The One That Got Away

Merrainiacs:

In an economy such as this one, there are many items that will give an individual pause when thinking about relocation. For example:

• Will I sell my home?
• Do I want to move away from my family?
• Will I enjoy a region of the country where the weather is so........ hot/cold/snowy/humid/rainy?
• Will I be comfortable living in a region that is so....................... homogeneous/diverse/different?
• Is it fair to take my kids out of school ................................................................... in the middle of the year/when they are close to graduating/when they have many friends?
• Is it fair to ask my spouse to leave a career that provides them a great deal of satisfaction?
• How will my probation officer feel if I move out of state?

OK, the last one was written in jest. However, these are great questions, and of course....we are just "scratching the surface." There are thousands of reasons you may want to gut-check that move across the country or out-of-state.

More than 95% of our placements are relocations. Let's face it. Hospitals often know their local markets and look to us to help them on a national basis. They know our reach is far greater, and Merraine Group is working in all fifty states, something they can benefit from. However, for every candidate that says, "I am ready to relocate," there are a few that have no interest in moving beyond the county lines.

Katy Perry has a new song out: The One That Got Away. While it's a story of love lost, such a lesson can be applied to some of our careers. Often, the individuals in leadership positions are those that were willing to "roll the dice" and move 1,500 miles away to a remote location where they had to start over. We've moved our fair share of senior executives including one recently from San Juan, Puerto Rico to South Dakota; New York City to rural Oklahoma and Jacksonville, Florida to a little hospital in Alaska that only has an air strip for several months a year. While some might have argued with the likelihood of success, each has worked due to our diligent screening process as well as an open employer/employee relationship that allowed for concerns to be addressed in a relaxed atmosphere where the new team member was made to feel a part of the family.

Experience in relocation is one of our hallmarks, and it is why we Merraine Group offers s full-service approach including relocation coaches available to help with every possible question that might arise throughout the process. If you've ever dreamed about "The One That Got Away," imagine if you had taken that opportunity, moved far away but landed the career of your dreams working for an organization that valued you as an integral member of their leadership team.

While relocation isn't right for everyone, it's important to remember that many opportunities are worth exploring because you never know where The Path Not Taken might have led.

Merrainiac