By Gloria Martinez of womenled.org
Moving for your career can be an exciting time, allowing you to explore new opportunities in both your professional and personal lives. To make the process a smooth one, it's helpful to find a suitable place to live early, carefully evaluate any compensation packages on the table, prepare your family and pets, and practice self-care.
Find a Place Within Your Budget and Factor in the Move Itself
Whether or not your career move brings with it a change in compensation, a requirement for a smooth move is finding new accommodations that fit your budget. You may want to work with a professional who knows the area. The median home cost may indicate one level of affordability, but different neighborhoods and home sizes bring with them different price patterns. The same goes for the average rent, which varies by neighborhood.
If you plan to buy a new home while selling your current home, there are some things to keep in mind concerning timing. Selling your existing home first will help your finances out, but it will mean you have to move twice: once to temporary housing and then again to your new home. On the other hand, buying your new home means you’ll only have to move once, but the financing may present more of a challenge.
Whether you're renting or buying, start looking early. Mortgage data firm Ellie Mae estimates the average time to close a home-purchase loan as 51 days, notwithstanding the time other steps of the house-hunting process can take. If you're an apartment seeker, be ready to dedicate months to the process.
Another budget consideration is the move itself. While it may be tempting to rent a truck and move, hiring a professional moving company makes sense when you’d rather not do the heavy lifting. Go online and use service directories to find qualified movers in your area, and read up on customer reviews and ratings to ensure you’re getting what you’re paying for. Pick at least three companies and ask for estimates based on the size and distance of the move, and verify that they’re insured. Also, ask whether they’re currently offering deals or credits.
Keep Your Career Needs in Mind
Keep your career in mind when searching for a new home or apartment. After all, it's why you're moving. If you're self-employed, you need to seek out a space that has adequate room for your home office. This also applies if you work remotely for a company. An extra bedroom is a great solution, but so are other spaces that may be convertible into a home office.
If you haven’t found the ideal landing place career-wise, take some time to update your resume with a resume builder online. You want to provide prospective employers with the most current information and do it in an easy-to-read format. With a custom resume tool, you can create a great-looking resume in minutes that you can download to use as needed.
Take steps to design a productive office space. This can involve purchasing an ergonomic chair and desk, investing in the right tools to keep you organized, and adding personal decorations.
If you’ve decided to strike out on your own in your new city, research how to start an LLC for your new venture. Whether you plan to launch a startup or simply want some taxation benefits for your own business, an LLC can be the ideal way to organize your company. A formation service can make things easy, too, saving you time and money while you get started.
E
valuate Relocation Offers
If your career move includes an offer of relocation compensation from your current employer or a new one, evaluate the package carefully. One critical factor is the cost of living in your new area. There's a difference between the cost of living in different areas of your destination city, even though they're both in the same general area. Make sure the total compensation is sufficient to support your family's needs. If it's not, negotiations may be in order.
Prepare Your Family and Pets
Make sure your family members are on board with the move, and do what you can to make it easier for them. For instance, the Child Mind Institute notes that children may benefit from activities such as packing and getting the chance to choose a new room. Likewise, pets may find the transition less jarring if you bring in moving supplies early to help them get used to the sight.
Practice Self-Care
All moves involve some level of stress, so during yours, don't neglect self-care. Staying in touch with friends, engaging in meditation, and spending time in nature are all good places to start. Additionally, maintaining a healthy diet helps you keep your energy levels up.
Onward and Upward
By identifying the right home, choosing the right professional movers, making sure the move is worthwhile, and taking care of yourself, your family, and your pets, you can be on your way toward a successful job-related move.