haifa. Besides feeling guilty for uprooting my family, I am having my own trouble thinking about adjusting to living across the country while dealing with a new job and work environment. I am considering not taking the job because of all the hardships it may create. The opportunity feels like it could be very rewarding both at work and personally, I just wonder if you have any advice on how I could make this transfer a positive change for my family and me. Thanks!

David

Dear David:

You are facing an obstacle that thousands of business people experience each year. As you are realizing, transferring far from home entails many more changes than you could ever have imagined. Your children must enter new schools and make new friends. Your spouse must be prepared to leave most things that are familiar and find a job in your new city while adjusting to an entirely new social lifestyle. Here are a couple of concepts that you can keep in mind during the decision-making process and possible move that can help you adjust to living and doing business in a new area:

Be open-minded - It is crucial that you and your family enter this experience leaving behind all stereotypes or preconceived notions of this new location. It is common to bring your expectations of how life should be into your new situation. Therefore, it is important to realize that significant differences may exist. The success you have in your new surroundings may rest on your ability to appreciate these new experiences and embrace them.

Get involved - To facilitate your family’s transition, join local social groups. Carry your interests with you and find a way to express yourself like you have at home. You will find different ideas and ways of doing things that you have never thought of as well as others who share the same interests as you. Try not to isolate yourself, be sure to get out and meet new people.

Keep in touch - It is very important to remain in contact with your family and friends. Staying in touch can make the change a little easier on you and your family. Writing letters and emails are great inexpensive ways to stay in contact. It is often particularly hard for older children to deal with the change of leaving friends. It is important for their transition that they keep in touch with friends and classmates. Perhaps you can set up a pen-pal system so that they can share their new experiences with friends from home.

Communicate openly - Communicate openly with your family. Make sure that there is an open forum where family members can voice their opinions and feelings. Communicating freely can definitely lessen the anxiety that you will all be feeling. Let everyone know that they are being listened too and that their concerns are being taken to heart.

Have fun! Although it may take a while to adjust to the change of living in a new place, take advantage of as many experiences as you can! This can be a very exciting time for you and your family, get out and enjoy it!

Mordechai Welt

Performance Consultant

tel.0544-904-795

mordechai_welt@dalecarnegie.com