![Relocating for a job is a big challenge.](https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/relocating-for-a-job.jpg)
Highlights
- If you get a job offer in another city, you need to carefully weigh the pros and cons of relocating for a job.
- If you decide that moving for work is worth it, you need to plan your move in the best way possible.
- Be sure to ask your future employer for job relocation assistance.
When you’re at a crossroads in life, there is no way to know which of the paths ahead of you will lead to success. Yet, you need to keep moving on. And if you’ve had the stroke of luck to be offered a lucrative position in the field of your professional expertise, the choice as to what direction your life should move in has to be made really quickly.
Even though the circumstances seem to be favorable and fortunate, however, the decision could prove to be a tough one – especially if the promising career opportunity requires you to move across the country. The happiness that your professional skills have been appreciated and the excitement caused by the chance of career advancement and self-improvement will be clouded by the prospect of leaving favorite places and special people behind and moving your entire household someplace else. Yet, you can’t miss such a great opportunity, can you?
If you’re considering moving for work, take a closer look at the detailed job relocation guide below – it will help you make the right choice and organize a perfect job-related move, should you decide that it’s the right step to take.
Questions to Ask Before Relocating for a Job
Weighing all the pros and cons of relocating for a job is definitely the first thing to do after the initial thrill of the great news has faded away. If you’re going to embark on a moving adventure across the country, you must be certain that it’s for the better.
Is relocating for a job worth it?
![Find out if relocating for a job is worth it before making your final decision.](https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/decisions.jpg)
In order to be able to determine whether the benefits of relocating for the job you’ve been offered outweigh the hardships related to the imminent move, you need to find the answers to the following questions:
1) Will your financial situation improve as a result of higher income and various employee benefits?
2) Can you envision yourself advancing in your career in the company that offered you the job? Will you be able to improve your skills, knowledge, and competence?
3) Is the working atmosphere to your liking and the overall attitude at the company encouraging, appealing, and pleasant?
4) Does your new job look “stable” enough? Do you think you’ll be able to work for the company for many years?
5) Will it be possible to find another occupation in the new city if something goes wrong? (Think in terms of unemployment rate, demand for your professional qualification, etc.)
6) Is the cost of living in your new city affordable and will you be able to save money?
7) Will your significant other come along and will he/she be able to find satisfactory occupation in the new city?
8) Will the new environment be beneficial for your children (if any) in terms of education, hobby and recreational activities, new friendships, etc.?
9) What opportunities does the new city have to offer besides work?
10) Will you and your family be able to accept the change in a positive way and to enjoy your new surroundings?
If most of these questions have a positive answer, then moving for the job you’ve been offered is probably worth it. However, make sure you consider a few other critical issues as well before making your final decision.
Must-read: Pros and cons of moving for a job
What to consider when relocating for a job?
Besides the job-related factors, here are several other important things to consider before relocating for work:
Cost of living in the new area
Moving for a better-paid job in a very expensive city may have a negative impact on your overall financial status, so you carefully research the economic situation in your new area before embarking on your job relocation endeavor.
![Relocating for a new job in another city will take you away from loved ones and favorite places.](https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/regrets.jpg)
The costs of utilities, transportation, food, medical care, insurance, taxes and other relevant amenities must be taken into account and carefully compared to those in your current area, so you know what to expect after the move and what income you’re going to need in order to be able to live comfortably in your new city.
Housing issues
You will need to deal with your current housing situation first (mortgages, leasing issues, deposits, etc.):
- If you are on a lease agreement, you’ll need to end it appropriately and leave the house in a good condition;
- If you own your place, you’ll have to either sell it or lease it to tenants.
Both procedures have their specifics and require a lot of preparations and hard work.
Then, you’ll need to research the real estate market in your new city and find an appropriate new home to buy or to rent. Temporary housing may provide a good interim solution if you’re moving long distance to a city you don’t know well.
Relationships
In our technologically advanced age, you’ll be able to stay in touch with family and friends back home, regardless of the distance between you. Yet, the fun you used to have together and the comfort derived from their pleasant company will be irretrievably lost.
In your new city, you’ll be surrounded by unknown people and new faces. It may provide an opportunity to start new friendships but may also result in loneliness, isolation, or even relocation depression. You’ll have to find a way to prove yourself, to fit in, and to develop a new social network as quickly as possible.
See also: How to make new friends after moving
Timing
Depending on your and your family member’s current commitments and plans (work responsibilities, lease agreements, financial obligations, ongoing projects, school year, previously planned trips or vacations, etc.), the time may or may not be right for a house move.
Climate in the new area
If the weather conditions in your new area differ from what you’re accustomed to, you may have a hard time getting used to the climate – and the sudden change may even result in health issues.
Lifestyle
![It is not easy to overcome job relocation stress.](https://www.mymovingreviews.com/move/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/job-relocation-anxiety.jpg)
You will hardly experience a cultural shock unless your new job requires you to move across the ocean, but you may encounter different points of view, attitudes, and daily routines, or even some unique traditions and peculiar social practices in your new surroundings. The cultural background and the established etiquette in your new community may clash with your previous lifestyle.
Moving expenses
Even if your new position promises an enviable financial future for you, a house move will significantly strain your budget. Negotiating a good job relocation package with your future employer will relieve the financial burden, so make sure to research your options.
See also: What is the average moving cost?
Opportunity cost
Be sure to think about the consequences of not accepting the opportunity:
- Will you miss a great chance for a promotion, for expanding your skills, for having a job you would truly enjoy?
- Will you deny your children the chance of studying and developing in a better environment?
- Will you lose an opportunity to improve your living standard?
Or just vice versa? Depending on what it could cost you to say “no”, you may decide to face the challenges and move for the job you’re offered in a different city, state, or country.
Backup plan
The future is unpredictable, so you need to have a plan B if things go wrong. Don’t fail to devise one beforehand, just in case.
See also: Things to consider when moving
If you decide that your new position is worth the job relocation hardships, you should start planning your move without delay.
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