The pursuit of career stability, a better lifestyle or a change of scenery leads many people to relocate. Tapping the right resources before a move can save time and prevent unnecessary stress.

Approximately 82 percent of firms today have a formal employee-relocation policy, and most offer incentives to encourage employee relocation, according to the 2010 Atlas World Group Corporate Relocation survey.

For workers considering making a move, it is important to weigh a number of key relocation factors. For instance, AimRelocation.com explains that people who relocate should consider quality-of-life issues like crime, schools and health care, as well as cost-of-living factors like real estate costs. For those considering relocation to find a job, focusing your search is an imperative part of planning.

The following are some ideas to consider to ease at least part of the uprooting process.

The Preparation

Know what you’re getting into. Those who are starting a new gig “may be excited about landing a new job with a higher salary, but if the local economy is significantly more expensive than the one you’re coming from, you may find yourself further behind financially rather than ahead,” Monster.com explains. This is why doing research before the move and budgeting a visit may help you save more in the long run.

Regularly refer to employment stats at the Bureau of Labor Statistics online and check out Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s current Best Places to Start Over list. Moreover, consider visiting the new employer’s workplace and meeting your supervisor and coworkers before you accept the position. Be comfortable not just with the job description but with the people as well, AimRelocation.com recommends.

Organize a Task Timeline. In his book The Engineer’s Career Guide, John A. Hoschette, who has moved multiple times throughout his career, advises those who are relocating to sit down with a calendar to lay out plans and contacts.

“Make use of all the resources available to you when generating your plan: company Human Resources representatives, babysitters, relatives, realtors, friends, whomever you think will be available when you need help,” Hoschette urges.

Expand Your Network. If you are moving to an area that you know little about or have few or no contacts there, you may benefit from networking in advance. Using online social media sites such as Meetup.com or LinkedIn.com can help you find both personal and professional communities started by local people. Signing up for networking groups before a move can help newcomers have a community of like-minded locals they can join down the line.

Other resources include publications that exist to help those who have recently relocated. Be sure to also check out print resources that aim to help newcomers get adjusted to the culture of the new area (such as Atlanta’s Newcomer Magazine). MoversandPackers.net lists tips and additional resources for people in different stages of relocation.

The Reality

Once you are settled into your new job and the reality of a new place sets in, there are a few things you can do to ease the transition process, because moving can prompt feelings that range from excitement to uncertainty.

Have a Glass-Half-Full Approach. While a degree of culture shock and doubt may be inevitable, try to stay focused on the good parts of your situation. “Avoid all negativity,” including “toxic people who drain your energies,” Career-intelligence.com recommends. “If your inner and outer worlds are positive, so your experience will be too.”

Keep an Open and Honest Line of Communication. While it may seem easier for many to recoil in the face of a new job setting, experts advise voicing your situation to others. “To help build your network, spend a few extra minutes socializing with people and let them know you are new to the company. It is amazing how this little fact can open people up and make a world of a difference,” Hoschette says.

Keep in mind that if you’ve relocated and decide the new location just isn’t for you, your open line of communication with friends, colleagues and peers might help if you decide to leave, Monster.com advises.

Earlier: The Long-Distance Job Hunt

Resources

Current Employment Statistics Highlights — January 2011
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Feb. 4, 2011

Corporate Relocation Survey 2010
Atlas World Group, 2010

Moving — Reasons to Relocate
AimRelocation.com

10 To-Dos Before You Move for Work
Monster.com, 2011

Unemployment Rates for States
U.S. Department of Labor, Feb. 25, 2011

The Best Places to Start Over
by Prashant Gopal
Bloomberg BusinessWeek, June 2009

The Engineer’s Career Guide
by John A. Hoschette
Wiley Online Library, 2010

What To Expect When You Relocate
by Nancy Morris
Career-intelligence.com, 2002

Moving Without a Job? Try These Five Strategies
by Allan Hoffman
Monster.com, 2010