Yesterday I commented on a post asking what you think you should be paid to make you feel appreciated as an employee and it made me realize I'm in a situation that others may be in one day. So hopefully this post means something to someone that may be struggling with relocation.
Late last year I relocated from metro NY (LI) to MD (Bmore county) to work as a conveyor mechanic for one of the largest wine and spirits distributors in the US. I've been with the company for 6 years now and this seemed like an incredible opportunity for me to get the fuck out of NY and plant some roots in a new state with my wife to be, all while staying with the same company that's taken care of me since 2017.
We spend weeks thinking about this move and whether or not it's a good idea. We both decide that relocating would be the best thing for both my mental health and our relationship. But looking back, I made a lot of mistakes and hopefully sharing this will save at least one other person from making these mistakes.
I was promised the world, but 6 months in and this is where I'm at:
I took a 30% pay cut: I'm due for an increase in April but I have no faith it will be anywhere close to what I'm requesting. I was promised my hourly rate would be higher than it was in NY after only a few months. If I hear “cost of living” from management one more time, I'm going to lose my shit. It is an extremely nondescript and relative term and should absolutely not be used in professional negotiations.
I went from 2nd shift to 3rd shift: I was told it would only be for a couple months until they can hire more help to take the night shift so I can move back to mid shift. There has been no effort to hire more techs since december.
I lost a week of vacation: in NY you get your 3rd week of vacation July 1st of your 5th year of service. 2022 i received my 3rd week, october 2022 it's taken away from me because of differing time off accrual policies. I wasn't informed of this until January 2023.
I uprooted my life at 28 years old, not knowing how difficult it would be to make friends as an adult in a new state especially while working overnights. My work/life balance is terrible. Monday through Thursday, I have no more than 3 hours to myself per day and my weekends are spent recovering and completing household activities i cant do during the week. All that being said, I am making enough to pay my bills, put food on my table (and in my cat's feeder) and save a bit of money every month. But I am absolutely not where I feel I should be, financially, at this point in my life and career. And I feel I've been completely taken advantage of at every turn.
All of these mistakes I made because I was too eager to leave NY and didn't get any of these promises in writing. So I'll soon be at a point where I either get the pay I want, or I update my resume and find another company that will value my experience.
TLDR: Before relocating, please do more research than you think you have to. Ask all the questions. Advocate for yourself. Do not believe the bullshit they tell you.