Relocation consultants are involved with HR offices.
When an employee has to make a corporate move, the consultant steps in to help with the planning and logistics of the move.
It can be quite exciting, but there are pros and cons you should be aware of.
Learn more about the job so that you can decide if it fits your desired lifestyle.
Table of Contents
- Pros of Being a Relocation Consultant
- Cons of Being a Relocation Consultant
- 1. There’s Not a Lot of Money in the Job
- 2. You’ll Need to Know A Lot About the Different Areas
- 3. Benefits are Questionable
- 4. Promotions are limited
- 5. It Can Be Hard to Get Paid
- 6. Clients Can Be Demanding
- 7. You’ll Wait on Call-Backs
- 8. Communication Might Be in the Evenings or on Weekends
- 9. You Can Be Held Liable for Mistakes
- 10. It’s Hard to Find Work
- Pros and Cons of Being a Relocation Consultant – Summary Table
- Should You Become a Relocation Consultant?
Pros of Being a Relocation Consultant
All sorts of pros exist for being a relocation consultant.
It can be a great job – whether you work for yourself or for a company.
Many of the pros depend on who you work for.
1. Start Your Own Business
You can work for a company that is large enough to relocate dozens of employees a month or you can branch out and work for yourself.
Being your own boss can be a lot of fun because you get to be in charge.
It also leads to more earning possibilities because you’ll get paid with each new client that you work with.
2. It’s a Significant Industry
The reality is that corporate relocation is a $14 billion industry in the U.S.
You simply have to learn how to tap into it properly so that it can be beneficial to you.
There are tech-based consultants and traditional ones.
If you can show people that you offer a variety of benefits to them, it can help to earn you a lot of money – and people will recommend your services to other people that you know.
3. Work with Lots of People
You’ll have the opportunity to work with lots of people – HR coordinators who are sending people to a new city as well as the individuals who are being sent.
You can talk to them about their benefits, what they are looking for in a new city, and all of the ways that you can help them. It’s a chance to be social on a daily basis.
4. Avoid “Traditional” Office Work
You won’t be doing any of the traditional office work, which can be a nice change.
Every day will be slightly different because you will be talking to new people and solving various relocation problems.
You may spend some time answering emails and other time calling moving companies or doing research online about a particular city.
5. Telework from Anywhere
There is no need to meet with anyone face-to-face, and all of your work will be done via email and phone.
This means you have the potential to telework from anywhere.
You can set up a home office or work from your favorite coffee shop.
If you do need to meet with someone, you can do so in their office or ask them to grab a cup of coffee with you.
6. Get Started without a Degree
You don’t need a degree to work as a relocation consultant.
Instead, you will want to do research about the job and maybe even shadow another relocation consultant for a few months.
It can save you from having to spend four years getting a degree that you won’t use, which also means that you can get started in the job at any time.
7. Avoid Student Loan Debt
Many people spend two or four years at a university in order to get a degree, wasting tens of thousands of dollars.
That student loan debt can add up quickly, and result in high monthly payments that can wreak havoc on your budget.
Choosing to be a relocation consultant means no degree and no student loan debt.
8. Enjoy a Nice Work-Life Balance
You will find that there is a great work-life balance working as a relocation consultant.
You can pretty much set your own hours as long as you are able to meet the needs of all of your clients.
The job isn’t very stressful on a daily basis, which means that you aren’t bringing your work home with you.
There will be plenty of time for social activities.
9. Network
You will find that it is a must to network as a relocation consultant.
The more you know about various cities, the easier it will be for you to do your job.
This can be a great way to socialize and meet new people.
You may start to learn more about the top moving companies, rental companies, and more.
The more you network, the more benefits you can offer your clients.
10. Avoid 40-Hour Work Weeks
Many relocation consultants don’t work 40 hours a week.
If you know how to be productive and multitask, you will find that you are only working a few hours a day.
This can allow you to pursue some of your hobbies or get a second job if you want to earn more money on the side.
Cons of Being a Relocation Consultant
While relocation consultants have fun on the job, there are some cons that you should be aware of so that you can decide if they’re easy enough to deal with so that you can love your career.
1. There’s Not a Lot of Money in the Job
The money can be extremely hit or miss as a relocation consultant.
If there aren’t a lot of people being relocated at the moment, it will be hard for you to make money.
Even if you work for a large company, it won’t be a glamorous, well-paid job.
This means that you may need to consider working a second job, especially as you work to grow your business.
2. You’ll Need to Know A Lot About the Different Areas
Your job depends heavily on knowing about all of the different aspects of a move – moving companies, rental properties, and more.
You will need to do research and you will need to know about the reputation of the companies that you are recommending so that you don’t find yourself in trouble later.
3. Benefits are Questionable
If you’re working for yourself, you won’t get any benefits like paid time off or vacation time.
Additionally, if you want health insurance, you will have to go out there and get it on your own, which can be more expensive than you might realize.
4. Promotions are limited
Once you become a relocation consultant, promotions are limited because there aren’t prior versions of what you do.
Particularly if you work for a company, you will find that it is nearly impossible to be promoted unless you are developing other skills while you work.
5. It Can Be Hard to Get Paid
Some people may not see the value in the services that you provide.
Once you provide the bill, they may not pay.
This can leave you spending a lot of time hunting them down and reminding them that they signed a contract to pay for your services.
It can also lead to financial struggles if too many people avoid paying you.
6. Clients Can Be Demanding
Many clients are stressed out and have very specific demands for what they want when they move to a new city.
You will be helping them find everything that they need – and the demands can lead to a significant amount of stress.
No matter what you find, some clients would be happy.
7. You’ll Wait on Call-Backs
You will be working with moving companies and others, and in order to schedule people, get price quotes, and more, you will likely be leaving messages and sending emails.
Much of your work week will be waiting on callbacks from other people so that you can proceed with helping your clients.
8. Communication Might Be in the Evenings or on Weekends
The employees you are helping to relocate are likely working during the day, so they will be able to communicate with you in the evenings or on the weekends.
In order to provide the best possible service to your clients, you will need to make yourself available during these times so that you can find out what they are looking for throughout their relocation.
9. You Can Be Held Liable for Mistakes
No matter how much research you do, there may be mistakes from time to time.
You may hire someone from a moving company that is inadequate or you may rent someone a property that is entirely too small for them.
All of these mistakes are things that you can be liable for, and they can also cost you your reputation as a consultant in the area.
10. It’s Hard to Find Work
We live in a world where the Internet is at our fingertips.
Some people find that it is easier to do everything on their own so that they can make sure that everything is perfect.
As such, a relocation consultant doesn’t always get a lot of work – and finding new clients can be extremely difficult.
Pros and Cons of Being a Relocation Consultant – Summary Table
| Pros of Being a Relocation Consultant | Cons of Being a Relocation Consultant |
|---|---|
| 1. Start Your Own Business | 1. There’s Not a Lot of Money in the Job |
| 2. It’s a Significant Industry | 2. You’ll Need to Know A Lot About the Different Areas |
| 3. Work with Lots of People | 3. Benefits are Questionable |
| 4. Avoid “Traditional” Office Work | 4. Promotions are limited |
| 5. Telework from Anywhere | 5. It Can Be Hard to Get Paid |
| 6. Get Started without a Degree | 6. Clients Can Be Demanding |
| 7. Avoid Student Loan Debt | 7. You’ll Wait on Call-Backs |
| 8. Enjoy a Nice Work-Life Balance | 8. Communication Might Be in the Evenings or on Weekends |
| 9. Network | 9. You Can Be Held Liable for Mistakes |
| 10. Avoid 40-Hour Work Weeks | 10. It’s Hard to Find Work |
Should You Become a Relocation Consultant?
If you’re organized and love to create maps for other people, a relocation consultant can be a highly desirable job.
You’ll get to work with all sorts of individuals and families who may be relocating to various parts of the country.
Schedule an appointment with a relocation consultant to ask them about their personal pros and cons so that you get a better overview of the job.
Then, you can make an educated decision about the job.
