Metro Phoenix Relocation Guide 2008 - (Page 77) The Move • Empty refrigerator and freezer so they can dry for at least 24 hours to prevent mildew and unpleasant odors. • Perfume, medicine, nail polish remover and anything else that could leak and ruin other items should be tightly sealed with tape and placed in separate plastic bags. • Empty all gasoline engines, fuel-burning camping equipment, etc. Today, such matters are generally more complicated and, for the most part, much fairer than they used to be. The needs and aspirations of wives and mothers have a significant impact on the decision whether to relocate. Often relocation is not economically feasible – despite a raise in pay for one person – if the result is a temporary or long-term loss of income for the spouse. A successful relocation may depend upon how well and quickly a trailing spouse finds employment which satisfies him or her financially and emotionally. When a dual-career couple relocates, the challenge becomes making an opportunity for one, an opportunity for both. Today, relocation is one of the most drastic changes facing a dual-career couple. With a relocation come immediate changes such as new friends, new professional network, new jobs as well as new schools, church and neighborhoods. For the trailing partner, the relocation means finding employment in a new environment without a professional network or knowledge of the area. A successful job search is a combination of preparation, research and a carefully executed plan. A relocation provides an opportunity to conduct a life planning assessment. This process involves carefully looking at goals, values, direction and important issues for the individual and family. Think of the job search as a job that begins before the actual move and begin early. Here are some steps that serve as a reminder of the avenues to explore when seeking a job in a new area. 1. Contact any professional or trade association office in both your current and the new area. They may have leads or a job bank on available positions. 2. Ask your current employer and co-workers about their knowledge of opportunities in your hometown-to-be. 3. Read the national trade journals which may have job listings or classified ads. Read the classified ads in the local newspapers of your new city. (A subscription to the Sunday paper can be 77 Relocation Guide™ 4. 5. Things Not to Pack • Valuable jewelry, furs, silver, irreplaceable photos, auto ownership records, insurance policies, medical and dental records and other special documents, and coin or stamp collections are best transported by yourself. • Do not pack anything that could possibly leak, explode or be a fire hazard. Discard all aerosol cans, old cans of paint, bleach, alcohol, cleaning fluid, etc. • Do not transport ammunition, fireworks, matches or chemistry sets. • Transport house plants in the family car or they may suffer from lack of water and light and probable temperature changes. Some states prohibit entry of certain plants. Better yet, give them to friends or donate them to a hospital. • Do not pack perishable foods. Remember: You must be ready to pay the movers as soon as you arrive. 6. 7. ordered by phone or find a local bookstore to order it.) Explore whether an employment agency or headhunter specializing in your field is a good option. Locate them through the Yellow Pages or a trade directory. Re search this carefully to determine if you or the company pays their fees. Ask your Realtor® if they offer any job spouse assistance. Typically they have substantial in sight on the local economy, job market and leading firms. The personnel or relocation department working with the relocating spouse may assist in the job search or have contacts on the other end to help. Ask them. Visit your new area and consult with local people in the profession before you move. There is no substitute for an in-person look around. Dual Career Moves Only about 12 percent of American households consisting of married couples are dependent on a sole male breadwinner. This contrasts sharply with 1950 when the number was about 60 percent. Back then, and for many years that followed, the main reason for relocating was the transfer of the husband and father to a position in a different region, or his choice to take a better paying job in a different part of the country. In either case, the decision was usually made by the man of the house and his employer. Considerations of other family members were secondary and since most households were one-income, there was little in the way of alternatives. The boss told the breadwinner he had to move; he told his family. And that was that.
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