Will location impact your career choice?

While the world is becoming increasingly globalised with the continued advancement of technology, it is naïve to think that location isn’t an important factor when it comes to securing a job. Some occupations are suited to dense, metropolitan areas, just as others are more widely available in rural and regional surroundings.

So, what aspects does location influence?

Availability

If you fancy being a farmer but want to live in a high-rise apartment in the inner CBD, odds are you are going to have to give one of those things up. The same goes for an advertising executive with ambitions to launch a large creative agency and settle in a small country town. There are many occupations (tradies, nurses, teachers and chefs among them), that are extremely common in both circles but some positions are very much dependent on location.

Competition

Where you live not only affects the type of jobs on offer but dictates your competition for these positions. It goes without saying that a journalism graduate will be hard pressed to land a gig, even in an internship capacity, at a major daily newspaper given the popularity of these roles. However, regional areas often have a shortage of reporters as there is a trend for young journalists to gain experience before returning to the city for further opportunities, so casting your eye to the bush for a graduate position is worth considering.

Career advancement

Some organisations will offer great scope for progression through the ranks, while smaller businesses will have a limited number of positions, requiring employees to look externally if they wish to take the next step in their career journey. A country town might have a single physiotherapist to cater for the entire community operating out of the local hospital, whereas large, specialist health centres in metropolitan surroundings could have dozens at different stages of development, from associates and graduates to managers.

Lifestyle

Living in the heart of Melbourne is very different to being based in Albury. While some people are willing to commute long distances, most tend to live somewhere reasonably close to where they work. There are pros and cons for both camps; working in or around a major city comes with a wide array of culinary, cultural and recreational activities but expenses and bad traffic can be a buzz kill. There are typically less organised leisure options in regional areas but open space and tight knit communities are common advantages.