The human animal is generally pretty good at creating reasons not to do things, and career-related relocation in any of the forms mentioned above is definitely something that many people like to avoid. The interview process, the paperwork and that first day on the new job, surrounded by strangers in a strange setting—it’s like the first day of high school all over again.

If it’s a bigger move, like one to another state, then you have to factor in the hassles of moving, such as packing, finding a new place to live, down payments, storage, getting the utilities turned on and not knowing anyone where you are moving, in addition to the troubles already mentioned. Not only will you feel isolated at work for a few days until you start making friends, you will feel isolated at home, too.

You’ll have to learn you way around a new community, find the best way to and from work. You’ll have to find new restaurants, stores, bars and clubs.

Some people love the opportunity to start a new life in a new city with a new job and a whole new cast of coworkers. They see it as exciting and exhilarating. But others dread the thought of having to break out of their routines and start a new life.

Regardless of how you feel about relocating, the fact remains that despite the emotional and financial costs, it can be very rewarding in the long run—personally and for your career.

Are You Experienced?

It may have been said so many times that you may automatically tune it out, but there really is no substitute for experience. And the only way to get more experience is to take advantage of every opportunity you can.

There are very few stories—if any—of people climbing the ranks in the gaming and hospitality industries within a single property. It might be possible, but it would be one heck of a grind to do it.

Instead, people transfer to different positions as they open up, making a progression up the ranks and toward whatever their ultimate career goal may be. It’s a pretty logical progression and easy to figure out, once you know the direction in which you would like to head.

By identifying where you are now and where you want to go, it should be pretty simple to see the logical steps that would come in between. Once you do that, it’s a matter of taking those steps, and that’s where relocation comes in.

If you have the experience and skills to move from dealer to floorperson, or from floorperson to pit boss, then you’ll want to do that as soon as you can. There might be such a position open at the casino where you work, which would be great, but chances are there is not. When that is the case, you have little choice but to relocate.

Fortunately, things are a lot different these days than they used to be. Before, you could only get experience in Las Vegas, then it was Las Vegas and Atlantic City. But now, there are casinos in just about every state in the United Staets, and there are a number of U.S. casino operators who have casinos in other countries, too.

Opportunity Knocking

Las Vegas will experience a hiring boom soon. MGM Mirage estimates there are 12,000 positions that need to be filled for CityCenter alone. But there’s also Encore, Echelon and Fontainebleau opening on the Strip, and Aliante Station opening in North Las Vegas.

Tribal casinos in California are expanding. Some are so large they rival the larger casinos in Las Vegas. Casinos are opening in Pennsylvania, and there are projects in Mississippi, Florida and Atlantic City. Pretty much the whole country will need workers.

This is a great opportunity for those looking to get the experience needed to move ahead.

There are other advantages, too.

When you demonstrate that you are willing to sacrifice the comforts of your normal life and relocate for a promotion, even if it is a small one, you send a message to management that you are serious about your career, and that it is more than a job to you. This may not sound like much, but the benefits later are great. If you continue to take on more responsibility and continue to excel, you will be noticed and you will stand out. Your supervisors will talk about you to their supervisors, who will mention you to their supervisors, and you will find that even more opportunities begin to present themselves.

In a new job in a new part of the country, you will be meeting new people and therefore expanding your social network. It may not seem like much now, but as you progress through your career, you will find that the more people you know within the industry, the more opportunities will be made available to you.

There are also advantages to being exposed to as many different working styles, workplace cultures and coworkers as possible if you’re hoping to make a career in the gaming industry.

At the end of the day, it is actually a pretty straightforward scenario: if you are offered a better job, but one that you have to move to accept, you are probably better off moving and taking the better job. If moving for a job could put you in position for a job you would like to have in the future, again, it only makes sense to do so.

By Greg Jones

Greg Jones is managing editor of Casino Connection Nevada, as well as associate editor of Global Gaming Business magazine.

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