Are you thinking about taking a position at a company with a location in another country? Have you been wondering whether or not this is even remotely possible for you or if you'll have to pass up this job in favor of something a little closer to home? Although any move can be difficult, relocating to another country does provide unique challenges that you might not face in the United States. That doesn't mean that it's impossible, simply that there are some things that need to be taken into account. These things include:

Duration of contract: How long are you likely to stay in this position? If you're only going to be staying abroad for a year or less, it may make sense to only pay for overseas shipping for the bare essentials. Instead of packing up and shipping over your entire household, you may want to put most things into storage and just ship clothes and a few other items. This way, when it's time to return to the US, you will have fewer hassles trying to ship things back home. The longer you expect to be living abroad, the more things that you're probably going to want to take with you.

Destination: Depending on where you're going to be moving, you may want to figure out storage solutions before you even leave the United States. Some employers may offer housing while you work with the company, but others will only pay your relocation fees and leave everything up to you. Since, in some European cities, it can take weeks or even months to find a more permanent place to live, you're going to need somewhere besides the hotel or bed and breakfast for the overseas shipping company to deliver your belongings to. The shipping company itself might offer a solution. You'll have to inquire into that as it isn't always widely known.

Dwelling size: In comparison to most of the rest of the world, American homes can be gigantic. A 2 or 3-bedroom apartment in some countries may only be a little bigger than a 1-bedroom American apartment if you go by square feet/square meters. It may not make sense to pay an overseas shipping company to ship all of your stuff if you have nowhere to store it. Consider giving at least some of your stuff away, selling it at a yard sale, or donating it to a thrift store in order to downsize and make the process easier. Remember that different countries have different electrical standards as well, so something like your prized surround sound system may not even work. You'd have to buy a new one locally anyway.