CapRelo Blog

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Assignments are critical to your success in the global marketplace. You must get the right talent, in the right place, at the right time. But how can you do that without breaking the bank?

Our lively discussion with global relocation experts who are on the front lines of the industry shared tips and tricks to help you manage costs while still executing a successful relocation program in our WERC Learning Zone Webinar: Managing Relocation Costs: Tips and Tricks of the Trade.

In this webinar, you’ll learn:

• Why regular policy reviews are critical
• Pros and cons of two top policies
• 8 alternate assignment types
• 11 great cost-saving ideas
• Hidden costs that could derail your program

Webinar presenters:

Angela Tan, CRP, GMS-T
Director, Client Development
CapRelo

Laura Wilkins, CRP, GMS
Global Assignment Manager
CapRelo

 

CapRelo presents this free, exclusive webinar through the WERC Learning Zone so you can learn more about creating a successful global relocation policy. 

We will be attending and/or sponsoring the following events in October because it’s a great opportunity for us to meet new people, stay abreast of latest relocation trends and meet with trusted partners. If you’re attending any of these events, look for us and say hi.

 

Worldwide ERC Global Workforce Symposium

October 7th-9th

Boston, MA 

Attendees: Linda Atkinson, Patrick Cacho, Kristin Gohlke, Kelly Newman, Tracey Scott, Brian Shea, John Travers

The Global Workforce Symposium will feature new content, outstanding speakers and tremendous networking opportunities. The conference will explore the evolving landscape of Talent Mobility and how to play an active role in transforming the mobility industry. Talent acquisition challenges continue, employees are driven by development opportunities and retention remains essential.

Get more information here.

 

Breakfast Seminar – Global Talent Management: Maximize International Assignment ROI

October 16th

Washington, D.C. 

Attendees: Sue Gilman, Tracey Scott, Brian Shea

This free breakfast seminar, sponsored by CapRelo, ADP and Adaptive Leadership Strategies, LLC, will feature presentations that will help you get the most out of your Global Talent Management Program. Guest speakers from Xerox, the ALIGN Consulting Team, ADP and CapRelo will present on topics ranging from international assignment management to maximizing ROI to ensuring global regulatory compliance to developing a clear and comprehensive global relocation policy.

Space is limited for this free breakfast seminar – registration is required.

 

Delaware valley relocation council fall summit

October 20th

Philadelphia, PA 

Attendees: Brian Shea

This year's DVRC Fall Summit will offer new ideas and fresh perspectives on everything from networking through LinkedIn and getting out of your comfort zone, to global mobility policies and visa and immigration issues.

Click here for more information.

 

Webinar – Real Estate Roundtable: expert advice on relocation's biggest challenges

October 27th

Up-to-date real estate policies are critical to the success of your relocation program. Nothing can disrupt your talent management goals faster than a transferee distracted by a house that won't sell. And, nothing can increase your program costs faster than managing policy exceptions for unexpected issues. This lively roundtable discussion among a lender, appraiser, closing attorney and home inspector will focus on the hottest challenges in the U.S. real estate market.

Presenters: 

Brian Shea, CapRelo
Tom Dempsey, Quicken Loans
Frank Wisniewski, Fidelity Residential Solutions
Jay Hershman, Baillie & Hershman, Associated Title & Closing Co., P.C.
Michael S. Cook, Michael S. Cook & Associates, Inc.

Click here for more information and to register for this free webinar.

 

Virginia SHRM State Council Meeting

October 30th

Lynchburg, VA 

Attendees: Tracey Scott

Details are not yet available for this meeting.

Click here for the Virginia SHRM Council Calendar.

 

If you can’t attend, please be sure to follow CapRelo on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

CapRelo is pleased to announce that Mickey Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer, will be honored by Worldwide ERC® with its Distinguished Service Award. Mr. Williams joins an esteemed group of association members who hold the award, and is one of only 143 to be honored as a two-time award recipient.

“I am honored to be recognized again by my colleagues,” said Mickey Williams, President and CEO, CapRelo. “Having dedicated my career to making global mobility easy for our clients, their employees, our suppliers, and CapRelo’s own staff, this is an exciting and humbling occasion.”

Mr. Williams has been a member of the Worldwide ERC Real Estate Coalition and Procurement Task Forces, has authored articles for Mobility magazine, and served on the 2013 Board of Directors Recruitment Committee.

For the full press release, click here. 

In the photo(L-R): Josh Dispenza, Tamara Bianchi, Mickey Williams, Heather Hudnall and Chris Finckel.

What Is a Certified Relocation Professional?

The Certified Relocation Professional (CRP®) designation is a highly regarded recognition. It acknowledges that one has achieved extensive and useful knowledge in every aspect of US domestic employee relocation. The CRP designation is bestowed upon those who qualify, via once-per-year examinations, presented and administered by the industry organization: the Worldwide Employee Relocation Council (Worldwide ERC®).

Just as people taking a Business Administration degree in college often go on to earn an MBA, professionals in the many segments of the employee relocation industry often seek special certifications that attest to their expertise, knowledge and experience won over many years.

Learn more about developing relocation policies in our free article.

CRP^® Certification

Since 1990 when Worldwide ERC^® first launched the CRP^® certification, the program has grown to stand for the professionalism of those who have mastered the process and the art of successful relocation. It has become a premiere “badge of accomplishment” that is recognized throughout many industries. Individuals from real estate, lending, insurance, relocation services, and transportation have all qualified for this sought-after recognition. They dedicate themselves to the successful transfer of employees, and consistently seek to improve their knowledge through continuing education.

The CRP^® exam measures an individual's knowledge on a range of issues: family relocation; tax and legal matters; corporate relocation policies; appraisal methods for real estate; real estate marketing – among others. Many companies relocating their employees demand nothing less than a CRP^® to administer the needs of their company and to return their transferees to full productivity as quickly as possible.

The CRP^® certification requires dedicated study and wide experience in relocating employees across the nation. In 2013 alone, only 218 people achieved CRP^®status. [1] Furthermore, the designation requires a re-certification every three years. The CRP^® program aims to raise the professional standards of those involved in relocating employees and to encourage on-going professional development.

Why CRP® Is Important

CRP^® recognizes professionals involved in the field of employee transfer and relocation. People with those credentials may work within a human resources department, a real estate sales organization, a moving and transportation firm, or a relocation services company. Candidates seeking to earn this designation must have a prerequisite one full year or more of experience in the relocation industry to qualify for the exam. Only about 65 percent of candidates pass the examination. [2, 3] It's a tough exam that demands real experience in the real world of relocation.

The Senior Certified Relocation Professional

For those who have earned their CRP® and wish to attain even higher levels of expertise, providing their professional service to Worldwide ERC® can lead to the Senior (SCRP®) level of recognition. Such individuals make significant contributions to the relocation and mobility industry by contributing their expertise and energies on Worldwide ERC® committees, panels, classes, online commentary and more.

Relocating employees and their families to faraway destinations and expecting a quick return to productivity presents many challenges, both to the company and to your employees. Working with organizations whose people have professional certifications brings great expertise to each of your relocations. You'll enjoy greater success as you relocate people, and your employees and their families will appreciate the smoother transition to their new home.

 

Finding quality furnished housing can be critical to the success of your relocation program, but it can also be a big headache. Where is the property located? Will the transferring employee be comfortable and able to quickly return to productivity? And perhaps the biggest mystery of all: How is the price of a property determined?

Please join us on April 1, 2014 for our Learning Zone Webinar: Furnished Housing: The Mysteries and the Facts

In this webinar, you’ll learn:

• How to easily find furnished housing anywhere
• The factors that determine the price of a property
• Ways to save money on furnished housing
• Risk vs. No Risk buying
• The benefits of a Corporate Apartment Management program

CapRelo’s Andy Acocella presents this free, exclusive WERC Learning Zone webinar. Sign up today so you can learn the steps needed to ensure your transferees’ temporary housing solutions are handled with the care needed so they can be up and running as soon as they move.

Please join our exclusive webinar on April 1, 2014 at 2 pm ET by signing up here. We look forward to seeing you there.

Brian Shea, accepting his GMS certification from Laura and Peggy from WERC.

The Global Mobility Specialist (GMS®) certification identifies professionals involved in the employee relocation arena as being well-trained in global workforce mobility. The GMS® designation includes courses for initial certification and continuing education, which focus on both traditional and current global mobility trends.

GMS® Certification

Since Worldwide ERC® began the GMS® certification program in 2004; over 3,850 people have earned specialist designations through global mobility training. These certified professionals live and work in 58 different countries around the globe.
In 2010, Worldwide ERC® introduced the Senior Global Mobility Specialist (SGMS®) designation for those who have already earned certification as a GMS®. Since inception of this designation, almost 150 professionals have achieved SGMS® certification.

Why GMS® Certification Is Important

To maintain your GMS® certification one needs to complete the continuing education (CE) courses every three years. The GMS® program targets training and education for global mobility requirements, which can be much more complex than domestic relocations.

Having this designation or working with someone with this designation can help in the following circumstances:

• You are an HR professional administering international relocation policies and programs.
• You function as overseer and manager of global relocations that are administered by a third-party professional relocation firm.
• You advise, consult or facilitate buying, selling or legal issues involved with international real estate transactions.
• You have responsibilities for effective management of global tax issues and foreign taxation differences that affect transferees.
• You are responsible for satisfying immigration requirements for employees relocating to foreign countries.
  
  

The GMS® Certification Review Board helps ensure that this program curriculum remains up-to-date and current. This means you’ll be working with people who always receive pertinent information, whether they are pursuing their GMS® certification or the continuing education credits to keep their designation. Working with a certified GMS® is an important advantage to your transferees. Whether relocating domestically or internationally, transferees will appreciate the benefits of their certified knowledge.

We are excited to attend the upcoming Worldwide ERC 2013 Global Workforce Symposium from October 23 through October 25 in Dallas, TX. In the spirit of the symposium’s Illuminating the Path to New Ideas theme we are offering you the chance to learn new ideas for your relocation policies with our “Benchmarking for a Better Relocation” contest.

The Grand Prize

One (1) grand prize winner will win ten (10) hours of policy review consulting, benchmarking of their current relocation policy, or individual relocation product review. If the winner would like, those ten hours can be used for an individual review of a section or offering of the policy.

How do you enter?

Entering is simple. Please click here and fill out the entry form. The contest is open from October 7, 2013 – October 24, 2013. The winner will be announced at the show or notified via email, so please use an email address that you regularly check.

Can you enter more than once?

Yes, you can enter multiple times. However, you can only fill out the form one time. So how do you earn an additional entry? Visit the CapRelo booth at the show, leave your business card and you’ll be entered for a chance to win.

 

 

For official rules and regulations please visit here.

We hope you share our excitement for the upcoming WERC symposium and take part in the contest. Please let us know if you plan on attending in the comments below.

We are excited for the Worldwide ERC Global Workforce Symposium in Washington, D.C. Because the conference is taking place in our hometown, we invite you to participate in our “Guess the Monument” contest starting September 10th.

Why play?

• Everyone who enters will receive an exclusive relocation article.
• You will have a chance to win a weekly prize.
• You will have a chance to win the grand prize, a new Kindle Fire!

How do you play?

Every Monday, from September 10 – 24, we will post a new picture of a CapRelo employee in front of a Washington, D.C. landmark on our Facebook page. If you know where they are, simply follow the provided link and fill out the form with your guess. That’s all; you’ll be automatically entered for the weekly prize giveaway and the grand prize giveaway and you’ll receive your relocation article.

Throughout the week we will post other clues and relevant contest information on our Facebook page and Twitter page. Weekly prize winners will be announced every Friday. The grand prize winner will be announced on Tuesday, October 2nd. For all rules and regulations please click here.

We hope you share our excitement for D.C. and the Worldwide ERC Global Workforce Symposium by taking part in our contest. We enjoy the opportunity to meet with you at the conference, so please visit booth 310.  Good luck, and welcome to our hometown!