With the end of the semester, a new wave of students will graduate and set out to become part of a bustling work force.
With this milestone many questions are presented, including whether to take an out-of-state job offer.
“Only consider places you are willing to live,” said Julia Babcock, co-director of the Center for Couples Therapy.
“I applied for 18 jobs, got two interviews and one job offer right out of grad school.”
Students looking to move for work have to look at many of the externalities that come with a change in location. Babcock received her Ph.D. at the University of Washington and addressed necessary questions before the move herself.
“Is it a place you are willing to live? Do you have family nearby? Do you care if you have family nearby? If you are not willing to move, don’t apply out-of-state,” Babcock said.
The loss of a familiar surrounding can have adverse affects on some students and potential employees, but to some the ideal job is enough to pack and move.
”(UH) was an ideal job; ideal on a lot of different fronts — not every front, (but) it was a really good job offer. It became impossible to say no,” said Director of Developmental Psychology and the Laboratory for Neural Bases of Bilingualism Arturo Hernandez. “There are a lot of things about Houston and (the University) that helped.”
Hernandez urges those interested in other states to pay attention to the benefits and risks, but also to consider taking the gut approach.
“The most important thing is for it to feel right. If it feels right, you need to take the offer,” Hernandez said. “You just have a feeling that is the right place. I think that really is the best metric.”
In some cases students find themselves drawn from Houston for reasons beyond their work and family.
”I would move,” said pharmacy freshman Karina Tverbakk. “I’ve lived here my whole life. It isn’t exciting at all. I just don’t feel as though I belong in Texas.”
Besides gut feelings and surroundings, graduates have to be sure to find a place that permits their work.
“I looked for a place that would allow me to do my work well; that had all the things that I needed,” Hernandez said.
The opportunity to live in what may be a drastically different location in the U.S. or out of the country gives one a taste of a new culture, which is something people should experience, Hernandez said.
