With many companies these days trying to cut costs to survive financially, an emerging option is to relocate to areas where the costs of operating a business are lower.

This exodus from areas with a high cost of living has an immediate career impact on the human resources of a company - you may be asked to relocate yourself. If so, you should clarify a number of points with your employer before you take the final decision.

An important question involving your career management that needs clarification from your employer once you are asked to relocate is the question of pay. Since the major reason of moving is to cut the costs of operation, it could also imply a lower pay for employees, all the more because the new location involves a lower cost of living.

A pay reduction would be a setback to your career advancement plans. You should therefore clarify beforehand with your employer whether you are being asked to accept a pay cut.

If you hold a managerial rank or a similar high position, you need to safeguard your career development plans all the more. Career transition involved in relocation may cause a reduction not only in pay, but also in the status that you currently enjoy in the organisation. The question of status is therefore one which you need to clarify with your current employers if you are being asked to relocate.

After all, it is a very important decision to make, leading to the uprooting of your life and that of your family from the settled circumstances at present. You want to base that decision on clear and precise information that you should obtain from your employers.

Apart from the issue of maintaining your pay and current status, the career information you need to obtain from your employer should also include the extent of the duties you will be asked to perform in the relocated set up.

Many companies relocate just to cut down on expenses. The strategy followed by your employers could therefore include eliminating various posts by way of restructuring and redistributing the workload on the remaining employees.

This opens the possibility of a career forward move, for you may actually negotiate a higher pay packet if the scope of your duties expands. Whatever step you take in this regard, it should be an informed decision.

If your employer asks you to relocate, another important question that arises is that of relocation expenses. You should find out who will bear the expenses involved in moving to another location.

Usually employers will inform you beforehand if they intend to pick up the bill of hiring a moving company or provide any other financial or logistical help. As far as you are concerned, the financial assistance need not be great but should be enough to cover the expenses involved. All these issues should be carefully gone into and considered before you decide whether relocation suits your career planning.

The information you need to have when you decide between relocating and career change is not just connected to your employer's plans for the future. You need to learn a lot of things about your relocation destination as well.

The most relevant points would be the real estate market for your housing needs; the law and order situation, for your security; the local schools, if you have children; also, if you have a spouse, the present job scenario to see if they could find employment in the area.