How to Negotiate Relocation Expense Reimbursement with Your Boss

You’ve been finally offered the job of a lifetime, but the thing is, it’s just not in your city. Relocating is a huge step, but it could be your only chance for a higher salary and long-term career opportunities.

Now that you finally have that chance, it’s high time you start thinking about relocation. Relocation costs aren’t affordable at all, which is why you’ll need to arm yourself with the right negotiating skills in order to land the best deal and ensure your move is as stress-free and smooth as possible.

Many variables get involved when it comes to negotiating and surviving a corporate relocation, so here’s a basic guide to what you must prioritize primarily.

Ask early

That’s as clear as it can get. If a company from another state or city is trying to recruit you or your negotiation salary, ask as early as you can, preferably before you start the process of employee relocation. They won’t know if you don’t ask, and this isn’t something you want to raise at the last minute. It’s important that you be clear and upfront about your conditions and needs.

In the process of preparing for the relocation, you should also consider the emotional aspect of the move. Your family and friends should know and understand that you are changing cities and the entire experience is not easy. Whether you end up accepting or rejecting the job, your answer should be based on understanding what the relocating actually means to you.

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Find out the type of assistance offered

In negotiating the expenses for the move, consider the following:

  • Ask colleagues or friends in similar companies what their experiences are or the policies of their companies.
  • Find some people who recently moved to the company and ask them what the relocation packages are.
  • Refer to the new company’s HR department if they have a written relocation policy and if includes standard benefits.

If you are using a recruiter, ask for guidance so you’ll know what needs to be done first and what you can arrange in the final stages of the move.

Remember that relocation packages vary per company, and larger companies commonly have more standardized arrangements. So expect compensations to be different especially when it’s in a different industry, position in the company, and city. Regardless, make sure the following expenses are covered:

Get the terms in writing

If the job has no relocation expenses and is a low-paying one, then it might not be worth it at all. However, if you’re in it for the experience, get the terms of the final negotiation in writing so you know exactly what to expect.

Some companies will pay an up-front fee, while others will offer to reimburse your expenses. No matter what you end up having, the terms should be clear right from the very beginning.

There should be a document indicating the terms, which is an important part of your employment contract. Before signing it, make sure you’ve read and understood everything.

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Moving for work is more than just about the job — it’s a move that will change your life: what you do for a living, where you call home, and what your opportunities for the future might be. It’s one of life’s happenings that requires careful consideration and planning to make it a success.

Moving Your Family? How to Help Kids Adjust to a New Home

For kids, moving can be a challenging and scary experience. A new home means a temporary loss of stability and adjustment to a new environment. Taking the right steps to help your family get through a move with minimum disruption can make a big difference in the way your kids react. This guide from Cheap Movers Boston will help you prepare your kids so your move can be as gentle as possible.

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1. Prepare them in Advance

As soon as you are sure that a move is in your family’s future, begin preparing your children for the change. This gives them time to get used to the idea and prepare for a change well before it actually takes place. This can make a world of difference in the amount of disruption they feel during and after the move.

2. Let Them Know It’s OK to Share Their Feelings

Take a moment out of your moving schedule to check in with your kids about how they are feeling. Knowing that their emotions are important to you is a huge confidence boost in what might otherwise be a scary time. Encourage them to express how they are feeling through drawing or talking.

3. Express Excitement

The way you talk about the move will have a huge impact on how your children feel about it. If you announce the move with the air of a doctor telling someone they have a disease, your children will feel scared and apprehensive. When you tell them you are moving, disclose it with joy. This will communicate to them that it is a positive event that can bring excitement.

4. Take a House Tour

In order to get your kids comfortable with their new home, show it to them before the move. If you are moving nearby, take them to the new house for a tour. If it is a distant location, show them pictures of the house and look at local attractions. If they go into the situation knowing exactly what to expect, they will be more likely to make a smooth adjustment.

5. Help Them Keep in Touch With Friends

One of the worst parts of a move to many children is the prospect of leaving behind friends. These peers are generally people they have known the majority of their lives, so moving away can bring on feelings of loss and sorrow. Help your children through this aspect of moving by showing them ways to keep in touch with their pals. Reminding them that they can communicate with friends through video chatting, email and old-fashioned letters can help ease the upcoming loss.

6. Give Them Decision-Making Abilities

It is important to make your kids feel as though they have some control of their lives during the move. You can get them excited for their new home and make them feel they have some agency by allowing them to choose decorations for their new room. If you are comfortable with letting them pick the room in the house they want as their bedroom that will make them feel even more a part of the process.

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For children, a move is never going to be completely without stress, but you can help your kids feel as comfortable as possible with such a big life change. It is a great opportunity to teach them flexibility, compromise and dealing with change in a healthy way.

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What to Know When Moving from Boston, MA to Sacramento, CA

Sacramento has become one of the biggest migration and transplant markets in the US for millennial-aged residents over the past few years. And, overall, it is the fastest growing metro in the whole of California. If you are moving in search of the California dream in an exciting and trendy city, you can expect a lot more than you might realize. Check out things to know before moving there from our partner moving services in Sacramento:

Jobs

As more and more talent is leaving other, larger California cities on a daily basis, it is inevitable that companies will begin to follow suit. For now, you will not be lacking for employment opportunities by any means. As Sacramento is the state capital, you will find many jobs available with the state and government at any given time. The city also has a large employment population within the healthcare, technology, and food manufacturing industries. These are only a few of the industries in which you can participate.

Getting Around

If you are interested in alternative forms of transportation, you are in luck. The city is home to both a highly connected, efficient and clean bus system, as well as a three-line light rail system. You can easily move around the city without a car. And, if you prefer to bike around the city, Sacramento is a bike-friendly city with dedicated bike lanes, and you will find bike racks nearly everywhere you could want to go. You will also find bike share companies situated throughout the metro.

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An Active Lifestyle

One of the most thrilling perks for many transplants is the prospect of a more active outdoor lifestyle. Despite its inland location away from the coast, you will not be lacking for water activities. You will be near lakes and rivers that are both filled with trails for hiking, biking, walking, running and more. You can also enjoy water sports and boating on Folsom Lake. And, the entire city has streets lined with trees so that you can enjoy the outdoors year round without the dangers of the direct sunlight and heat during the summer months.

Evening and Weekend Entertainment

Whether you seek trendy dining options, cultural activities, sports or day trips, you are in for a treat when you live in Sacramento. You will find a number of festivals to celebrate throughout the year. The Sacramento Kings draw in enormous crowds for home games. You can go to the ballet and other more refined cultural activities. The food scene is a burgeoning delight. And, you can take a day trip or a weekend getaway to some of the most beautiful places on the planet such as Lake Tahoe, Napa Valley, Yosemite and San Francisco.

entertainment

Sacramento has a lot to offer people of all interests and preferences. And, to top it all off, Sacramento has one of the most affordable housing markets in California, as well as some of the best weather year-round with snow rarely ever to be seen. There is simply a good quality of life to be lived in Sacramento.

Six of the Top Reasons to Move from an Apartment to a House

You are most likely going to live in an apartment if you want the city life. Apartment life can be enjoyable for most tenants because the rent is cheaper than other houses and caretakers handle trash management and maintaining the apartment and yard work. However, for some people, apartment life poses challenges, such as getting…

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