Should I relocate or find another job?
Question:
As of late, due to the current market situation, there has been a lot of redundancies in our company. I and the rest of the employees left have now been offered one and the only option - to relocate. I'm still thankful that we're being given that option, meaning we would still have a job. The only problem for me, for us in general, is that what we've been offered is really low, considering the cost of living where we're supposed to relocate. I don't know where the company got its figures, but from the offer, it means my family and I would live in a single bedroom with six people!
I plan to negotiate, hopefully, something good will result from it. But I would like to ask how would I handle this situation. Should I accept it? Should I look for another? I love my job, but I don't know if I'd even enjoy my work when the pay is too low to support my family with me.
Answer:
Sadly, not all companies think about their employees and the hardships they go through. Salaries are often set based on what the company thinks they can hire someone to replace you and not what it takes for your family to live. I can't tell you whether to go or stay based on income. I don't know enough about the job situation or how likely you think it would be to land another job. If you can't afford to live there on the salary they offer, then moving will not improve your situation.
Another financial consideration is if this job doesn't work out or fails while you are in a foreign country, how will you return? I would suggest having an exit strategy first before accepting a job. The one plus is that the country you are moving to is larger than the one you are leaving, so the possibilities of finding new or better work are greater.
You need to also consider where they are asking you to move. Are you going to be able to find a faithful group of Christians to worship with there?
Finally, you need to consider if this is the environment that you want your children to grow up in. Often these types of jobs have a single person in mind and do not work well with a man who has family obligations.
