Moving for Work: What Questions Should You Ask Before You Take the Job?

Moving for work is an exciting way to relocate to a new city or town, while also embarking on a new job. But before you accept an offer and pack up your life, there are a lot of things to consider about your potential role, benefits, the company culture and whether a relocation package is part of your employer’s offer. To help you out during this time, we’re sharing some questions you should ask your potential employer and yourself before you relocate. Check out more below:

#1 What are the in’s and out’s of my role?

An exciting part of the early stages of talking with a company is getting to better know about your potential new role. Since this job will be in another state or even another country, use your interview process wisely by researching the company beforehand and having a list of questions and/or concerns ready to discuss as soon as your phone interview begins. As you get to know more about the role, ask about your tasks, day-to-day, who you report to, how is performance measured, etc –all of this can help you to better understand if the job is right for you and your skill set.

#2 What’s the company culture like?

You’ll also want to know what the day-to-day company culture is like before you relocate. While your role and who you’ll potentially be working for is important, so is what the work life is like and the day to day scene. Ask if people hang out together outside of work, what the common areas are like, are there any team building activities, etc. This can also be an opportunity to ask about turnover–whether in your role or throughout the company–and what the company’s vision and future goals are.

#3 Can you advance in the company?

While everything might seem great about your potential new role, you’ll also want to make sure that there is room to grow and be challenged at the company. Moving to another state or country for a job is a huge undertaking, so you’ll want to know that you’re going to be challenged and not feel stuck in your role. Be sure to ask specific questions about what the potential growth might be and what other roles could also be a good fit for you in the future as your role evolves.

#4 How can they help you acclimate to the area?

Moving to a new city or town is exciting but it can also be super scary. Lean in on your potential new employer for guidance about resources about what the city or town is like as well as what areas are the best for children. Also, ask if anyone at the company is also new or went through the same experience you are about to embark on. See if you can set up calls with these people to better understand their experiences and how they adjusted to the company and the new location.

#5 What are the benefits?

Make sure that you know what your benefit package will be, including (and if) they offer medical, dental, vision, etc. You’ll also want to make sure that you understand the specifics of the coverage, and whether your family can also be included on any plans that they might offer.

#6 What is the job offer?

You did it – you received an offer! This a huge step to securing your new job.  While it is super exciting and you’ll likely want to accept, take a few days to mull everything over. Ask your potential employer if you can have at least a  week before you make your choice. During this time, talk to your family and friends, read the fine print and ask more questions if anything isn’t clear.

#7 What is the relocation package?

As part of your offer, you should also have some sort of relocation package in order for you to move to your new city or town. Some employees will offer a full relocation package, covering all of your movingexpenses, while others will offer to pay for a portion of your move.  Whatever the package is, be sure that you are happy with the offer, and if not, consider presenting an alternative option to the company. This is a huge move–it’s worth it to ask and try to get them to cover all, if not a majority of the moving expenses.

#8 Is there flexibility to start?

With such a big move, it might be hard to just up and leave, especially if you have a family. Ask your potential employer if there’s some wiggle room on the start date, taking in account the packing process, selling your home, finding new schools, locating movers, and saying goodbye to your family and friends. If possible, give them around two months to give you enough time to leave your home, settle in and be ready to go in your new job, without having to worry about any moving-related issues.

#9 Does the job excite you?

After the technical aspects of your new job are clear, you’ll also want to do some soul-searching about the upcoming role. Some things to consider: Does the job excite you? Does it seem challenging? Does the company seem rewarding? Is it growing? Do you see yourself there and in this role? Sometimes writing these thing out is helpful as you chart a pros and cons list as you assess your internal feelings about the role.

#10 Other practical things to consider

You’ll also want to make sure that moving to your new city or town is within your budget as well as what that particular area is like. If you have kids, make sure to look into the schools to understand the districts and where to look for a new home or apartment.

Moving for a new job is a great way to take on a new challenge! However, before you up and move you’ll want to make sure that both the role and your city and/or town is right for you. We hope these questions will help you as you make your decision this year.