When looking for your next role as a healthcare professional, it’s vital to us that you are placed into a role that is suitable for your requirements and in a location that best suits your needs. However, sometimes your ideal role may be in a different location and could require you to relocate for work. At Athona, we understand relocating to somewhere new can feel daunting and overwhelming. Here we’ve accumulated 4 essential tips to help make the move as seamless and straightforward as possible.
1. Be willing to learn new things
When moving to a new country or city, it’s important to keep in mind and be aware of the different cultures and languages you may come across. Using helpful websites such as Duolingo can assist you in learning different languages to make your life easier in your new chosen location, and encourage you to explore and understand the variety of cultures you may come across.
As well as this, we’d advise locums to be open to trying new and different subspecialties. Broadening your horizons at work can increase your sector knowledge and open more doors for you, which could present you with a range of additional opportunities. When working as a locum, you’ll have plenty of time during your days off to explore new places within the area. This could range from new restaurants, hiking trails, museums and picturesque walks to local pubs in the area for you to visit. Doing these things can also help build a community of friends and people around you that can make the move feel easier and help you settle in quicker.
2. Pick a location that suits your lifestyle best
Becoming familiar with your new location and discovering as much as possible before making the move is definitely advisable and could prove beneficial. Taking a trip to the location beforehand can enable you to check out several different factors.
Education
You may have younger children or teenagers within your family who would be making the move with you, so it’s essential you consider where they would be transferring their education to. Researching schools, colleges and even potential hobbies within the area can be useful as you can develop an even better understanding of the area and its facilities.
Shopping
Having convenient and essential shops around you and your area is a huge consideration when looking for your new home. Being able to easily access supermarkets, clothing shops, pharmacy’s and other important shops is definitely something you should research into and consider before choosing a new location to call home.
Transport and travel
Whatever your preferred method of transportation is, it can be helpful to look into the different modes of transport, along with their usual routes and expected travel durations to ensure you can get to and from your work placement easily.
Leisure/activities
Due to the nature of a locum role, you will have plenty of free time in between your shifts. You may wish to embark upon a a new hobby or activity to keep yourself busy, which will in turn encourage you to socialise with others within your community. This can be a positive way to make friends and stay active whilst you’re not working.
Safety
Whether you’re moving to another location alone, or with friends and family, your safety should always be your priority. Learning and being aware of the basics such as nearby doctors, hospitals, police stations and other necessary public services could prove to be useful in the long run.
3. Finances
When it comes to considering your financial needs and limitations, it’s important to create or maintain a healthy budget. As you will be taking on a new role, looking at the salary and ensuring this fits accordingly into your budget plan for moving will definitely be of use for the future. Due to the cost of living rising every day, a good suggestion would be to have a look into your new locations current economy and market, as many different areas within the UK are experiencing the cost of living crisis more so than others.
4. Stay in touch with others
Moving somewhere new can be a daunting and overwhelming experience. To combat this, staying in touch with those from your hometown can reinforce the feeling that you’re not that far and makes the distance seem shorter between you and your loved ones. Furthermore, when working through Athona, you also have the luxury of being able to speak with your dedicated Recruitment Consultant about any of your queries or concerns you may have about the move. Settling into somewhere new can be nerve-wracking, so voicing some of your worries to either family, friends or your Recruitment Consultant could make you feel more confident in your decision and ensure you have all the necessary support and resources in place to make a seamless transition.
Are you considering making the move? If this does sound of interest to you, get in touch with your recruiter or fill out our quick and easy short form to let us know your location requirements or any other questions you may have about relocating.
