Change has been in the wind for several Chicagoland agents as of late. It seems like every week there’s an announcement about agents moving to different brokerages and making changes within their career – and those agents actually inspired us to create this issue.

When people consider job changes, they research companies where their skills will best be honed and they can be exposed to new and different opportunities, thus bettering their career. In addition, culture shock and fitting into a new work environment is something that’s a big concern for anyone, and each office environment differs with different company cultures. The bottom line is: big changes – like changing brokerages – require research to ensure the decision to move is a good one that will ultimately better your career.

As someone who has lived in several very different cities – Chicago, London, Las Vegas and Bloomington, IN – fitting in and being comfortable with the surroundings is a big part of being happy with a change in environment. Each time I chose to change not just jobs and offices, but cities, I did my research: before I moved to London for a semester, I researched the top architecture and design magazines to land
an internship with a magazine with a fun, hard working environment; before I moved to Las Vegas, I researched the housing market and the cost of living, as well as the job opportunity, to make sure it made sense financially to move; and before moving back to Chicago, I researched job opportunities that could further my career – and luckily came across Chicago Agent! Like all good decisions, career changes require research and thought, and lots of weighing the pros and cons. Our cover story should cover everything you should think about before making a decision to move brokerages.

I was able to be in vastly different environments because I’m pretty adaptable, but for those who struggle with change, “transition coaches” can help agents deal with their job and environment change.

Sometimes situations can force change, like the economy, for example. What happens when a brokerage goes out of business, forcing an agent to look at other brokerages?

Change is a part of life, and change can be good. If you’re thinking about changing brokerages, don’t get “lost” in transition – follow the tips in this issue to ensure you make the change that’s right for you.