The world is full of fascinating and inspiring places. However, out of every single place on the map, we are most shaped by the place we call home and where we find joy. For some, those places are the same. For others, moving to new areas and traveling the world brings them significant meaning.
Places play a critical role in our professional development. The locations give us opportunities at specific companies, open us up to particular networks, and allow us access to individual people who impact our careers the most. We use our financial resources, which we earn through work, to invest in homes and put down roots within a community.
You may have only a few places you would be willing to call your home. You might have an affinity for specific geographies or prefer a particular social climate. You may like living in a small town or favor a big, bustling city. No matter your preferences, you likely have a list of things you’d like to have in the place you live.
Apart from where you live, your job description might include the need to travel to carry out your work. For some people, that’s an attractive part of the gig. However, for others, they would never think of taking a role that required significant travel. It’s essential to know if traveling would be detrimental or beneficial to the balance of your life.
You may not get much energy and joy from traveling, but it’s tolerable. Perhaps, for a time, you’re willing to take a job that requires travel if it has a high financial upside.
Or, maybe you want to see all the incredible places the world offers. If that’s the case, you could prioritize travel and time to do when picking a job. Many companies offer the chance to travel to different cities, countries, and even continents. Don’t miss out on those opportunities if travel is a high value of yours.
It’s essential to consider the location you’d like to call home base. You may have extended family you’ve prioritized; you’d want to stay put near them. If you hate cold weather, you may only entertain job opportunities in warm locales. It doesn’t matter exactly where you choose. It’s more important to know where you’d like to be.
Beyond the place you live, how far and how often you leave your home base for work is vital to consider. You want to avoid a mismatch between what is required to perform your job well and what you’re willing to do.
Our places shape us, and where you live, work, and frequently travel matters. Our location, either home base or the places we go for work, can be a benefit or a drawback to any given role. The same city will elicit a different response based on the person, so there is a perfect person for every place. Knowing where you love to be is the most crucial aspect for you to consider.