9 Must-Read Tips Before You Relocate With Your Employer!
Some of you might know that I relocated with my company from the southwest to the mid-Atlantic. As a result I admit that I’ve made some mistake in this process and I’ll do anything to help someone else from making them like I did.
So you just landed an awesome job promotion and you’re moving with the company, known as relocation, congratulations! Don’t get caught up in the moment yet, you will need to get started performing in-depth research.
I’ll be honest. I’ve made some mistakes, but I can assure you that they won’t be made again. Onward we go …
Mistakes I’ve made during my relocation:
- Inadequate research
- Trusting people’s advice without verifying
- Not setting a financial road map
- Not paying debts before moving
- Procrastinated to prepare vehicle
- Making a large purchase too soon.
Given I’ve made a few mistakes, I can say I’ve earned a degree in how to properly move from one side of the ‘States to the other. Shifting from my experience, here are some excellent tips to help you relocate across the country with your employer:
- Make a financial plan. Sticking to a financial plan is challenging, however, taking a lot of time to create a financial boundary on things will give to a better overall understanding of the financial impact purchases have.
- Keep all receipts of transactions. This is a staple if you will be compensated for travel and relocation costs. However, even if you are not being compensating; having a hard-copy of transactions will help you understand where the money went.
- Understand the Cost of Living differences. I’ve done my homework on this, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to compare the cost of living between your state and where you’re going to. Consider spending some time filling out online calculators to get an idea of the differences. Use these calculators with 65% confidence because reality varies.
- Network, network, network. Wherever possible, make your best effort to network with contacts on your interview to understand the culture differences, current events and suggestions on living there. This will help give you some starting points of research before you sign any leases and will give you a better understand what current events will be impacting you during your move (e.g. construction, tax increases, etc.)
- No matter how much your salary is — DO NOT BUY ANYTHING LARGE! Be extremely careful in your first few months of settling in. I made a mistake of purchasing a car because of my error of evaluating my upcoming finances. Please, learn from me and don’t purchase a car until you live in your residence for a few months. This will provide a more accurate financial outlook with bills, taxes and your ability to make the ends meet.
- Research Rental properties and get $100! Perform intensive research into your new home. You can narrow down your search by location, price and amenities based on your needs. While considering your apartment, check out what current and former tenants said about it on Apartment Ratings.
- Set aside time to explore the area. Just drive around, practice your route (and alternative routes) to your work, home, shopping centers and malls. This will help you become more relaxed when you need to travel to a new place.
- Negotiate the job offer. When they make an offer, don’t immediately accept — say something along the lines of, “Thank you, is it alright if I look this over and get back to you in few days?” This accomplishes a few things: the ball is in your court, you have the option to negotiate, and you now have some time to finalize your research, set a baseline and your target salary to negotiate with. Keep in mind, that you may not necessary want a raise in annual salary, if you can garner a reimbursement package, a sign-on bonus, or other perks like vacation available upfront. Again, it’s a negotiation process, employers (should) respect that moving across the country is a major change.
- Relax. If you make any rushed or urgent decisions, most likely, they will be poor decisions. Take the time to relax and consider your options, financial obligations, and life’s goals. Give yourself the time to relax and let the tension go, otherwise it will all go to your head.
Using these tips will help you be more prepared when moving across the country. Let my mistake become your insider’s advantage! 
[tags]Relocation, Living, Salary, Employer, Employee, Jobs, Promotion, Information, Reference[/tags]
