Give me advice on moving to another city

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

I graduated from University with a degree in Business, major in Finance, but haven’t been able to find a job yet. I’ve decided to stop looking for one,save up some money from my current job, and move to another city. My wanting to move may also have to do with the fact I want to get away from my (now ex) girlfriend, but that’s a whole other story.

I just need advice on how to go about doing this. Should i look for a job first, or should i just save up my money, pack my bags and go? what about living arrangements? Should i find a place to live before i go?

I’m willing to work in a cafe or restaurant (anything) for awhile, as long as it pays me something, i’ll do it. I’m not picky. I was thinking that i would find a place to live first, then find work, no matter how menial (sp?). After a month or two, when i’m settled, start looking for a job related to my career choice (banking or some such thing).

I guess i’d like to know how realistic this plan is, and any advice anybody could give would be helpful. I’m 23 years old, and i’ve never lived on my own before (aside from a few months with the girl i mentioned earlier).

[oprah guest]What do I do Dr. Phil???[/og]

#2

In the 1920s there were people known as “wing walkers.”
They’d show up on a biplane and perform thousands of feet above the crowd.

For what it’s worth, those guys left one thought.
It’s a very conservative thought.

“Don’t let go of the strut you’re holding on to
Until you’re holding on to another strut.”

#3

i thought at first you had replied to the wrong thread, it took a couple of reads to understand that. I’m a :wally tonight.

how do i go about looking for a job and apartment in another city where i don’t know anybody? i don’t want to move an hour away, i want to move across the country.

Where would i start?

#4

That’d make for some boring trapeze artists, though, and since the OP is 23 there’s a pretty good net.

(I’m 20, and plan to take the save some money, move, find a job route. I don’t have a degree, though, which should make it more interesting.)

#5

I’ve always made sure I had a job before making a move. The internet is your best for finding jobs away from where you live. One problem in today’s economy may be finding companies willing to pay your travel costs for an interview, especially for someone with little/no experience.

#6

I moved to five different cities during my first six years out of college. All of those were for the current job, so I’ve never moved in quite the way you describe. I am getting ready to do just that this summer though.

Pick where you want to live carefully. You could be there for a while, so investigate the cities/towns and visit if possible. Ask for advice on these boards, because there just might be someone living there who can give advice on what areas are safe to live in and what rent cost is reasonable.

Save enough so you have the apartment deposit and at least two months rent, plus enough for utility deposits. The one thing you don’t want to do is move, then not be able to pay your rent.

Search online for apartments, or find a realtor in the area who does rental properties. That way you can have a good idea of rental rates and the kind of properties available.

If you take a job just to pay your rent, make sure you are going to have the hours and pay rate necessary to survive. Or look for a roommate if possible. Use your college alumni to make connections to jobs or roommates.

Above all, enjoy. When we are young and single we can make these sudden moves a lot easier than when we are older and have kids/spouses/pets. And despite the hassle of moving, it’s fun to explore a new city.

#7

Since you’re seeking advice, and not facts, I’ll send this thread over to IMHO.

#8

Ask around, these boards, surf the net, alumni, relatives, friends, etc to find someone that knows the city you are thinking about. If you’re working, and can go with a few months scratch and a place to live, then you’ll probably be fine. IMHO, I think having a safe place to live, even if it’s a hostel, and a bit of liquidity might be better than a job. Of course, a job is good too. Do you have temp experience?

I’ve done it internationally with less.

#9

KKBattousai and I are moving almost 3,000 miles away next month. As of now, we have only our plane tickets. By the end of this month, hopefully, we’ll have a place to live. Neither of us have jobs lined up. So you’re definitely not alone.

It’s not the easiest way to go, but we’re optimistic it can be done.

Some random thoughts:

I’d find a friend to move with. Things like this are so much bearable with someone to do it with.

If you’re not sure where to go: pick a city you’re interested in (for whatever reason) or have heard good things about. You might also decide based on the type of weather you like, food you like, ethnic majority, etc.

Do your homework on whatever city you decide on. Ask around. Read books. Look at maps. Contact local chambers of commerce or departments of tourism or whatever resources the city might have for folks like you.

Have money saved. Preferably a lot. As much as you can.

Don’t hesitate to lean on your parents or relatives or whatever family you have. I had ideas I’d do this independently, that I wouldn’t accept money or aid from my parents, but if they’re willing to help you, this is a time to put pride aside. If you have family in an area you’re interested or have family who knows people in/from an area you’re interested in, their input and assistance will be helpful.

Search for an apartment (I’ve looked through homestore.com) online. Be prepared to make lots of phone calls to ask questions clarify details, and make arrangements.

I think you’ll do fine if you’re willing to work any job to have money coming in. Good luck to you.

#10

What city do you want to move to? I would draw up a short list and then do some research about what can be done. I would stay away from cities with a very high cost of living like San Francisco, New York and Boston. The stress that you will go through just to survive will not be worth it and your standard of living will probably be unbearably low.

I used to live in New Orleans and I knew LOTS of people about your age who went there on vacation and simply did not get on the return flight back. It is really cheap to live there, it is a blast, and there are plenty of restaurant and tourism jobs to be had. On the other hand, it is hot as hell during the summer and it is like a foreign country in many ways so that may or may not be your thing.

What kind of places do you like? May be we can help you find a place and tell you if it is realistic or not.

#11

There are also places like jobs.com or some such that compares cost of living between cities. That has been very helpful to me as I negotiate a salary for a new job. I’m gonna try and find the link, I’ll post it in a bit.

#12

Try this as a jumping off point.

#13

Definately do a little traveling first. Visit a few places to see how you like the area. It does help if you know someone in that area though! You may be able to pick a city that way, then go online and start looking for jobs. Thats what i did and it worked out well!

#14

Well, I live in Edmonton, alberta, Canada right now, and i’m most interested in moving to Toronto or Vancouver. Calgary is a maybe, but it’s not very far, hence not very exciting :wink: Another possibility would be the US. Boston maybe?

I started looking into international travel, but my language skills are limited. Basically i only speak english and have a conversational knowledge of mandarin. From what i hear though, chinese ,anguage skills aren’t that important in hang Kong or China, because the “business language” is English. Can anybody confirm/deny this?

I just got off the phone with my cousin who lives in France, and she told me that it would be next to impossible to work in France without speaking any french. According to her my best european bet is the UK. But I’ve heard that it’s difficult for foreigners (non-EU citizens such as myself) to get the necessary paperwork to work there. Can anybody confirm/deny that?

Also, if anybody has info on the necessary steps for a canadian to take to work Stateside that would be great.

Shagnasty-New Orleans sounds interesting, i’ve never really considered it. Of course it would be a foreign country, seeing as how I’m Canadian. :slight_smile:

#15

If I were in Edmonton, I’d move quickly. :wink:

Seeing as you are not leaving a career behind, you might as well move to where a career can be started. Cheap accomodations can be found once universities let out for the summer, so plan to jump at that time.