It's not really up to me. Because of how large the region is and how much air travel is needed, they require you to live in or around a big city, and highly preferable to where the current business is focused. I think the ones they listed in the posting were Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake, Seattle, Portland, but they really prefer Phoenix, Seattle, or Portland, with higher preference going to Seattle/Portland because the hiring manager already lives in Phoenix. Salt Lake is an option, but we have very low market share there. So I'd have to air travel more if I lived there, but it would position me strategically to go after new business. The role is more of a specialist role though, rather than calling directly on customers, so I'm not sure how valuable that would actually be. I'd love to move to Boise. It seems like the best option from a real estate cost and taxes perspective. But there's just not a large enough customer base or potential base there to really justify it.
When I took this job in Baltimore, my now wife and I had only been together a year and were doing long distance (her in Chicago, me in Nashville). They flew both of us out to Baltimore one weekend to search for where we'd live. Paid for the flights, put us up in a hotel the entire weekend, paid for our meals, and even had a real estate agent of sorts to take us around. I really hope I'm able to negotiate relocation if I get this role. It's legitimately life changing, even over something like a significant sign on bonus. The sign on bonus covers a lot of the financials, but relocation includes people who help you manage everything. Cuts out a lot of the stress of the big move and switching jobs. They even help your spouse with finding a new job, among a ton of other stuff. Just phenomenal all around.
That's awesome, Indy. My company does that, too, typically for demand-driven or mutually beneficial relocations. It's a huge perk.
Really good point. New Mexico is intriguing to me, but the water scarcity issue is likely a deal breaker.
We are trying to avoid the southwest primarily because we have 2 Corgi's... lmao they are not built for that heat.
I would go to Texas or Scottsdale, Arizona. Salt Lake is nice too but the housing market has gotten a bit crazy. Texas is probably your safest bet.
If you want to see batshit crazy insurance go to California. Some people in northern California can't even get it.
If you are going to be traveling a lot then find a city with a major airline hub. Direct flights are so much easier than layovers from a quality of life perspective.
With some of these smaller air lines like Allegiant and Frontier you get direct flights out of much smaller terminals to quite a few larger cities depending on where you live.
If they know it is going to burn or flood, they would be idiots to sell insurance to you. Thats all it is. They know what is happening.
Texas isn't an option. Region only covers El Paso. Arizona is an option, but not preferable for the reasons stated, unfortunately. Looks like it would be a great option though, otherwise.
I am sure you have heard it before but its a different type of heat out there. Its actually really nice to be outside even when its really hot. My wife and kids like it there so much we are probably going to buy either a condo or vacation home in that area.
Exactly. If I'm in/around Portland or Seattle, I can drive to all of those accounts in either city locally, then I've got easy flights to anywhere else I need to be in the region (Salt Lake, Phoenix, Nevada, etc.). Weather is fine in those spots. Wish it was sunny more, but whatever. Tons to do outdoors. Close to a lot of National Parks and other places we'd want to visit. There are a number of positives for sure. But both places are super expensive, and, as one of the Seattle reps put it, "I love it here, but I don't want to sugarcoat it. You're going to be around a lot of drugs and homelessness." She lives 20 minutes north of Seattle and says she still deals with it a ton.
Oh, for sure. The biggest reason Arizona is low on our list is strictly because the hiring manager has made it clear she'd prefer to have this role in the Pacific Northwest. Close second is the YouTube videos my wife has seen about not letting your dog outside until after 4pm.
Yep. We need to build to the environment better. If I were building in northern California, I wouldn't use wood and it wouldn't be a traditional house. In florida, I would build on pillars. Think about how silly it is that a house can look the same in Maine, Kansas, Louisiana, Phoenix, and Washington.
PNW is nice, have almost pulled the trigger on relocating up there multiple times(mostly Portland metro) over the last few years but not sure I want to do that weather long term and just can’t ditch certain family responsibilities yet. If/when I leave Knoxville, it’ll still probably be for Portland(or one of its suburbs) even with the weather and COL. Maybe Seattle but last I checked it was a good bit more expensive than Portland and didn’t seem worth the extra money, but that’s the perspective of an hourly worker so YMMV
Whatever you chose, you are approaching the decision in the right way. The most important indicator is your use of the term "our". I have found if both of you are involved in the decision, you'll be ok.
