5 Questions to Consider When Relocating For a Job
Whether it’s for a new position or for a new company, relocating for your job is a big decision. There are plenty of reasons to not relocate for a job, but there are pros too.
Below are 5 questions to consider when relocating for a job. These questions come from over a decade of experience in the industry, and we hope you find them helpful.
Is the position located where company headquarters is, or is it a small office?
If you’re going to pick up your entire life for a new position, do you have the opportunity to network and grow?
While a new position in a small office might seem like the perfect fit, it can be hard to meet new people in a new city with limited coworkers, and difficult to grow internally since positions will be limited.
On the other hand if you’re moving to company headquarters you’ll have plenty of opportunities to network and make friends.
Does the relocation have a repayment required if you leave the company?
Relocations are expensive, something we went over in this blog: What’s an Average Relocation Package Lump Sum Amount. After tax a relocation can run anywhere from $20,000 to $100,000 depending on the size of your family, distance travelled, and weight of your shipment.
If your company has a 3 year payback, even prorated, that’s a significant debt to have hanging over your head.
For some this isn’t an issue since they know they want to stay at the company long enough they won’t need to repay anything. But for other folks who may not like their new job as much as they thought they would, the repayment terms can feel like a prison.
A repayment agreement can make you feel like your trapped
Think long and hard about if you’re willing to commit to the full repayment term or potentially be on the hook for a costly corporate relocation if the position doesn’t work out.
What kind of settling in services does the relocation package have?
Settling in services are also very helpful in getting acclimated to your new home. They help you find a home, local services you need, utilities, and more.
Skilled help with a local area expert is worth it’s weight in gold, especially after moving all your household goods and traveling across the country for a new job. Someone like our Relocation Concierge, a local area expert, can make a huge difference in getting your life started off on the right foot in your new city.
Does your package offer this support? Or do they leave you on your own to figure everything out?
Are you able to afford a home that fits your family in the area you want?
If you’re looking to buy a home a realtor is free, and absolutely worth checking in with. Make sure you’re able to afford a similar or improved lifestyle to your current home before moving, or that you’re willing to accept what you can afford in a new market.
The home market in Tennessee isn’t comparable to California. Especially once you understand what neighborhoods you want to live in. Something may look nice online, but when you get to the neighborhood it may not have the feel you were looking for.
We can help get you in touch with a relocation certified realtor or local area expert to help you understand the new location you’re looking at.
Do you have a lot of pets or plants?
Plants can’t go with movers, and pets can make finding a new home tricky. Especially if you have exotic pets, or more than 2 cats or dogs. Almost all property management companies have a 2 pet limit, although some will take emotional support paperwork for additional.
I once housed a person with 4 emotional support cats, and even though we knew the emotional support paperwork was just printed off the internet, we didn’t want to mess with potential ADA rules and push back so they got to stay.
If you found these helpful check out some more common questions we recommend asking your employer in our blog post here.
If you’re buying or selling a home during your relocation? Use one of our relocation certified realtors and get our virtual relocation assistance for free! Reach out today to find out more.
