I’ve Signed a Contract. Now What?
Hurry Up
Have you heard of “Hurry up and wait”? Right now there’s going to be a lot of hurry up.
You’ve just received your contract and it says your start day is in 48 hours and you will be out of state for 30 days. You now have to:
Pack
Tell your job you’re leaving
Tell your friends and family you’re leaving
Find a pet sitter
Cancel any scheduled appointments
Complete any prerequisites (i.e. Drug screen and background check)
All this before your flight takes off.
In my experience, the drug screen can take a couple of hours depending on how busy the labs are. And unfortunately, it’s usually too last minute to get an appointment. So I recommend doing that first because in the waiting room you can multitask. It’s a perfect place to begin tying up loose ends. After signing in at the lab, step outside and call your friends and family to let them know you’ll be away for a few weeks. If you have a pet, this is a good occasion to see if they can pet sit. Otherwise, take this time to find a pet hotel. Make sure to ask if they offer discounts for first responders or medical workers. Start canceling any appointments you had, or see if they can be done virtually such as a virtual doctor’s appointment. Then, if you still have some time, get started on the background check. Depending on the company and the position, these can get pretty in depth and can take a few hours.
I would suggest waiting to call your job until after the drug screen. The conversation can take more than a couple minutes, and it’s not a phone call you want to have to cut short because you’re next in line. Before you call, think about what you would like from your employer. Consider asking if you would be able to drop to part time and take the time off, or if you could take a temporary leave of absence. Be prepared for your employer to say “No”. If that’s the case, then you now have to decide if you’re ready to leave your steady, full-time position for a contract.
Once you’ve completed everything else, it’s time to pack. Look up the anticipated weather where you are traveling to. If this is a field position, pack extra layers in case of unforeseen weather. Consider that depending on the season, you may be arriving just as the temperatures are starting to drop. Consider your lodging once you arrive. If you’re staying in a hotel most amenities will be available to you. However, if you are going to be sleeping on a cot in an airplane hangar, you may need to pack your own bedding, as well as your own toiletries. Also, if you are going to be in a more austere environment, consider you may not be able to shop for anything you forgot or run out of, so pack extra. If you’re not sure to have access to showers or laundry, bring baby wipes to clean yourself with and a lot of extra socks and underwear.
Today is travel day
Go over all of your belonging again. Make sure you have your passport of ID (take photos of these just in case). Also make sure you have a copy of all of your certifications in case some need to be re-verified. Write down the information for your contacts when you arrive at your destination. There’s a lot of information in the welcome packets, and it’s not always very well organized, you don’t want to be looking for phone numbers and addresses after a long flight.
Put everything in your car and go back into your house to do a once around. Make anything you don’t need is turned off or unplugged. Check that you don’t have food out that will attract insects, and take out the trash. Save yourself a few bucks on your heating bill and make sure the thermometer is set to a “away”. Then lock the doors, and time to go.
After arriving at your gate, take. breather. This is likely the first time you’ve gotten to rest since signing the contract. Some employers ask that you confirm with them once you’re ready to board, do so if you need to. It helps them keep track of where their incoming crews are and if there are any delays.
Once you’ve boarded the plane, that’s it! Now you’re at the “wait” part of “hurry up and wait”. Relax, enjoy your flight, and get ready for something completely new.