Relocation research

Bookworm55

My workplace is going through some changes. Part of those changes involve me being offered the chance to relocate 125 miles or so to a new (to me) town.

I actually think it would be a good opportunity, but I don't want to enter into it without careful consideration. I've never had to relocate for work before, so I'd appreciate some tips, advice and anecdotes on your experiences.

Several people have suggested I need to do some research to identify a good (and avoid bad) part of the area. They are less clear on how I would do that, or what kind of data would be worth considering. I did google "nice places to live in the West Midlands" but it wasn't particularly helpful.

DAVID LAWES

Think extremely carefully about the long-term implications of what you are doing. Unfortunately it is common for people to relocate in the expectation of a better life, only to find a few years later that they are being made redundant, in an area with fewer job prospects than the one which they left. Also, consider very carefully availability of public transport. You don't want to relocate to an area with poor public transport within 10 years of your anticipated retirement ; you may find yourself physically unable to drive a few years later and be bereft of trains and buses. Be careful that the first move that you make does not become the first in a series. Again, think long-term about the job prospects in your planned relocation area; you don't want to be moving to a singleton job in an area where there are not many alternatives as you will be setting yourself up to move again a few years later. Your employer will not be thinking long-term about you ; they will be thinking only of short-term business continuity. Always keep this hard fact of life uppermost in your mind ; your employer would love you to gloss over it. Sorry to be so negative, but having sucessfully resisted a forced move (away from London) 20 years ago, and reaped massive benefits since, I am very conscious of the need to understand the employer's agenda in situations like this.

Bookworm55

Hi David,

Thanks for your comments, I just wanted to address a couple of points.

DAVID LAWES wrote: »

Think extremely carefully about the long-term implications of what you are doing. Unfortunately it is common for people to relocate in the expectation of a better life, only to find a few years later that they are being made redundant, in an area with fewer job prospects than the one which they left. Also, consider very carefully availability of public transport. You don't want to relocate to an area with poor public transport within 10 years of your anticipated retirement ; you may find yourself physically unable to drive a few years later and be bereft of trains and buses.

This isn't a problem. I'm in my late twenties; I have a good 30+ years before retirement. I will have a look at the public transport options though.

DAVID LAWES wrote: »

Be careful that the first move that you make does not become the first in a series. Again, think long-term about the job prospects in your planned relocation area; you don't want to be moving to a singleton job in an area where there are not many alternatives as you will be setting yourself up to move again a few years later.

For clarity, we're talking about being just north of the West Midlands conurbation, not right out into the countryside. Specificially the site is about 10 miles from Stafford, Wolverhampton and Walsall and I am considering that I may live in one of those larger towns/cities (combined population ca 500,000) , rather than the smaller town the office is in (district population ca 30,000). Relatively speaking, there's plenty of alternative companies to work for nearby and Birmingham itself isn't that bad of a commute.

DAVID LAWES wrote: »

Your employer will not be thinking long-term about you ; they will be thinking only of short-term business continuity. Always keep this hard fact of life uppermost in your mind ; your employer would love you to gloss over it. Sorry to be so negative, but having sucessfully resisted a forced move (away from London) 20 years ago, and reaped massive benefits since, I am very conscious of the need to understand the employer's agenda in situations like this.

What do you consider the employers agenda to be? I'm not sure what you mean by "succesfully resisting a forced move", but in my case the only way to resist would be to resign.

Those are all good things to think about, and it's helping to order my thoughts. You can play devils advocate even more strongly if you'd like.

blobbyh

Bookworm55 wrote: »

I did google "nice places to live in the West Midlands" but it wasn't particularly helpful.

Of course not... there aren't any nice places to live in West Midlands.

Seriously though, like any county, the West Midlands is a huge place. Are you anywhere near Birmingham city, Solihull, Shirley etc (those are places I'm familiar with) or more in the black country? To put it politely, West Mids - and Birmingham especially - is a very diverse place and there are places you could live, couldn't live and probably shouldn't live.

Bookworm55

blobbyh wrote: »

Of course not... there aren't any nice places to live in West Midlands.

Seriously though, like any county, the West Midlands is a huge place. Are you anywhere near Birmingham city, Solihull, Shirley etc (those are places I'm familiar with) or more in the black country? To put it politely, West Mids - and Birmingham especially - is a very diverse place and there are places you could live, couldn't live and probably shouldn't live.

Fair enough. I'm not there yet - have only seen the site briefly but it's on the other side of the county. I've noticed everyone in the Hertfordshire office (who don't really know the site) have been calling it Birmingham, but that's London conflating everything more than 25 miles from the M25, not correct according to the map.

I think I've put my foot in it already as it's in the Cannock Chase district of Staffordshire - on a business park between Cannock and the M6 toll motorway - rather than in the West Midlands county itself.

I'm also looking at more general tools. I've been using this site http://www.police.uk/ to compare various postcodes with ones I'm used to.

mini_schnauzer

Have you been to Cannock Chase area? You can't make your mind up unless you visit. Go for a weekend break and have a good look round.

I relocated 6 years ago - over 300 miles, from Kent to South Cumbria. Never regretted it - but then to me the thought of living in the same place/town forever seems like a prison sentence. You only live once - whats the worst that can happen; if you don't like it, move back to East Anglia.