How to decide whether moving is right for you
Photo by Janelyn Young on Unsplash
Last week’s blog post touched on how moving to other cities, or even to other countries, in order to advance your career is quite common, and even expected, in academia. As a field, we are quick to highlight the exciting things about moving: seeing the world, working with great people, expanding our networks, getting exposed to new ways of thinking, or new scientific methods. What we don’t often discuss is how moving also entails real emotional, financial, and logistical hardships, and in some cases, it’s just not worth it, or even possible.
How do you decide whether moving is right for you?
Typically, we examine academic career choices for the scientific or teaching opportunities that they provide. We assess who is in the department and what they are known for, what infrastructure and resources are available, the caliber of the students, etc. Indeed, these factors should absolutely be considered. But they should be weighed against the consequences that the move will create in other areas of your life, and whether those tradeoffs are aligned with your core values. This requires being honest with yourself about your dreams, goals, and ambitions. Moving to secure what is, on paper, the ‘best’ academic opportunity, may not actually be a great option for your life.
To help you decide the best course of action, reflect on the following 5 questions:
1. What does success really mean for me? Success may mean having a thriving research lab at a highly ranked university, or it may mean having opportunities to teach undergraduates in new and innovative ways, or to effectively translate scientific findings to the lay public. Reflect on what activities you want do for your career, and what environment would best help you succeed. Sometimes, it may be the small, liberal arts college that is best suited to help you achieve your vision of success, and not the highly-ranked, research-intensive university.
2. How do I want to live my life? Have you always dreamed of moving abroad? Do you prefer rural or urban environments? What are your hobbies and could you do them anywhere? Do you want a family? If so, do you want your parents and extended family nearby for support? Consider not only where you want to live, but what that means for maintaining connections to your family and friends.
3. Can I afford it? Would you rather be financially comfortable in a rural area, or are you ok with just getting by in a more expensive, urban area? What are the housing costs? If raising a family is important to you, how expensive would that be in each location? Do you need to buy a car or is there public transportation? What are the costs associated with moving, including costs for visas or other immigration requirements, and would your new department cover those?
4. Where would be the best place for my health? If you need access to specialized care, that may be more feasible in some locations than others. Likewise, some health conditions may be more manageable in one climate versus another. Or, maybe being close to a particular type of nature (beach, mountains, forests) is something that puts your soul at ease. Also consider that moving away from family and friends can be incredibly lonely and isolating; ask whether, if you were to move away, what supports are available to proactively protect your mental health.
5. What are my non-negotiables? You may decide that a particular location is off-limits for political and legislative reasons, or you may just detest the idea of having to live amongst fans of your rival football or hockey team. It doesn’t matter what the non-negotiables are, it only matters that you’re clear on what they are for you.
Reflecting on these questions can provide you with much-needed clarity to evaluate your options, and to decide whether any less-desirable trade-offs can be tolerated. If the opportunity is perfect to help you achieve success in your career, but is not ideal for the rest of your life considerations, how uncomfortable are you willing to be, and for how long? You could decide that the trade-offs are worth it for a limited time (e.g., during a postdoctoral fellowship), and then re-evaluate your options in a few years, or at the next stage of your career. Or you might find you would rather be in a place where you can put your roots down now.
Reflecting on these questions can also save you time. If you see an amazing job advertisement (whether that’s for graduate school, a postdoctoral fellowship, or a faculty position), but that opportunity is not aligned with how you want to live your life, or its location is somewhere that is a non-negotiable for you, then don’t waste your time (and the department’s time) by applying.
Making decisions about where to move, and if at all, aren’t just about what’s best for your career, but also about what’s best for all facets of your life. If you need help evaluating your options, book a call with me here.
Next week: What if you don’t want to move?
