The next time you are looking out for a job, don’t restrict your search to the metros. The job market in Tier 2 cities is quickly becoming vibrant. Take a look at the numbers – according to the Monster Employment Index for June 2018, Tier 2 cities were at the top three positions in terms of year-on-year growth.
For job seekers, this presents a wider array of opportunities since employment trends point to exciting career prospects even beyond the metros. If you are a job seeker, don’t write off relocating to smaller cities in a hurry. On the contrary, shifting from a big city to a Tier 2 city could actually be a smart career move provided it’s properly thought through.
Here are five ways in which moving to a small city could benefit your career:
1. Demand for Skills
Are you a specialist or a professionally qualified jobseeker? Relocating to a smaller city could help you establish yourself faster and more prominently than in a big city. The skills shortage in Tier 2 cities in comparison to metros implies that professionals with specialist skills are valued significantly more by their employers. Higher levels of job security and enhanced job satisfaction are some of the natural outcomes.
2. Better Networking Opportunities
Smaller cities present you with the opportunity of getting to know people on a personal basis. In fact, enhanced networking opportunities is one of the major advantages of relocating to a smaller city since you can meet people face to face and develop lasting bonds. And it doesn’t have to be restricted to people in the same profession. Social activities like attending cultural evenings, volunteering or clubbing could facilitate your interaction with a wide variety of people who could enrich different facets of your life.
3. Faster Career Growth
The concentration of most professionals in big cities should leave the way wide open for your own career growth. The absence of the kind of intense competition usually seen in the big cities ought to make your career development relatively easy. Of course, you may probably reach a stage when it will be necessary to move to a big city for the sake of your career, but until then, you could achieve the kind of professional growth that’s rarely seen in the metros.i
4. Recognition and Reward
Working in a small city has one big motivational advantage: your work is always recognized. Unlike big city offices where individual contributions get drowned out in a sea of workers trying to leave a mark, the smaller size of offices in Tier 2 cities makes it hard for employee contributions to go unrecognised.
5.Work-Life Balance
The slower pace of life in a Tier 2 city could help you achieve that much elusive work-life balance which you always wanted to achieve in a big city, but couldn’t. From shorter office commutes to manageable workloads, a smaller city could result in more leisure time in comparison to a metro. Better work-life balance will also have a positive bearing on your work, driving up productivity
Lower cost of living is another prominent advantage of shifting to a smaller city, making it easier for you to save up on your hard-earned salary. If you are serious about relocating to a smaller city, be certain to think it through. From the standard of schools and colleges in the city to the condition of healthcare and infrastructure, and the safety of the neighborhood, a number of things will have a direct bearing on your quality of life. Take the plunge only when you’ve considered all aspects and are satisfied with its wisdom.
Thinking of moving to a small city? Find jobs by location here.
