By: Parker Word, Account Manager with The BOSS Group, Metro Chicago
By definition, relocation is: to move to a new place and to establish one’s home and/or business there.
As an employee of The BOSS Group, I recently had the opportunity to experience first-hand the pro’s and con’s of relocation, moving from the company’s established Metro Atlanta office to our new Metro Chicago office.
The relocation process is a very emotional time that takes a lot of preparation. It requires flexibility in order to adjust because the process can throw you curve balls. It reminds me of one of my favorite books, The Alchemist, written by Paulo Coelho
The Alchemist details the journey of a shepherd boy named Santiago. Santiago’s belief in a reoccurring dream he has takes him on a journey to Egypt to find treasure. Along the way, he encounters love, danger, opportunity and disaster, and learns a lot about himself and the ways of the world. During the course of his journey he meets an old king who tells him about discovering his personal legend and he says, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
When I think of my personal challenges during relocation, I think of Santiago and his venture into the unknown. Just like Santiago was afraid of leaving his homeland, I was afraid failing in a new role and adapting to a new environment having lived in Atlanta, GA for most of my life. Despite my fears, I knew that this was the best move for my family and me. I had to take a risk, step out of my comfort zone and just do it. Now having lived in Chicago for an entire summer, I know this was the right move for me.
So for all the Santiago’s out there willing to take on a new journey, here are a few tips to include in your steps to relocating:
The Preparation– In my opinion, this is by far the most important part of the relocation process. One of the things to take into consideration is the cost of living in your new location. Personally, the cost of living was like night and day when comparing Atlanta, GA to Chicago, IL. Consider housing, schools (if you have kids), parking, transportation cost and the cost of food and entertainment. Knowing how to adjust your budget is key to this step. If you are married or in a serious relationship you should also take into account career opportunities for your significant other.
The Migration– Depending on your relocation package, this is a very important step because the relocation can’t happen without knowing how you are going to get there. This can get pretty tricky based on your current situation. For example, being married, having kids or a pet can complicate matters. Communication with your employer as well as your friends and family is key when determining how long it will take for you too. Don’t forget to add in the cost of driving, hiring movers, car transport or plane. The key here is to stay organized, shop around for vendors and keep all receipts for tax season.
The Adaptation- This step can prove to be the most complicated out of the three because a house is only a home if you make it that way. Having family members or friends in your new location is an excellent value-add. There may also be an element of culture shock. Give yourself at least eight months to a year in order to become adapted to your new environment. As you continue to adapt, embrace your established relationships and find ways to create new ones. This helps expand your network and in a new city you are only as good as your network. I was fortunate enough to have family and friends in Chicago and it is certainly a plus that I joined an all-around amazing team in Chicago.
According to the Holmes-Rahe Scale, relocation is one of the most stressful events that you can experience in life. My advice is to embrace the change, as it seems to be one of the only constants in life. Become your own Santiago and know that during relocation you will experience many of the challenges he faced in his travels. However, the most rewarding part is finding your “personal legend” and learning so many exciting and new things about yourself along the journey!
By: Nicole Mott- HR, Recruiting Coordinator
I recently saw the movie “Friends with Benefits,” which I assumed to be your typical chick flick, however, I was pleasantly surprised to see a fresh, modern spin on this plot and an exciting connection to the creative staffing industry! Mila Kunis plays a sharp and aggressive Executive Search Recruiter from New York City and Justin Timberlake plays the candidate role of a talented Interactive Art Director from Los Angeles.
The first 15 to 20 minutes of the movie are about how the recruiter meets her candidate at the airport in order to take him to his job interview at GQ Magazine. She has to sell him on accepting the position in New York before midnight, when the job offer expires, or she won’t get her bonus. I won’t ruin the movie for those who haven’t seen it yet, but this movie shows a fresh perspective on the thrilling life of an Executive Search Recruiter.
As regular readers of the blog know, we are big fans of Executive Search Recruiters here at BLR Portfolio companies. The BOSS Group is home to many Executive Search Recruiters (the Mila Kunises of the world), who work with creative and interactive professionals (the Justin Timberlakes of the world) to place them with our top clients (the GQ Magazines of the world) in competitive markets for creative talent in the United States (like NYC).
Historically, the “headhunting” profession has been known to have a negative connotation associated with poaching candidates; however, it’s becoming more mainstream to embrace the many positives of the exhilarating profession. Like me, the viewers of “Friends With Benefits,” which grossed over $26.5 million across 2,926 theaters in its first week in the box office, would agree that life as a direct hire recruiter certainly has its upsides:
- You help companies fulfill organizational missions while simultaneously helping candidates to land the career opportunities of their dreams
- You have full ownership of your desk—from business development to selling to recruiting “A-list” candidates
- It is a fast paced industry, in which no day is the same as the prior—interviews are unfolding, candidates are calling, as are the clients
- Since you run a full-cycle desk you are able to fully reap the rewards of all of your hard work… and a nice commission at the end of the day
If you’re interested in one of the hottest growing industries (marketing, interactive and creative) and think you have what it takes to be an Executive Search Recruiter, read about our current openings!
