5 Things I’ve learned moving to a small town for a job.

5 Things I’ve learned moving to a small town for a job.

Last year I accepted a Position with a smaller Community College in a town of 9000. I lived in a city of 450,000 and plenty of opportunities. The problem is that the opportunities that I was finding were always in a field that I was trying hard to break away from. I have 25 year experience in the IT field and have worked very hard to move away from it.
Over the past decade I have been basically collecting certifications and degrees in different topics.

To date I have the following:
• MCSE
• A+
• N+
• CAN
• Associates of Applied Sciences in Graphic Design
• Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management and Leadership
• Master of Arts in Conflict Management and Dispute Resolution
• (Currently) Doctorate candidate in Educational Leadership

I love technology, but have become tired of fixing things for others. Over the past several years I have been in education in K-12 and College level positions. Some were IT based, others were Instructional. Each were a chance to move along the later to a leadership position in a college setting. There were some stumbles along the way, but it keeps moving along.

I worked for a Couple for Profit schools along the way. I as an IT instructor and covered the gamut of topics, but I really wanted to be in leadership and help make decisions for the student population. In a for profit school, it all comes down to money. I found myself feeling very dirty and upset with the direction of the first school and finally left. The position I accepted at a larger Community College ended quickly as the politics were terrible.

I ended up doing IT and Ebay for a year to cover myself. Then I was pulled back into IT. It killed me to go back, but at the time the money was good. I stayed involved in IT for a couple years and on the side I helped with a teach out for a LARGER For profit school. It was actually fun and made the other part a little easier.

An offer came for a position with a smaller school, but it required me to move to a smaller community. I was not sure what to do. I was not married yet, but my to be wife was supportive and we decided it was worth a shot. There was a couple real benefits to the location. First my Mother lives in a Nursing home just a couple minutes from this town so I could see her more. Second, my dad’s health was not so good and he had been driving to see her every day so we had him move in with us. Side note, he passed away last month.

With this and a couple other opportunities involving the moved I accepted and start On August 1st last year. So far it has been a great place to work and I really enjoy the people. So let’s get to the 5 Things I have learned from the move.

Leaving a larger city can be challenging.
• So I grew up in a mid size town that had everything that I really needed. I have always been the type of person who was always on the run and doing something. Small towns are a great deal slower and things are limited. It takes a while to get adjusted to a smaller town. The lifestyle it’s different and everyone one knows everything about everyone. I am usually very private and don’t know much about my neighbors. That doesn’t fly here. You have to be open to meeting and getting to know everyone. Basically be open to change and break some of the habits you have from the big city. Small towns are different, but the comfort and friendships are worth the tension.

Cost of living is Lower and yet higher at the same time.
• So I did research cost of living when accepting the job. It looks great on the internet. Housing is VERY cheap. We bought a house that is 3800 sq. ft. and an inground pool for a song. The taxes on the other hand kind killed the saving. Small towns have a great deal more taxes and fee. Ours sales taxes for instance is 11.5% and may go up again. Property taxes are three times as high as they were in our old town. Now I do save TONS on travel. I live 10 blocks from work. I think it is important to really look closely at costs before you make up your mind.

There are so many activities if you know where to look.
• You may not have the night life of a larger town, but the people who live in the small town know how to have fun and will be very happy to have you tag along. I have spent more time at sports events and get together in the past year then I have in the last 10 years. Local Festivals and events are plentiful and you will have tons of clubs to join and interact with. Main street America is still in these small towns and in a way it is like stepping back in time. I have found that we are more likely to let the kids go have fun and be adventurous they we would have ever done in our old town.

Jobs
• This is a sticker. Small towns equal fewer jobs. Now as I said I am educated. My wife (We got married shortly after I accepted the job) actually is just as educated. She has not been able to find a job. Two things are holding her back. Lack of available jobs and being told she is over educated for the ones that are available. This is an issue, but we are working on it. Hopefully I can help her with Merch By Amazon and we can supplement our income. She is looking into Online Instructor Positions as well. Basically the job market is very tight and there are only so many options for work. Keep this in mind if you do every move to a smaller community.

Diversity in the community
• This made me very happy. My Kids are Bi racial and I did not want them to be picked on or anything. To my surprise the whole community is extremely diverse and I have seen no real concern from anyone when it comes to race. I am sure there are pockets, but I have seen nothing compared to the people I saw being stupid in the big city. It makes me feel good that the kids do not have to worry about it as much. I was lucky when I was young. I lived in a poorer area and didn’t know it. My best friends were from all different groups and I never had to deal with it. I am glad I can feel good about this for my kids now.

So it has been an interesting year and I am very happy here. I can say that my stress has gone done and I feel like I have a home. Small town living is not for everyone , but it can be great if you want a more laid back approach and can leave a few things behind. I have amazon for anything I need and I have the internet for connectivity. I can still do things on the internet and I talk daily with my friends. It really is nice, just a bit slower.

Take Care