Article content continued

If you’re applying for a job that has similar pay scales across the country (nursing, government positions, for example), consider moving to a smaller city or town where the cost of housing is lower. It means more money in your pocket for debt repayment, savings and fun, she adds.

Other things to think about: What are the opportunities for advancement at the job? What are the extras (health and dental benefits, insurance plans, pension plans, income replacement, etc.)? Are there any incentives to relocating (covering your moving costs, realtor fees, and trips back home)?

Where in the country has the most opportunity?

Adzuna, a search engine for classified ads, released a report in February entitled “Where are all the jobs.” Alberta and Saskatchewan had the most opportunities with seven cities in the top 10.

“Jobseekers should head to cities like Edmonton, Halifax and Saskatoon where it is three times easier to find a job than average,” the report said.

Calgary had the highest average annual salary at $62,081. The hardest place to find a job was in Cape Breton, followed by Saguenay, Que., Courtenay and Chilliwack in B.C. and Oshawa, Ont.

“Even the people at the senior levels will relocate for the right opportunity. It just opens up so many more doors if you have that willingness to look for opportunities in new areas,” says Cam Macmillan, president of The Headhunters, which has offices in Edmonton, Winnipeg and Vancouver. “A guy I placed up in Inuvik, he was a junior accountant and he got access to so many more senior projects than he would have down in B.C. or Alberta…He stayed up there for five years, came down and got a really senior level position because of his experience.”

Illustration by Chloe Cushman, National Post

Financial Post, with files from The Canadian Press

• Email: mleong@nationalpost.com | Twitter: lisleong