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Question

For five years I've been a bookkeeper for one company. The job is fine, but I want to relocate. I was recently offered a job in my target city, but this prospective employer just let me know that there is a fair amount of physical labor involved in this job. Should take this job just to get to my target destination, and then look for a better job once I'm there? If not, should I tell my current employer about my plans to move, to make looking for a new job less awkward?

Answer

Yours is an interesting situation, because it raises a number of issues. Some thoughts:
  • Unless you are absolutely desperate to relocate, I wouldn't take the new job. In the eyes of the job market, you might find it difficult to build back up to the level of bookkeeper if you now take a job more oriented around physical labor.
  • Another reason not to take the new job as a transitional step is that it will be a short-term blot on your resume. Don't dilute your track record for stability.
  • If there is any ambiguity about the nature and duties of a prospective job, ask for a written job description before committing.
  • As for telling your current employer, you've been there long enough to see how they've treated people on the way out in the past; let that history be your guide.
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Richard has over 20 years of business experience in marketing, financial services, and management.