The first days, weeks, and months on any job bring their own uncertainty. All that newness can intimidate until you’ve had time to adjust to your workload, expectations, and coworkers over the first 90 days. Yet if you are simultaneously trying to adjust to life in a new city, there’s an added strain that can throw off your equilibrium. That is, if you aren’t prepared with these four tips.
Traditionally, we’re coached to start a new job swiftly – two weeks’ notice when we’re employed, immediately when we’re not – but that’s not an easy prospect when moving. Packing, apartment hunting, lease signing, travelling, unpacking, and grocery shopping all need to happen before your first day on the job. Otherwise, the experience is an utter overload.
We all need a small sense of stability. Even if you decide to couch surf or stay in hotels or hostels in lieu of finding your own place immediately, you need to settle into your new city. Finding new places to eat, shop, relax, and resume the habits of your life is important when starting a job in a new city. A few days to yourself before your start date won’t create a complete sense of normalcy, but it’ll be a better start than the alternative.
Home hunting, whether it’s to rent or own, is rarely a quick process. When accepting a job in a new city, there’s seldom the leeway to take a month to find an abode that fits your needs. So, it’s important to accept any help available.
In addition to using search methods like Apartments.com or Zillow, it can be beneficial to reach out to a realtor. Even if you’re not looking to buy, they often have access to unique rental properties, typically homes and duplexes, which you might not find otherwise. Added bonus: only the property owner has to pay the realtor’s fees.
Work commutes all have their own learning curve. Whether you’re navigating streets you know fairly well or that might as well be uncharted territory, there are always adjustments to be made. No one day is going to be indicative of the average. That’s why you need to test your route – whether by train or automobile – at least twice before your first day.
Each city has its own driving laws and roadway quirks (the Michigan left, roundabouts, etc.). Public transit could require you to switch lines and deal with brief layovers. Until you’ve tested your estimates about commute length, everything is just guess work.
On the first day, you might want to get out and try some of the local cuisine. However, it’s better to brownbag it with nonperishable foods, even if your sack lunch ends up becoming a backup. If your coworkers ask you to go out for lunch – they know how long it’ll take to make it out and back – accept. Otherwise, you’ll be able to mingle in the breakroom with your new coworkers without wasting time hunting for fast food.
If you are excited about the prospect of starting a job in a new city, then there are sales and recruiting opportunities for you at IDR. We are constantly looking for new employees and our top performers have the chance to open branches in new cities. Call us today and get started on the path of career growth.