Thursday, November 18, 2010

Work Relocation? Tips On Moving For A New Job

In this economy, it may be wise to look outside your neighborhood for jobs. Perhaps, in the town's hit hardest by this economic recession, you may even need to look in other states. While economists say that the recession has officially come to a close, unfortunately, the percentage of companies willing to pay for relocation is at a temporary downturn. Here are some tips for moving up in the world with slim employer assistance or on your own dime.


Kristyn Schiavone reports with Tribune Media Services' Los Angeles Times feature that you might have to source your own bank account to pay for your work relocation if you are accepting a new position. A June 2010 report from the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) indicates that only 20 percent of companies provided assistance in covering costs to visit a new location prior to moving. Compare these figures to a year prior with 36 percent of companies providing a helping hand in checking out your new digs before relocating.


If you are finding that the job market in your town is less than stellar, you might want to pick up and move to a town with better prospects. Its tough to secure a job prior to relocation. Generally companies want to know that you are "here to stay". In a town like Los Angeles, a lot of people move and find out two months down the line that its not for them. Employers like to see that you are already established in your new town before they take a chance on you. If you are going this route, start applying for jobs say a week before you move. Ask a friend or family member who lives in your destination city if you can use their address on your job applications. This way, potential employers see you as a current resident and feel more confident about exploring you as an option. When employers start calling you, you can arrange for an interview the following week when you are in town. This could save you thousands in airline costs. Trying to book a flight at a moment’s notice is a costly affair.

If you have a family in tow, that may not be an option – you’ll want to try and secure employment prior to moving. You’ll need to arrange schools for your kids and give them a sense of stability. Start sending out resumes immediately so that you don’t miss out on employment opportunities.


Generally speaking, if a company is seriously considering you for a position, they should contribute to the transportation costs if you are flying to interview with them. Of course, the corporate contribution will vary according to your career stature and the travel distance involved. If for example, you make it through the initial phone interview, and the potential employer wants you to come out for an interview in person, you can ask "Shall I book my travel through your company?" This will give you a heads up on where you stand in relation to travel expenses. That said, keep in mind that you don’t want to discuss benefits or pay in an interview. You don’t want to bring up relocation costs before the employer has extended an invitation for an in-person interview or presented a job offer.


Now, let's say that you get the job (hooray!). What about moving expenses? The recent trend for relocation benefits seems to be allocating a fixed amount or maybe what is referred to as signing bonus. You may have to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed later with a cap on spending.


If you know what the budget is for your moving expenses, your Starving Students moving specialist can help you to evaluate your options. For a long distance move, we use weight to calculate or evaluate possible costs. Generally, there are minimums, so it would be best to check in with us and get an idea of the weight for your potential belongings before you unnecessarily liquidate everything you own. But generally, its a good idea to minimize to save money. We all find items that we could do without when it comes time to pack up. Our Moving Checklist recommends that you have a sale two weeks before your move date to prepare.


Are you paying for your work relocation out-of-pocket? Generally, your least expensive option would be to book a long distance move with us. Depending on the actual moving distance, we can give you a great price. You'll receive an itemized inventory of your goods prior to departure and we can help you pack or unpack or reassemble furniture as needed.


Another option is to put your less necessary or bulky items in one of our portable storage containers. We'll deliver it and load it for you and then hold it in our climate controlled warehouse. If you're concerned about trying to sell your house, this would be a good option. Put the bulk of your belongings in storage, take the essentials with you. With the status quo of the real estate market, you would benefit from renting out your home, and then when you find a long-term residence in your new town, we can simply ship the entire container to you and unload the contents at your new residence. This way, you have money coming in from your tenants and your new job, the cost of storage is low so that's not a real concern, and then just maybe rent a furnished apartment until you find your new home. This could save a lot on travel costs too since you won't be going back and forth to supervise moving arrangements.


On a positive note, this decline in relocation benefits could simply be an indicator that the local job market is improving. And according to economist Harm Bandholz, since December 2009, the recovery has stimulated nearly 800,000 jobs. So keep your chin up and remember to contact Starving Students when you’re ready to relocate for your new job. We Put Our Heart Into Every Move – Since 1973™.

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