“…there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”
Okay, perhaps a new and different sun every day may not be compatible with most jobs (lorry driver, pilot, or travel journalist notwithstanding) but the principle rings true; variety is the spice of life, and changing where you live may just be the thing to take it to the next level.
Is your day-to-day starting to feel a little…stale? Is it always the same pub after work, the same activities on the weekend? Can you count each minute of your commute accurately simply by the passing buildings which would otherwise be faceless to others?
They say familiarity breeds contempt but sometimes it can breed something much worse; numbness.
Life is a grand adventure. Who wants to do the same job their whole life? Or live in the same old city? Meeting only the same people?
We spend our days helping people who want to make a change. One change we help with regularly is that of location.
So how can packing your life into a suitcase help your career? Well, prospective nomad, read on…
Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash
First of all, you’ll kill it at interviews
“So, tell me about yourself?” is the Pavlov’s bell-ringing equivalent for humans to trigger the anxiety sweat reflex.
Most of the time this is because we don’t feel like we have much of interest to say, let alone anything which will wow the interviewer. Doubtless, the reality of this isn’t true, even if your history is not as adventurous as you would like.
But picture this; instead of a dry response about your stellar service at your last suit-and-tie office, you can talk with enthusiasm about the year you spent working in Moscow and all the lessons you learnt there.
Not only will this showcase skills, and personality, the interviewer will be immensely grateful. Why?
Because here’s a little secret – the person interviewing you probably isn’t that comfortable either. Either they’ll be bored of the same old candidates, or they’ll be anxiously thinking of what to ask next.
Either way, your story about learning the hard way that, in Russia, whistling indoors leads to bad luck will make the interview much more enjoyable for you both.
Photo by Serge Kutuzov on Unsplash
It showcases desirable skills to employers, such as;
Initiative
Initiative is one of the key skills employers are looking for today. If you’ve packed up your old life and made a momentous change, that speaks volumes about you as a person.
It is likely nobody forced you to adventure – you decided to do it on your own, and you had the initiative to make it happen. For employers, finding someone with the skill to self-start is gold dust.
Self-awareness
You made the step because you could think objectively about your own life and what you need. If you have the capacity for this, it is likely you can affect that same scrutiny on your work and be the best you can be. Who doesn’t want someone like that in their team?
Desire for growth
Employers very rarely want a mindless drone who will do the same job at the same (subpar) standard for decades (and if they do, politely retract your application and run!).
As organisations grow, so do the skills of their staff.
It is infinitely better to work with people who are keen to learn, develop, and take on new responsibilities within the organisation. Those who can showcase this skill are earmarked for success.
Flexibility
Moving to a new place is bound to have challenges. You will encounter roadblocks. Plans will change. But to be able to take these in your stride and achieve the end goal nevertheless shows employers that they won’t have to micromanage – you can get the task done even when things go wrong.
Photo by Julia Solonina on Unsplash
Employers will value the experiences you can bring from other countries/cities
Perhaps you’re in sales and there are some killer techniques for engaging prospects that your new office hasn’t heard of.
Maybe you’re in interior design and you know the new trend that is sweeping the south will be arriving soon and you can help your organisation get ahead of the curve.
Management techniques, employee well-being strategies, and communication styles, all of these are valuable.
You’ll be able to bring the experience and skills from your previous role to the new one, and they will be so much richer for it.
You’ll be bursting with motivation
“If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine. It’s lethal.” – Paulo Coelho
One of the most challenging parts of running a team is keeping motivation up.
When you’ve just moved to a new city, to a new job, the motivation that comes with it is like jet fuel. You’ll have shaken off the cobwebs of old routines and will have the exuberance that only novelty can bring – and your employer will thank you for it.
No more mindless zombie days, clocking in and clocking out. Oh no. Each day will be a fresh experience, a new and different sun…
Photo by Diego Jimenez on Unsplash
Moving away will broaden your horizons
A large part of coaching is about making possible options you’d love to pursue but wouldn’t have thought possible.
When moving to a new place you’ll meet interesting people who, like you, are breaking the shackles of their old life and are striving for something better. You’ll dive into worlds you didn’t know existed, not to mention careers that you had never heard of before (and maybe even those you would love to try yourself).
We only know what we’ve experienced, and with more varied experience we can better conceptualise what kind of life we want to live and – even better – see that is it entirely possible to live it!
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
You’ll learn the art of networking
Another superpower skill in your professional life is networking.
Networking is all about sharing information and contacts. When moving to a new place, it will be important to ask friends if they have contacts in your new location that you can meet up with. You’ll ask people about good places to visit, to eat, and events to see.
And boom. Just like that, you’re honing your networking skills. Without knowing it, you’ve become awesome at something that will help your career significantly.
What’s to stop you from moving away?
Uprooting one’s life and moving to a new place is not for everyone. It takes a lot of courage and certainly won’t always be comfortable.
However, if you’re feeling a little stuck, have got as far as you can in your current role, or simply crave adventure, moving to a new exciting place might be the right step for you.
There’s a whole world to explore and the best time to do it is now…
Thinking you’d like to explore more of the world, but don’t want your career to suffer? We at Forward are specialists in helping young adults achieve career success and have helped many do so in new countries. Why not get in touch?
Email us at info@ylr.group, call at +44 (0) 20 3130 0295, or drop us Whatsapp on +44 7496 174288
In the mood for re-evaluating?