Bust a Move

April 23, 2013 | Hazel Cormier
Ten years ago, Shawn, then my boyfriend of four years – now husband – asked me to move from sunny Los Angeles, California to St. Louis, Missouri. I couldn’t have been more enthusiastic in my response if he had asked me to marry him, which he later did.
I knew a thing or two about moving. I had moved myself from San Francisco to Santa Cruz and from there, to Los Angeles with all my worldly belongings packed in my trusty Honda Civic coupe. I had conquered 400 miles so 1,800 miles is like making five trips, right?
Not quite. A move across the country is a lot more complicated – and expensive – than city hopping. I did not qualify for the spousal benefits Shawn’s company offered. And I was too excited and naive to ask my new employer if they provided moving assistance. In retrospect, I should have at least inquired about relocation benefits; they could have referred me to local resources for transplants.
Express Scripts, for instance, offers a range of relocation benefits determined by the level of the role. For eligible positions, the company provides what relocation consultants dub as a “buck and a truck” – miscellaneous allowance to cover expenses and a household goods move. This alone, can be a stress reliever as the average cost of shipping household goods for domestic transfers is $12,652 according to Worldwide ERC.
As manager of domestic relocation for Express Scripts, I realize what a difference these benefits make to new hires, employee transfers and their families. The process of relocating can include selling a home or transporting large amounts of belongings and goods – which surveys show can be a major challenge for most home owners. You may need to break a lease, find news schools for your children, figure out how to transport a pet…the list is seemingly endless. Being organized can help.
Here are a few other things to consider when planning a move:
- Do your research: The internet serves up a goldmine of free lists covering logistics such as conversations to have with children, placing a home on the market and scheduling movers
- Comparison shop: As with everything else, you get the best deal this way. Get quotes from a couple different companies and remember to check their ratings
- Make lists and take inventory: This applies both to things that you need to do and things that you own and need to move. One missed detail could derail the whole plan
- Things take time: Remember to give yourself ample time to plan and execute your move and some wiggle room in case things don’t go exactly as planned.
And remember that for a cross-country move like mine, good friends and a soundtrack to accompany your travels are indispensible.
As for me, I upgraded my tiny car to a small SUV, and with two of my best friends in tow, followed Route 66 to my new life in St. Louis. We even made a detour to Memphis to visit the King.
In case you are curious, here is the soundtrack that best captures my relocation experience:
- The Long and Winding Road; The Beatles
- Under Pressure; Queen & David Bowie
- Where the Streets Have No Name; U2
- Life is a Highway;Tom Cochrane
- Route 66; Chuck Berry
6 thoughts on “Bust a Move”
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Thank you for this post, I was wondering if there was a list of job roles that the company is willing to pay for relocation and who in the company I would need to speak to about this. I am a pharmacy tech in the front end for ESI in AZ and have worked for the company for 5 years.
I am interested in working from home. I am a certified pharmacy technician and will be happy to send you my resume. Thank you for your time!!!
Andrea Fernandez
321-230-8215
I am a certified Pharmacy technician. I am interested in working from home . Please contact me at 321-230-8215. I will also send my resume in returned to a response. Thanking your staff in advance.
My name is Marie Grimmest. I have worked as a Pharmacy Tech for 8 years. I am interested in working from home. I have completed the registration process but having difficulties applying for jobs. Please Help.
Sincerely
Marie Grimmett
Hi my name is Pam and I am a CPhT and would be interested in what opportunities you have to work at home. I am able to submit a resume if needed. Thank you in advance!
Hi Pam. Thank you for your interest in Express Scripts. You can search and apply for any of our open positions by using the advanced search feature on our career site: careers.express-scripts.com. We wish you the best of luck in your career search!