Location vs. Job Opportunity – Which factors should you consider?

Though the job market seems tough to break into for recent grads, young professionals are increasingly picky with entry-level opportunities. With more career sites offering filtered searches based on everything from career level to industry, graduates feel a sense of entitlement when it comes to applying for and accepting their first job. Growing concerns about entering the workforce has become focused around one key factor: location. How should you weigh the value between accepting and denying the perfect job opportunity, based solely on location? Here are some questions to help you put the magnitude of location versus an opportunity dilemma into perspective:

1. Does this position qualify as your “dream job” or get you closer to where you want to be in five years? If the answer is yes, don’t pass up a chance to own your future simply because it’s in a new location.
2. Will the job afford you the money and time to visit your family and friends in other cities? If so, visiting home once in awhile can take the fear out of moving away, and might allow you to keep connections in case you choose to move back in the future. With the ability to visit loved ones, it might not feel like such a big move after all.
3. If the new job turns out to be unsatisfying, do you still have a strong network in a city of your preference? Back up plans are essential! So you made the leap of faith and it might have gone sour—at least make sure that you have relationships to get you back on your feet, even if it’s in another city.
4. What do people who work at your potential new office say about the culture? Does everyone go out to drinks after work? Is it too competitive of a culture to make friends? These questions are important to consider if you’re moving to a brand new city. Because no matter how foreign the city is to you, a culture that matches your personality can make you feel right at home.
5. Does the company have offices in multiple cities that you can relocate to in due time? Although you’ve scored the job in a second-rank location, there might be opportunities to stay with the company and switch offices after you put some experience under your belt. That way, you have a goal for all the hard work put forth.

Whether you’re looking for a change or are quite scared of it, think long and hard before making a decision. You have the right to choose your path, and where it leads to, but don’t let the mystery of a new location deter you.

At OneWire, our goal is to not only help students find a job, but find one that you are truly excited about. Visit our site to create a free online profile to search and connect with over 450 top employers in the finance industry. For more career advice, check out our Career Resourcespage, featuring interviews with leading industry CEOs on how they made it to the top.