There’s a reason I haven’t touched this topic in my two years of writing blog articles: it’s a HUGE topic! But the time has come now to help my clients who are preparing to move to a new job this summer. The added bonus is anyone else who reads this can get some free advice on how to transition from one job, one city, and/or one country to another.
Since this is such a big topic, I’m going to divide my advice (and this article) into 2 parts: Part One: the Logistical and Part Two: the Emotional (coming soon).
Here are some logistical considerations of moving, especially from one country to another:
MOVING YOUR STUFF: I’d recommend reading through my article “Sell it, Donate it, Trash it, or Ship it” for all your physical items that you’ve brought with you and also accumulated since your last move.
POLICE CHECKS: You’ll want to learn about what this entails early on. So I’d recommend starting this process around 6-8 weeks before leaving. Some schools require police checks from every country you’ve ever worked in, so I always recommend getting these done before you leave the country. It can be a nightmare to do it once you’ve left the country.
MEDICAL RECORDS: At your last appointment with your doctors and dentist and any other health professionals, request a copy of your records either electronically or on paper. It’s also good to make a note of all your past appointments, the reasons you made them, any medication taken, any diagnoses and treatments, and finally the doctor's contact information. All of this medical history will help when you have your first doctor’s visit in your new country.
YOUR CURRENT ADDRESS & PHONE NUMBER: It’s also good to save your current address and phone number before you leave, for future reference. Sometimes on passport applications or background checks, not to mention some school applications online, they will ask for this information.
HR INFO: You will likely have a check-out list given to you by the HR department in your school which can include turning over any curriculum documents, tech equipment, classroom keys, ID pass, and so on. In some cases, you may need to chase down signatures from various departments as you work through your list. I’d start this as early as you can to ensure a smooth exit. I also recommend giving HR your personal contact information, such as your email address, your home cellphone number, and any permanent address, in case they need to reach you.
REFERENCES: Although the trend is moving away from recommendation letters (especially open ones), you’ll want to ask and confirm that you can use your various school leaders as a future reference. Check out Job Search Tip #5 to know who to choose as your references. Asking in person is always easier. Be sure to have their current work as well as personal contact information. That means getting both their work and personal email addresses, plus their cellphone numbers for overseas & back home, if possible, to be able to track them down, should they ever move on from your current school. Don’t forget to pass on your Brag sheet to both of their email addresses so that they can reliably speak to what you contributed to your school.
LETTER OF GOOD STANDING: A few months before the end of school, you’ll want to ask your supervisor and/or HR department for a letter of employment or a letter of good standing on official school stationery. Not to be confused with a recommendation letter, this document simply states the years you worked at their school, what subjects and levels you taught, and perhaps even the fact that you’re leaving on good terms. Short and to the point. In order to get my teaching equivalency in the province of Alberta in Canada, I had to produce these types of letters for every school I’d worked at, over 20 years’ worth… I wish I had known about this before I left many of them!
Have I forgotten anything? Please feel free to comment your suggestions below. And stay tuned for Part 2 of this article on transitions: The Emotional side of moving from one country to another…
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