For more than two decades, Steve and Ranu Hubbard built their lives in Richmond, Virginia, where they owned a house and raised three children. So it was hard to decide what to do when they learned Steve's job would soon relocate 700 miles away. His company was shifting its headquarters to St. Louis. Employees had a choice: Move to Missouri and keep their jobs, or stay put and lose them.

史蒂夫和拉努·哈伯德在弗吉尼亚州里士满市生活了20多年。他们有一栋房子，还有三个孩子。所以，当史蒂夫要搬到700英里以外的地方工作时，他们不知该如何抉择。史蒂夫的公司要搬到位于圣路易斯的总部，员工不得不做出选择：搬到密苏里州继续从事这份工作；或是留在这里，失去这份工作。

It was the middle of the Great Recession, so job opportunities were scarce. There was no telling how long it would take Steve to find another comparable position. Just as difficult to predict was how their kids would adapt to different schools and new classmates.

当时正处经济大萧条时期，就业机会稀少。我们不知道史蒂夫需要花多长的时间才能找到另一份差不多的工作，也无法预测孩子对不同学校和新同学的适应情况。

"For us, the evaluation¹ was, 'What's the negative impact of moving away from family and a place we had been for over 20 years versus² the negative impact of staying there and maybe having to take a significant pay cut or not being able to find a job for a period of time?'" Steve Hubbard recalls.

"对我们来说，我们的侧重点在于'离开自己居住20多年的家会带来什么负面影响？继续留在这里，薪资可能会大幅度减少，也许会有一段时间失业的负面影响又是什么？'"史蒂夫·哈伯德回忆道。

Ultimately, the Hubbards decided³ to move, Steve says: "Staying was a bigger risk than going." Whether your entire office is moving or you're the lone⁴ employee offered a promotion⁵ far away, it's rarely easy to decide whether to stay or go. Relocating affects more than your career and your physical location. It has implications for your personal and professional relationships, your lifestyle, your finances, your legal status, your future job prospects⁶ and, if you have a partner, his or her career, too.

最终，哈伯德夫妇决定搬家，史蒂夫说道："留下比离开的风险更大。"无论是整个公司重新选址，还是只有你一个人得到了远方的升职机会，决定去留从来都不是一件易事。搬家不仅影响你的职业和物理位置，而且也对你的个人关系、职业关系、生活方式、财务状况、法律地位、未来的工作前景带来影响，如果你有另一半，搬家也会对他/她的职业产生影响。

Why Relocations Happen

为什么要搬家？

Nearly a decade after the Hubbards made their decision to leave Richmond, Pretlow Moring and his wife Chelsea are preparing to move from the city, although under different circumstances. After working for nine years in Trader Joe's locations throughout Southeastern Virginia and turning down to relocate, Pretlow recently accepted an offer to become the captain, or manager, of a store 100 miles north.

哈伯德一家决定离开里士满市的10年后，普雷特洛·莫林和他的妻子切尔西正准备离开这座城市，尽管他们的情况不同于哈伯德一家。普雷特洛在弗吉尼亚东南部的Trader Joe's超市工作了9年，之后拒绝了搬家的提议。最近，普雷特洛接受了另一份工作邀请，现在是一家超市（往北100英里）的经理。

The couple may have to sell their house and will likely spend more time apart, since Chelsea will return frequently to Richmond to run her wedding coordination⁷ and party planning business.

这对夫妻也许得卖掉现在的房子，分开的时间也许会更久，因为切尔西需频繁往返里士满市，经营婚礼及派对策划事业。

Despite these inconveniences, Pretlow says, the promotion was an "offer I can't refuse."

尽管诸多不便，但普雷特洛表示，他无法拒绝这样的升职机会。