In the current tight job market, it can be incredibly difficult to make the decision to relocate for your job. This is true whether that job is one that you are currently holding or one that you have just been offered after a long period of unemployment.
While no move is absolutely free of stress, there are several steps that you can take in order to ensure that relocating for your job runs as smoothly as possible!
After all, when relocating with your family, pets, and personal belongings, any reduction in stress can only prove to be a good thing.
Negotiating Your Salary and Relocation Costs
Prior to accepting the job that will require a whole-household relocation you should consider negotiating your salary as well as the costs that will be related to the relocation of your family. Gather information related to the cost of living in the area that you will be moving to and determine if your new salary will allow you to maintain your current lifestyle.
Before you start the process of negotiating an increase in salary and the reimbursement for relocation costs, especially if you have worked for the company for some time, be sure that you have all of your back-up documentation with you. If you can demonstrate that there is a solid reason for you to receive a raise then you will be much more likely to receive it.
Make sure that your employer knows just how much you appreciate the company, your position, and how you feel that you are a valuable addition to the company.
Relocating For Your Job - Do Your Research
• Do extensive research into the area that you would be relocating to in order to determine whether or not it is an area that you and your family would be comfortable living in. For example, if you and your family are happiest living in a big city then perhaps moving out into the country to a small town with few amenities is not necessarily the best option for you.
• If you have school-aged children, then researching the school systems can help you to determine if your children will be able to thrive academically in their new schools. Availability in area daycares may also be something for you to research, especially if your spouse will be working.
• Do a little bit of research into potential job opportunities in the area for your spouse – it could prove to be incredibly frustrating to your spouse to move to a new location, having left a steady job, only to struggle to find new employment.
Consider the Cost of Living
You shouldn’t make a decision about relocating for your job without researching the cost to live in the new area.
• Research the cost of living in the community – cost of living should always be an important part of your research when you relocate. Several areas are simply much more affordable to live in and it can negatively affect your family’s lifestyle if you move to a city or town with a high cost of living.
• Research the costs of housing, including property taxes. Other housing-related costs should be taken into consideration – if you are moving to an area that is significantly warmer than where you currently live will you need to run your air conditioner more frequently? Higher utility bills can prove to be a bit of a shock to your budget unless you are planning accordingly.
Relocation Reimbursements
It is important that you have a full understanding of the types of relocation expenses that your employer will be covering – before packing up your family and making the move. By having a firm idea as to what will be covered, you will be able to avoid feelings of resentment and regret about your move if you later find out that you were expected to cover a fair amount of the relocation costs yourself.
• Determine if there will be any offered reimbursements to help you with the process of finding a new home; this could include the costs of airfare, a rental car, and even a hotel. These costs could be significant and could adversely affect your family’s budget. Take advantage of this relocation benefit if it is offered by your employer as it can prove to be incredibly stressful to arrive in your new town without any idea as to where you are going to live or where your kids will be attending school.
• Ask the relocation team that you are working with if there are any upfront payments for your moving expenses. Some companies may offer an upfront lump sum payment that can help to cover your costs related to finding a new home, buying packing supplies, and the hiring of movers.
• Find out from your employer what the average wait is for reimbursement. If you will be reimbursed for your approved relocation expenses within a few short days, then you won’t find yourself short on funds. If, however, the average reimbursement period will be several weeks then you may need to make arrangements so that you don’t find yourself struggling to make ends meet until the reimbursement check arrives.
• Keep a folder with all of your receipts and materials related to your move so that you can get the maximum in relocation benefits available to you. Without the receipts as proof, you may find it difficult to get some of your expenses approved when you submit your relocation expense report.
• The majority of companies that do offer relocation reimbursement will be able to provide you with a written explanation of the types of expenses that can be covered; having things in writing will not just help you to understand what types of expenses you can expect to have covered, but it will also provide you with a backup just in case some of your expenses are denied.
Relocating For Your Job - Make a List
Don’t allow the idea of relocating your family and your home to overwhelm you; instead, make a list of everything that needs to be accomplished prior to your move and take it one small step at a time.
