Saturday, March 14, 2020

Ask yourself these questions when deciding if you should move for a job

Ask yourself unterstellung questions when deciding if you should move for a jobA job offer in a new city, state, or country can be a hugely tempting opportunity. Change of scenery New job New people Excitement But before you make this huge life decision, there are some questions to ask yourself first. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Is this really what I want?A job may look like the total right fit on paperits in your field, its more pay, its in a city youve always wanted to live in. But before you say yes, think about what this job means for your goals. Will you be able to grow in the job? How does it align with your career goals? What is your next step after this job? It can seem premature to departure thinking about your next job, but if this isnt a role where youre going to be able to grow and evolve in your career, youre changing an awful lot in your life to take it.How stable is this job offer?This is also a chance to do a little e xtra digging on your potential companys future. If it seems like its on shaky ground, your awesome opportunity may turn quickly into sudden unemployment. If you can, seek out feedback from others whove worked there before. If you start seeing patterns like high turnover or major disgruntlement from former employees, then you might want to give some second thought to whether this is the job and the company you hope and expect it will be.How will this affect my personal life?Lets put the career move aside for a secondwhat about outside of work? If youre moving alone to this new distribution policy, are you ready for the challenges of doing a new city or town all on your own? What are your resources going to be? If youre moving as part of a couple or a family, its time to consider their needs as well. Will you be happy while your spouse is miserable and unable to find a job? Will your kids need to be uprooted from friends/school/activities? Work-life balance is essential in any career, so you need to think about how your home life will be changed by this work move.What are the costs and the logistics of moving?If youre accepting a new job in a new city or town, your new company may cover moving expenses, like moving trucks, car rental, temporary housing, or realtor fees. But the company might not. Before you accept and commit to moving for this new gig, be sure youre aware of what your new company willand wontcover to get you there. And its not just the obvious moving costs as well. Will you need to buy new furniture? What are average housing and living costs in your new place?If a move is going to cost you thousands of dollars, and this isnt reflected in your new salary, then youre making a huge financial commitment as well.Grabbing a new job and moving to a new place can be exhilarating, and a great jump-start to your career. But before you sign that offer letter and start packing the U-Haul, its important to think long and hard about whether its truly the righ t choice for you.

Tuesday, March 10, 2020

5 Hot Vacation Spots You Can Squeeze into a Long Weekend

5 Hot Vacation Spots You Can Squeeze into a Long Weekend Grab a cup of coffee or tea (I prefer Matcha), and take a seat. Youll want to be sitting, because you may very well be here for a while, booking flights and accommodation long after you read this.Youve got a long weekend ahead of you, and youre probably imagining some sun-swathed respite from your cubicle, perhaps under palm trees on a blonde beach somewhere remote. Maybe youre a winter sports aficionado, and snowcapped mountains are beckoning instead. Whatever the case, youve got about three or four days and youll want to make the most of those days without having to spend too much time traveling.With that said, here are six memorable vacation spots that you can fit into a long weekend.1. Vail, ColoradoVail, Colorado lures weekenders all year long. The ski town is full of powdery slopes that snake their way through frosted foliage and directly down to the doors of toasty lodges serving up locally brewed beers and hot chocolat e. In the colder months, your mornings will be spent riding, and your afternoons will be spent in true aprs-ski fashion.And if you spend time in Vail during the warmer months, the weather will lull around the mid-70s to the mid-80s with low humidity perfect for day hikes, mountain biking and river tubing through the forests that paint the horizon yellows and oranges. In fact, Colorado boasts 53 fourteeners (mora than any other state), many of which are in Vail. Two for consideration include Grays Peak (14,278 feet) and Quandary Peak (14,265 feet).2. Montreal, Quebec, CanadaMontreal, the largest city in Canadas Quebec province, is an easy drive for those on the east coast and a not-so-terribly-long flight for those on the west coast. And because many of Montreals boroughs were once independent cities themselves, theres a lot of diversity from the cobblestoned, French colonial Vieux-Montral to the artsy, bohemian Plateau that attracts all types of weekend vacationers from all acros s the country.In the colder months, the city is a winter wonderland and, in the warmer months, its home to a number of Canadas summer festivals like Jazz Fest, Le Mondial de la Bire and even the Food Trucks Festival. Whatever time of year you go, youll be spoiled for choice with weekend activities.You can spend the day people watching in Parc La Fontaine, hiking up Mount Royal or eating Canadas famous poutine (French fries and cheese curds doused in brown gravy and a whole slew of toppings like bacon and chicken and sausage and eggs and vegetables and anything you can imagine).3. Boston, MassachusettsBoston, Massachusettss capital and largest city, boasts a wealth of weekend activities for visitors. Because Boston is one of the countrys oldest cities, founded in 1630, there are tons of museums touting the citys history and modern day charm. Consider the Boston Tea Party Ships Museum, for example, where you can actually walk across authentically restored ships and launch cases of te a off a deck yourself. You might also want to wander through the Museum of Fine Arts, which welcomes mora than one million visitors each year who come to view the mora than 450,000 pieces of art.You can also take walking tours to other historical sites, such as the Paul Revere House, the oldest remaining structure in downtown Boston, built around 1680, or the Old State House, which is one of the countrys oldest public buildings built in 1713. You might also consider spending an afternoon walking the 2.5-mile Freedom Trail or stuffing your face with seasonal seafood around every corner.4. Austin, TexasAustin, Texas is an American city unlike any other. It smells of sweet creamed corn and barbecued brisket at all times, especially if you take a stroll down Austins Rainey Street, which is full of food trailers and traditionally American restaurants. Youll find some of the best barbeque at eateries across the city like Franklin Barbecue, La Barbecue and LeRoy Lewis.Meanwhile, over on t he citys famed Sixth Street (dubbed Dirty Sixth), youll have a whole range of live music centered around country, blues and rock from which to choose. After all, Austin is the countrys live music capital.And if youve had enough eating and drinking, you can walk it all off by exploring Austins eclectic street art scene or just unwind at the Barton Springs Municipal Pool, a three-acre spring-fed pool.5. Moab, UtahIf you want to go somewhere a bit more active, give Moab, Utah a shot. Moab is the only place in Utah where you can experience two of Utahs Mighty 5 National Parks from one location. You can explore the towering depths of Canyonlands National Park and then adventure through the red rock landscape of Arches National Park.Specifically, Moab boasts Slickrock, a 10.5-mile loop of Navajo Sandstone, widely considered one of the best bike trails in the worldwith some of the best views of Utah (think a red rock panorama that stretches from the Colorado River to the 13,000-foot La Sal Mountains). Youll also find a wealth of Native American rock art there.Whats perhaps even more interesting about Moab, however, is that there are dinosaur tracks at other sites like the Bull Canyon Overlook and Copper Ridge, and you can even check out dinosaur bones and other archaeological artifacts at the Museum of Moab.--AnnaMarie Houlis is a feminist, a freelance journalist and an adventure aficionado with an affinity for impulsive solo travel. She spends her days writing about womens empowerment from around the world. You can follow her work on her blog, HerReport.org, and follow her journeys on Instagram her_report,Twitterherreportand Facebook.