Accepting a job offer - but hoping to work from a different office

[Anonymous]

I've just been offered a job that looks perfect for me and I'm excited to accept it. The job is located in Arlington, but company has an office in my hometown and I know one of the members of the group I'll be joining used to work out of that office (till he moved here for family reasons). I'm hoping to work out of the Arlington office for a year or two to get fully integrated into the team, and then ultimately transfer to the office in my hometown. Advice, please: is this something I should raise before accepting the offer, or should I hold off and hope for the best when we want to move in a couple years?

[Anonymous]

Where is your hometown? Is it like Reston or is it California? Will you still be able to go to Arlington for meetings and performance evaluations?

[Anonymous]

You're not looking to do it for 1-2 years, right? I would say nothing now, work your tail off and then ask for a transfer after the 1-2 years after you have proven yourself.

[Anonymous]

How important is this to whether you want the job, and how important is this job to you? If the former is important, then it makes sense to bring it up now, to see how possible it is. Of course they won't likely offer any guarantees, but if they say 'No way' and that means you don't want to work there, best you know now.
If on the other hand it is less important than having this job, then no need to ask about it now. You can always inquire once you've started, and keep it as something to consider down the line.

[Anonymous]

The best advice is not to say anything now, because your life circumstances may change. In two years, you may decide that you love Washington, DC, and cannot imagine leaving.

If you want the job, then take it. Any hesitation, equivocation, negotiation, or waffling in this competitive job environment may mean that the job will go to someone else.

Once you get the job, work hard, set an exemplary track record, give it your all, and enjoy every minute of your years here in DC. If two or three years out you still feel the draw of your hometown, then you will be in a better position to negotiate the change of office at that time.

[Anonymous]

Agree with above--work hard, etc.

But I'd argue that it doesn't hurt to mention _occasionally_ and _in context_ that you are familiar with Other Location.

In many offices around here, it can be hard to get people to agree to move to other locations.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to everyone for the responses. I already have the offer and it's a small industry, so I can't imagine them rescinding the offer and giving the job to someone else because I asked about working from a different office in the future. It wouldn't be a transfer that I'm hoping for, but more like working "remotely" from a different corporate office.

My hometown is in the Midwest. Not as easy as Reston, but not as hard as California.

The move is extremely important to our family, and even if they say no we've decided we'll move back home anyway. We've been in DC for several years now, and do not want to stay long term.

It sounds like the consensus is not to mention it before accepting the offer. Thanks, all!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks to everyone for the responses. I already have the offer and it's a small industry, so I can't imagine them rescinding the offer and giving the job to someone else because I asked about working from a different office in the future. It wouldn't be a transfer that I'm hoping for, but more like working "remotely" from a different corporate office.

My hometown is in the Midwest. Not as easy as Reston, but not as hard as California.

The move is extremely important to our family, and even if they say no we've decided we'll move back home anyway. We've been in DC for several years now, and do not want to stay long term.

It sounds like the consensus is not to mention it before accepting the offer. Thanks, all!

I think that this is a wise decision for now. It sounds like you will be in good shape for a transfer in two or three years, whether internally or to another company.