How to Move for Your First Job: The Complete Guide

After countless job applications and interviews, you’ve finally got an offer! This is the start of a new chapter of your life, however before you can begin work, you now have to deal with the struggles of relocating to your new job.

When immigrating to the United States on a work visa, the finances and decisions that come with relocating can be a stressful process. To help you out through this next step of your career, we’ve put together this article on how to have a smooth relocation for your new job.

Reasons Why a Person Might Relocate

According to the US Census Bureau, in 2016, 16.9 million people moved to another country, with 1.9 million of those people moving to the US.

42.2% of those individuals moved for a housing-related reason, such as wanting a larger house, or a newer apartment. 27.4 % moved for a family-related reason and 20.2% moved for an employment-related reason.

Clearly, there are various reason why a person may choose to relocate, but it is often due to a new job that is away from their current place of living. When this situation comes up, relocation becomes a necessity in order to be employed.

Paying for Your Relocation

Moving can be a very expensive process that not everyone can afford, and most employers don’t pay for relocation. Here are some of our tips to help pay for your relocation.

Ask Your New Employer about Relocation Assistance

Many employers will provide relocation assistance to employers who are moving for work. This amount varies depending on company policy, the available budget, and the circumstances of the employee’s work. Therefore the assistance can vary from a few hundred dollars to the entire cost of the move.

Although employers will often cover relocation assistance in their job offer package, if the topic is not brought up, that doesn’t mean relocation assistance won’t be provided. You should ask your employer’s HR department to see if the company has a relocation policy. If they do, bring it up with your employer as well as the costs you expect with your relocation.

If the company doesn’t have a policy, then you can still ask your employer for assistance directly. Although some companies will be unwilling to provide any funds, others may be more lenient and willing to work with your circumstances to alleviate some of the financial stress of the move.

Make a Budget

Budgeting your move can be a great way to determine how much you expect to spend as well as organizing how much you actually end up spending. By setting a budget before your move begins, you can make sure that you aren’t overspending on any aspect of the move.

This process can end up saving you money by preventing miscellaneous costs from adding up. Therefore, setting up a budget should be the first step of your move.

How to Fund Your Relocation

There are many ways people fund their relocation costs. Here are some of our best options for those relocating for a new job.

Get a loan

Loans allow you to borrow money in order to pay for any large expenses you expect to come up. Although loans shouldn’t be used for many various expenses, one expense that they are practical for are for relocation costs.

If you aren’t able to fund your relocation upfront, a low-cost loan is a viable option to help pay for the costs. There are tons of loan options out there, but you should research the one that will work best for your concerns.

One such option is Stilt, an online lender that focuses on helping underserved communities build their financial future. They offer low-cost loans, even without a credit score or any previous credit history in the US.

Save up before

The best way to fund your relocation is to save up before you make your move. Many people who are job hunting begin their savings for relocation even before they receive a job offer. This allows them time to save up for the move and prevents any future stress of not having enough funds to relocate.

If you are applying for jobs and expect to move in the future, you should begin saving now. This will save you from the financial hardship you may face in the future.

Planning your Move

Relocating is a long process with many details and decisions to make. To make this process more simple and organized, planning ahead is an essential aspect of any relocation.

Make a Timeline

Setting a timeline allows you to plan the length of your move along with serving as a checklist to making sure you are staying on top of all of the aspects of the move. Moving can be lengthy, especially when the move is overseas. When making your timeline, you should plan enough time to allow for potential delays to come up.

Find a Moving Company

There are hundreds of moving companies available to help with your move. Often times, these companies will only physically move all of your property to the new location, however some moving companies will even help plan the logistics of your mvoe as well.

Rent or Buy Your New Home?

One of the biggest decisions when moving is deciding on whether to rent or buy your new home. This decision requires you to think about your future goals and plan years in advance.

For many, renting the home is the practical option in order to see if you truly enjoy the home before making the big purchase and buying it. However, others who have already visited the home and plan to reside in it for many years will see buying the home as the more practical option. Many even will view it as an investment in their future.

Whatever the circumstances of your move are, renting or buying is the biggest decision to make, and should not be one done lightly. You may think you have found the perfect home, but will realize problems with the home, or even the neighborhood or schools after your first few months living there.

One of the best things you could do is to prevent such problems is taking the time to do thorough research before you make any decision.

3  Tips for a Smooth Transition When Moving for Your First Job

Get Organized

This crucial step will help you stay on top of everything during the move. Making a to-do list is an easy way to stay organized and keep track of every task of the move. When making a list, be specific in each task and set firm deadlines.

Know Your Options

Many times, relocation will not be a process you will have to endure on your own. Your employer may be willing to help you with the relocation expenses and will offer many options to offset the costs of your move. This can include anything from a furniture stipend or subsidized transportation costs. Taking the time to discuss these options with your employer can save you lots of money in the long run, so this should be a step you shouldn’t overlook.

Learn about Where You’re Moving

When relocating, choosing the perfect home is not the only thing you should be doing. You also need to find the best city and neighborhood that you will enjoy living in. If the house is perfect, yet it’s location is subpar, you may end up regretting it for a very long time. Always try to visit the neighborhood before you decide on a home to move into.

Depending on the circumstances, you may also want to research the local schools, stores, and restaurants to gain an even better understanding of the area.

Conclusion

Relocating for your new job can be a stressful, yet exciting process. There are so many things you will need to keep track of for your move, and here at Stilt, we want to help you out. If you have any questions about

Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

See author's posts