5 Things Youll Only Understand If You Started Your Career In a Small City

5 Things Youll Only Understand If You Started Your Career In a Small City Ive spent my entire career in the small(ish) city of Saint John, New Brunswick, which has a population of just over 67,000. Im totally convinced the experience of starting out a corporate career in a smaller city comes with its own unique challenges and opportunities. Here are five things that Ive learned and that youll only understand if you started your career in a small(ish) city.1. Networking Is next-level.Unlike big cities with really large companies and complicated hierarchies, in a smaller city, you might just be a phone call or two away from meeting a CEO. Chances are you know someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, that can get you in front of a decision maker for that upcoming job vacancy. The opportunities for a warm introduction means that networking can be a lot more intentional and a key practice to securing your next gig, a whole different experience than the typical stale and cold event s that are hosted in larger city centers. 2. Anonymity is rare.Because people are typically connected in some way in a smaller city, it can be really difficult to keep things confidential. For example, youve had a job interview for your dream role at your dream company. Imagine you wanted to keep that private (just in case it didnt work out as planned). Chances are, you will landsee someone inside that office that knows you. And just like that, the cats out of the bag and the whole darn town knows you were in for an interview. This can be really troublesome if youre seeking another job while already employed... yikes. 3. You expect a really short commute to work.When I hear big city folks talking about a commute to work that was well over an hour, I just cant relate. In a small city, anything over 20 minutes door to door just seems ludacris. When road work hits in the spring and traffic is delayed by 10 minutes, youll definitely hear small city dwellers complaining.4. Keeping your p ersonal life out of work is hard.Since people in a smaller city are often connected in some way big or small it can be difficult to keep your personal life out of the office. Chances are, someone heard from someone about something thats going on with you. I think its great practice to set a firm boundary around your personal life. Commit to yourself that you wont share private details at work no matter what. In the event that someone confronts you with a piece of information you dont want to chat about at the workplace, be prepared to push back have a couple of key speaking points in your head that youre comfortable drawing on when the time comes to tell that coworker that its none of their business. Politely, of course.5. Landing Your First Gig Can Take Some TimeIn small(ish) cities, those entry level positions can be difficult to get. Theyre limited, and quite often have a lot of candidates. While it can take some definite time and patience to get your foot in the door, the tim e and trouble could be worth your while. Smaller cities see lower turnover rates. So, you could be with that company (and city) for years to come.--Shauna Cole is the Founder ofmaternity leave. Shauna is a Career Expert and ex-corporateHuman Resources Pro. Shes got an MBA, is a Chartered Human Resources Professional and Senior Certified Human Resources Professional. A high-energy Mom of two boys, shes obsessed with finding the balance between career and mom life (and also, wine).Follow Shauna on herblog,Facebook,Instagram orPinterest.