Employment Spot

Relocating

Whether your company has offered you a new position on the other side of the country, or you are relocating to another state and need a job, relocation is a long process filled with research and decision-making.  The research is worth it, though.  After all, you don’t want to get settled into your new apartment only to learn that, had you moved just two cities over, you would have had the luxuries of cheaper rent, a better school district and a shorter commute.  Here are some issues to consider when relocating:

Location
The first thing to consider when relocating is location.  How close do you want to live to your job?  If the company is in a city like Chicago or Los Angeles, do you want the big city atmosphere?  Or maybe the cheaper price of living in the suburbs would outweigh the slightly longer commute.  Will you be needing access to public transportation?  The best way to learn about location is to visit the area and talk to people who live there.  Find out the “feel” of the area.  Everyone wants something different, from a trendy shopping district with a great night life, to five-acre properties surrounded by trees, to a tight-knit community.  When relocating, it is extremely important that you are happy with your new location.  If visiting is not an option, then surf the Web.  Many cities and states have their own Web sites with sections on relocation, such as those for Austin, Atlanta, and the Carolinas.  If you are relocating by personal choice, take a look at “The Best Cities to Live and Work In” or “Best Cities for Mid-level Professionals”.  This way you can pick your location and then work on finding a job.

Real Estate
Once you have narrowed down your options to a few desired locations, it is time to start searching for your new home.  When buying or renting a new place, consider price, location, size, and age of the building.  The U.S. Department of Housing offers some good advice for buying a new home.  Relocating is easier with Web sites such as Move.com and Realtor.com which allow you to virtually shop for homes and rentals online.  If you own your current home, you will also need to think about selling it.  EmploymentSpot’s Relocation and Moving guide provides relocation resources on selling and buying homes, mortgages and much more.  Once you have found your new piece of real estate, check out “Move Your Stuff” for some information about the actual move itself.

Cost of Living
The cost of maintaining a certain standard of living is called the Cost of Living.  This is an important factor when relocating because the cost of living varies from city to city and state to state.  For example, if you earn a salary of $60,000 in St. Louis, Missouri, you would need to earn a salary of about $86,740 in order to maintain your current standard of living when relocating to San Francisco.  This means that in order to pay for utilities and property taxes, buy the same amount of food, and enjoy the same entertainment in San Francisco as you do in St. Louis, you will need to earn an additional $25,000 a year!  When accepting a job offer in a new location, you should consider the cost of living as a factor in your compensation package.  CBsalary.com allows you to compare the cost of living between cities and the CNN Cost of Living Calculator shows comparisons by county.

Education
Whether or not you have children, the quality of education in the surrounding area should be a factor in your relocation decision.  If you do have children, you will want to research schools in cities surrounding your new company location.  Many states have school “report cards” which provide very detailed information such as demographics, academic performance, teacher experience, and district spending.  You can usually search for schools based on school name, district, or city, or county.  Examples of these reports include Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey and Arizona.  Even if you don’t have children and are not planning to have any in the future, the quality of education in your area will have a large effect on the resale value of your home, so it is still an important factor to consider when relocating.

Employment
If you are relocating for personal reasons, a change of pace, or if you are back on the job market because your spouse or significant other is relocating, you will need to look for employment in your new city.  The best way to do this is to perform location searches in online job databases such as EmploymentSpot.  The article “Best and Worst States for Jobs” offers information on unemployment rates and average salaries in 25 different states.  Some of the best states for finding jobs are South Dakota, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Utah and Hawaii.  These states have the lowest unemployment rates, which means that fewer people are looking for jobs, thus making it easier for you to find one.  Conducting a long-distance job search can be difficult, but it is made much easier through the Internet.  And finally, if you have any contacts in your new location, let them know you are moving – they may be able to help you find a job.

When relocating, your best option is to travel and see the city for yourself.  If that is not possible, the Internet is your next best source of information.  Web sites like HomeFair.com offer a range of information about cities, schools, cost of living, and moving.  If your company is sending you to a different branch, contact people who are currently working at that location.  They will probably be happy to give you some insider tips, and if you are ever real estate shopping in the area, they may offer to take you out and help you get to know the town.

Finally, do not forget that many companies will help pay for some of your relocation expenses.  Some employers also use relocation service companies to help their employees.  Check out “Employers Do Pay for Relocation” for some tips on how to negotiate a relocation package.