Yes, I said Wichita!
I had just offered a graduating senior, who requested Philadelphia, Miami, or New York, a position in Wichita, KS and she responded with…..silence, polite silence, but silence none the less. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t surprised! When I applied to Hyatt my choices were New Jersey, California, or Ohio (I’m a Buckeye). Ultimately when I received my offer, it was for Orlando, FL. Lucky for me, I had a patient recruiter who pointed out all the great reasons Orlando was ideal for me and now I had the opportunity to “pay it forward” and do the same for someone else.
Consider Cost Of Living
Although my candidate was shocked by the idea of Wichita, I asked her to consider the benefits. I feel this is important whenever you are considering an offer. Many college graduates want to live and work in major cities within the United States directly out of college. However, when you consider that with graduation often comes the repayment of student loans and diminished financial support from family, it may be wiser to consider some secondary cities where the cost of living is much less. It’s affordable to live in Wichita and my candidate, if she accepts the offer, will most likely have more discretionary income and be able to contribute into a retirement savings account much sooner living there than if she lived in one of her initial top three cities of choice.
It’s Not Forever
Sometimes candidates are hesitant to move to a location because they don’t want to “get stuck there”, my response is to consider a company’s growth, size/number of locations, and the career path of the position you’re accepting. Also don’t be afraid to ask a recruiter how quickly promotional opportunities could become available. For example, our company has a culture of promoting from within, my candidate could be eligible for a promotion or transfer to another location or city within 2 – 3 years, accepting this opportunity is just the beginning of what will hopefully be a long successful career and perhaps next time a move to one of her preferred locations.
You Will Make Friends
Don’t let fear of the unknown keep you from moving somewhere new. You may be surprised by how quickly you can actually adapt to a new location. I’ve moved to three different cities since I graduated from college and lived in nine different cities so far in my lifetime. I can attest that in each city I’ve made friends, found someone awesome to cut my hair, located the nearest Target store, and found my way to the closest airport when I wanted to fly home. When I’ve talked to recent college graduates who have moved to new locations for our company, they created a social life for themselves in their new cities by joining intramural teams, meet up groups, alumni organizations, and reconnecting with old friends living in their new locations via Facebook.
My candidate took a few days to consider the offer, but ultimately she accepted! Although Wichita was not the location she expected, she’s seizing the opportunity and ready for a new adventure!
Amhm:
October 29th, 2011 at 11:37 am
While I certainly agree with many of your points. I was asked during my interview where the 1 place I would prefer not to be sent. Unable to come up with anything valid, I blurted out “Texas” (only because an old boyfriend lived there!) When my letter arrived, my training was set to begin in, you guessed it, Dallas. Be careful of those trick questions. While the friends, cost of living, adventure etc. certainly ring true, there are many who get “stuck” in those places-unable to reach the areas they would like to eventually live. Flexibility will advance your career quicker but you will be making sacrifices for it.