Should You Relocate for a Job? Your Personality Might Have Some Insights

The new landscape of remote work has shifted many people’s ideas about staying in one spot or relocating. Jobs that were on-site only before the pandemic are now remote, and data shows that workers decamped en masse away from the major cities during 2020 and 2021 when their physical presence was no longer required. Those with remote jobs in 2018 were less likely to relocate than their post-pandemic counterparts, which suggests this is a new, and potentially enduring, pattern.

With so much change post-pandemic, you may wonder if you should relocate for a job because it may be easier than ever to make it work. That's true regardless of whether the job is new or existing, remote or in-person. But there's more to this decision than the obvious factors such as pay, promotion and logistics, or even the broader question of whether a certain career is right for you in the first place (as to which, a career aptitude test is a really great starting point).   

Your personality has a major part to play in your location decisions – as well as in the way you approach the move.

Do you want to relocate? Here’s what you should ask yourself first

While relocating to a sleepy vacation town, the country or a different metro may sound enticing to you, you should consider some important factors before you decide to move. These considerations go deeper into your personality rather than evaluating a city’s job market, which is a moot point for many who are working remotely. 

Some questions to ask yourself as part of your career planning include:

• Would this move improve my work-life balance and my overall quality of life?
• Does the energy of this location fit my personality type?
• Are there recreational activities available there that aren’t available where I live?
• Will this improve my social life? 
• Will it be good for my family? (If applicable.)
• Will moving elsewhere lessen my stress?
• Am I considering the long-term consequences of this move?
• Does the decision make financial sense?

If you answered 'yes' to most of the questions above, relocating for a job might be part of your future career planning. Let’s put these factors under a magnifying glass for further examination and look at how personality science can influence your choice.

Career planning for location, location, location

Before you make a life-changing move, consider the area you’d be relocating to. Does it suit your lifestyle?

Maybe you’ve lived in the city for years and have grown tired of the constant noise. Or you’ve lived in a small town and would love to be in a metropolitan area. Whatever your preference, make sure the area you relocate to suits your needs. Someone who desires peace may feel overwhelmed in a busy city, and someone who likes the fast-paced lifestyle of a city may feel stifled by a stagnant, small town. 

Which landscape appeals to your personality?

In the recent census analysis reported in the New York Times, many remote workers relocated to beach vacation towns, where the lifestyle is slower-paced than that of a big city. This can appeal to both Introverts and Extraverts, but with a few conditions.

Extraverts, for example, might find the idea of a smaller town appealing, but that’s if they can become involved in the community and find outlets to keep them from feeling bored. Extraverts recharge through socializing, so they’ll need many ways to meet new people and attend gatherings. If a town has less than 10,000 people and its businesses roll up the sidewalks at 5 p.m., it may not be an ideal location for an Extravert.

On the flip side, an Introvert currently living in the city may find the idea of a quieter place a dream come true. For Introverts, less crowded environments tend to be a step in the right direction when formulating a long-term career plan. It may also be a good choice for an Introvert looking to move to a more laid back, friendlier metro area if they’re not quite ready to give up the convenience of the city. For example, Los Angeles is far busier than a cityscape like Portland, Oregon, or San Diego, California. (As a Californian and Introvert, I’ll tell you L.A. and San Diego are night and day from each other, and I’d choose the latter any day). 

But when you move to a place where everyone knows everyone, you lose the anonymity of the crowd. Introverts may feel more exposed in this kind of environment, so it’s important to consider if you have the energy for that type of move. 

The outdoors and your favorite recreational activities 

Have you always preferred the mountains over the beach? Or do you seek solace not on hikes but on the shore, with sand beneath your feet?

If you’ve been yearning for a lifestyle change that better accommodates your favorite recreational activities, a job relocation may be the answer. To illustrate, you may love hiking through forested areas but live far from anywhere forested. Or, those landlocked hours away from the beach may yearn for regular weekends on the shoreline, surfing or sunbathing. Your work-life balance may feel lopsided if you can only partake in your favorite recreational sport or activity once or twice a year.

As far as recreational differences go, some personality types are far more sensation-seeking than others. In the Myers and Briggs system, it is the Sensor-Perceivers who are the highest sensation seekers – ESTPs, ISTPs, ESFPs and ISFPs. These types crave novelty and tend to be drawn to high-risk hobbies and sports. If that's you, you'll need to make sure that your new location has enough of your preferred activities to keep you satisfied.

What’s the community like?

Like some people crave the hum of city life, some people prefer the open-hearted, small-town feel where everyone knows each other. You may not consider community as lifestyle a factor when you’re changing locations, but it does matter. 

Small towns often have community-based events like swap meets or small festivals on a quaint main street drag, while metropolitan areas will have parties, grand openings, gallery showings, parades, and other large-scale events all over the city. Small towns are less busy, with less community events or gatherings than you’ll find in a metro area.

Imaginative, artistic types like many of the Intuitive Feelers (INFJ, INFP, ENFP and ENFJ), as well as artistically-minded ISFPs, may enjoy community-based creative events and savor small-town art galleries and craft shops. Traditionalist types like ISFJs may prefer the structure and predictability of small-town communities, while ISTPs may like the unpredictability of large-city communities. 

Evaluating your personality can help you determine the best community fit for you.

Moving closer to relatives 

Although family isn’t always a factor for relocating, sometimes you’ll find an opportunity to move to an area where you have more relatives nearby. If family relationships are important to you, this is often a deciding factor in migration. Many U.S. families are spread out across the states, and maybe you’ve grown tired of feeling so far away from your loved ones.

According to a Truity report on home lives, Thinking types were more likely than Feeling types to choose not to have children. This makes one wonder if Feeling types are also more likely to relocate to reside near relatives – although we haven’t seen any research on this yet.

Do you see a life there?

Some people are more apt to plan things out and avoid risks. Judging and Thinking types may find it hard to relocate without careful thought. They prefer to plan and are probably among the highest percentage of people who will weigh every pro and con before making a move. Someone who is both a Feeler and Perceiver, however, may be more likely to take the leap to relocate without spending as much time agonizing over the decision because they choose with their heart above logic and are more spontaneous.

But whether you’re a Judger or Perceiver, a Thinker or Feeler, your life will change if you relocate. You’ll want to make sure you can envision your life in this new place. If you can’t see yourself there (but everything else, on paper, looks great), there may be something that isn’t clicking, even if you can’t put a finger on what it is. 

The gist of it

If you’re thinking about relocating for a job, your personality type can help you decipher what best fits your ideal spot. Relocating is a serious decision, but often one that changes lives for the better. Combining your perfect career fit with a lifestyle that’s more "you" will give you a better work-life balance, as long as you make a career plan and a move that prioritizes your personality needs. And with so many people taking advantage of the live-anywhere lifestyle of remote work, why shouldn’t you?