CareerWomen.com Poll Reveals 60 Percent of Women Willing to Relocate for Right Opportunity
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August, 2004 -- According to the US Census Bureau, over 3,000 Americans move every month. Nearly 20 percent of these movers are actually job “relocators” who are actively taking a job promotion or grabbing a new career opportunity. The process for deciding to relocate can be impacted by multiple factors including gender, ethnicity and advanced degrees. CareerWomen.com recently conducted a poll to ask job seekers if they would relocate for a new job or promotion and the parameters around making a move decision.
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In the CareerWomen.com survey, over 60 percent of women stated they would relocate for the right position or promotion. However when asked how willing they would be to make the move, only 4 percent responded “very willing.” In contrast, 77 percent of job seekers with an MBA claimed that they would move and of that, 46 percent replied “very willing.” Moreover, 73 percent of women stated that they have moved for their spouse or partner, while only 9% responded that their spouse or partner moved for them.
“What we heard from job seekers is that they are receptive to relocation opportunities,” said JillXan Donnelly, president of CareerWomen.com. “The striking difference in the degree of willingness tells us that job seekers think through change based on work, family and quality of life issues. For employers this is both a challenge and an opportunity to define programs for ‘relocators’ that embrace the whole decision process for both the employee and their family.”
According to one diversity respondent, “My children are young and I don’t want them to change schools and leave our extended family.” Only 19% of diversity respondents reported that they would be very willing to move for a new job or promotion.
When faced with a relocation opportunity, many spouses are forced to find a new position as well. CareerWomen.com offers the following four tips to newly relocated women.
1) Develop an agreement with your spouse or partner that you will need time to find a position that meets your needs and requirements. Have a financial plan in place that takes this into account.
2) Alert your friends, co-workers, mentors, and business associates to let them know you are moving to a new city. Be sure to take all email addresses and phone numbers. Once settled, start to build your network by sending out "I've arrived!" emails and ask if anyone has contacts in your new city.
3) Join professional associations in your new area. Call your alumnae organization to find out if they have a group in your area. Join the group, get a directory and start making contacts.
4) Go “niche” in your job search to look for positions with employers that are seeking your unique skills. Head to CareerWomen.com, MBACareers.com or DiversitySearch.com to find opportunities with companies that are seeking women, MBAs or diversity candidates.
“Consider the relocation a part of your career journey,” continued Donnelly. “This experience, in the end, can become a big part of your work/life story.”
Additional resources to enhance professional development and advance women’s careers can be found at CareerWomen.com including career development tools, career and employment news, professional associations and employment opportunities across the US with some of the best women-friendly companies.
About CareerWomen.com:
CareerWomen.com is the leading online career center by and for women. Tailored to the needs of today’s working women, CareerWomen.com provides easy access to top employers and recruiters who are actively looking to recruit women. Since 1997, CareerWomen.com has helped thousands of women find jobs in their chosen career. For more information, visit www.CareerWomen.com.
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