Author Archive for Ramon Greenwood

Here’s a very thoughtful posting by Tim Eyre.

Have you given much thought to how you would feel if you were faced with the prospect of pulling up your roots and relocating to a completely new environment because of your job? Many of us have faced this reality before or are facing it now. For some, the only choice they have is to either relocate or get a new job. But for others, the decision is a little more layered. Their company might be offering them a big raise and also paying their moving expenses. Or in some cases a different company might offer them a terrific hard-to-pass-up opportunity in another part of the country. A new job with a higher salary can be both exciting and rewarding. But uprooting yourself, and in many cases your family, is not the best choice for everyone. It can sometimes prove to be stressful, costly, and risky. Here are some important things to consider before making a decision to relocate:

1.  Investigate other local options. Arm yourself with as much knowledge as you can before making your decision. Specifically, investigate local trends in your industry and try to find out if there are local job openings in your field of work that are as good or better than the opportunity you are considering relocating for. You may be surprised to find that there is actually more job potential in your line of work locally than far away.

2.  Consider scouting out your new area. One of the biggest fears people have about moving to a strange new area is culture shock. There is always the possibility that you or your family simply will not like your new surroundings. It is not always possible to do, but if you have a little time before you need to make your decision, you may want to go on an extended scouting expedition. Visit your target area before actually moving there. If possible, spend a couple of weeks or more in the new location, preferably with your family, to see if you and they feel comfortable in the new environment.

3.  Be aware of “hidden” costs. When comparing jobs from a financial point of view, people often make the mistake of considering salary difference and nothing else. In fact, there are a lot of factors that need to be considered in order to make a true apples-to-apples comparison. One of these factors is taxes. State income tax, sales tax, property taxes and other taxes can vary widely from state to state. Another factor that can vary widely is cost of living. The cost of things like housing, food, clothing, utilities, and transportation is much different in some parts of the country than others. The thought of doubling your current salary might sound mighty tempting, but if the cost of living in your new city is three times as high, you are better off financially staying where you are.

4.  Don’t neglect quality of life. When all is said and done, there is nothing more important than the happiness of you and your family. Although there is no way of knowing for sure how happy you will be in your new city, the best indicators are the various things that make up your quality of life. If you have school-aged children, the quality of the local schools will be one of your most important considerations. Look into the school system and see how closely their standards align with yours. Another consideration is climate. Is it too cold for you? Too hot? Too rainy? Are there annoying species of insects that tend to infiltrate the area at certain times of the year? These are all questions you should know the answers to before you move; not after it’s too late.

5.  Make sure you are heading into a stable environment. If you do decide to take the plunge, you want to make sure you are landing on a stable platform. There is nothing worse than deciding to make a life-altering move and then find out a few months later that you need to do it all over again. Make sure your new job is a stable one. Along the same lines, check your new area for other employment opportunities in your field. Recessions and layoffs can happen all the time. If your new town has a substantial employment base, you will feel more comfortable settling there.

The decision on whether to relocate can seem like a big guessing game. But it doesn’t have to be. By combining the right kind of research with the right kind of thinking, you can turn a mysterious gamble into an informed judgment. Making the leap may or may not be the right thing to do, but when you make the decision, do it strategically.

In his role in the self storage industry, Tim Eyre helps customers care for their cherished belongings that must be put in storage. Tim regularly visits his facilities including a Orlando Self Storage center. He also was recently meeting customers and staff at the San Leandro Self Storage Center.

I wish you success!

Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach

Common Sense At Work

“The life you are currently living is the result of the thoughts you have thought and the actions you have taken in the past. The life you live in the future will be the result of today’s thoughts and actions.” Common sense from Jack Canfield, career coach.

You alone are in charge of your life.

I wish you career success.

Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach

Common Sense At Work

Career Advice:

Successful bosses delegate as much responsibility and authority as their subordinates can handle. Therefore, they have more time and energy to grow to take on more duties of greater value to their employer. That’s the way they grow their careers.

Ambitious subordinates go for as much responsibility and authority they can carry and their bosses are willing to give up.

I know, this is as obvious as the nose on your face. But this dynamic often fails.

Consider the following scenario which is repeated countless times in organizations both large and small.

“I am swamped,” the boss declares. “I must have some help. I’d like to delegate some of my responsibilities, but I can’t find anyone who is ready to take on more work. It would take me longer to find someone willing and able to do the work than it does to do the job myself. And besides, I can’t be sure the job will done the right way if I don’t do it myself.”

Down the hallway subordinates have a different view. “The boss won’t delegate responsibilities to me,” the say.  They are resigned to the situation, so they stop offering to take on more work; their growth is restricted. “Why should I keep trying to help the boss,” they ask themselves. “I’ve got a easy thing of it. Let the boss do the work, if that’s what he wants. Just send me my paycheck.”

These conflicting and self-defeating views result in a fortress mentality where no one wins if it is not changed.

This situation creates big opportunities for truly ambitious careerists at all levels of the organizational pyramid.

You can take advantage of this environment if you are willing to act aggressively and with common sense as your guideline.

If you are the boss, ask yourself “What am I doing that I can delegate to others so I can take on greater responsibilities and reap greater rewards? Am I training someone who can take on some of my responsibilities?”

If you are in the ranks, figure out what responsibilities you can take on for your boss, so that you will be of greater value to your employer. Be sure you are trained and prepared to take on my responsibilities. As you accomplish this objective, you will enable both you and your boss to advance your careers.

Of course, this transfer of responsibility and authority is not easy to accomplish.

There is an analogy between effective delegation and accepting of responsibilities and falling in love.

At first there is a time of wariness as the courting parties test each other’s intention and reliability. This is a period when risks must be endured.

As confidences develop, the parties begin to surrender some of their individual controls and increase their faith that interactions between the parties will be mutually satisfying.

Remind yourself that winning organizations are made up of men and women who hunger for responsibility and authority. They push and shove for these nutrients of success to accelerate their trip on the path to success.

I wish you career success.

Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach

Common Sense At Work