You just got an offer on the job of a lifetime. Yet you have to find a way to untangle yourself from your current job and your home. Your new employer wants you there in just a few weeks. Should you take it? Can you make that short a deadline? Here’s how you can do it most effectively with the least stress.
Step One: Give Notice.
Once you accept the position, give your two weeks notice. You can ask your boss if you have to work the whole two weeks. Maybe you can step away sooner if you promise to be available. Whatever you do, be firm about leaving. You need every ounce of energy to get the move done.
Step Two: Secure a Place to Stay.
Find a temporary place to stay in your new city. You can poll your boss or new coworkers for ideas. Ideally the place would be close to work. You don’t yet know what you like about your new city, and you want to get to know it. A furnished apartment is all you need for a few months.
When choosing a temporary place to live, keep your commute in mind. If you can drive to work, that’s great. However, you may need to take the bus or other public transportation. Your new job will be enough stress without a long bus ride every day.
Step Three: Put Your House on the Market.
If your original real estate agent is still in business, just go back to them. They can take over the selling of your home. You may need to sign a special Power of Attorney over to someone who can sign the documents for you. If you have a family member or close friend, it will probably be a task you assign to them. This will allow your real estate agent to do everything necessary to sell your home because they have someone local who can sign the necessary paperwork when the time comes. You won’t have to come back unless there is a big snag.
Step Four: Arrange the Move.
Since time is of the essence, hire professional packers as well as a professional moving company. You need to make sure everything is well marked. That’s because you may not unpack these boxes for a few months.
Instead of moving them to a new home that you buy sight unseen, you can have them move everything to a self storage unit in your new city. It is important to instruct the movers on how to load the space. You want the big things in the back and the smaller things in the front. Basically, the furniture goes as far back as possible, and the boxes are closer to the door. This will allow you to access what you need when you get there.
You will pack the essentials with you in the car. This will probably include seasonal clothes, toiletries, electronics, and favorite items. If you pack your car the night before the movers come, then you will know if everything will fit.
Step Five: Take Care of Personal Business.
Once you are moved into the new apartment, there are a few things to take care of. You’ll probably want to visit your storage unit to retrieve items you want. You need to change over your car insurance and get a new driver’s license, especially if you are in a different state. Since you know you’ll be busy when you start your dream job, try to take care of these types of things before the job starts.
Step Six: Learn the City.
You may want to rush out and hire a real estate agent. However, you should wait a few weeks or a month. Give yourself time to learn the city. In fact, you should ask your workmates about where they live. They should be able to give you some idea about the culture and community. You want to learn more about the area’s commuting challenges before putting down roots.
At this point, you can take a deep breath and dive into work. Moving is never easy, but hopefully these steps will help you when there is no time to spare.