It's never easy, shifting town. You're leaving behind familiar surroundings, friends and family, and moving to a much larger, often impersonal or anonymous place. Cities offer many exciting challenges but it's easy to become isolated and despairing if the move doesn't go as expected.

Here's a checklist of all the areas you should think about before shifting town.

Shifting checklist

• Weigh up the pros and cons of shifting. Is it really what you want?
• Talk to any friends, or friends of friends who live there about the good and bad sides of the city.
• Research work opportunities in the area. Talk to relevant agencies in advance and get a feel for the industry.
• Talk to locals about the different areas of the city so you can decide where you would like to live - and could afford to live.
• If you haven't been there much before, visit the city to make sure you like it, and the areas you like. Don't just visit the centre - check out the suburbs and living areas.
• Have some money saved to cover a house deposit and living costs while you're not earning.
• Ask around for possible accommodation openings - word of mouth often brings the best openings.
• Set deadlines for finding work and somewhere to live. Friends can fall out over too many weeks spent on the couch.
• Be persistent when looking for accommodation; it's a jungle out there. If you don't have friends who can put you up, youth hostels offer by-the-night accommodation.
• If you don't know anyone in the new city, joining clubs and teams can be a good way of meeting people.

Updated: 12/04/2010