advice needed

[Liesje]

Not really a confession, but kind of a serious matter: how do you go about finding a job somewhere far away? I'm graduating in May, so soon I'll have to start looking for a job, but the problem is I want to move south (preferrably Florida) and don't have any family or connections there, so I'm starting from scratch. I feel like it will be impossible b/c my housing will have to depend on my job, but how will I find a job w/o a place to live? And once I find some job possibilities and send in resumes and cover letters, what do I do if they want an interview? I can't afford to fly back and forth just for an interview, unless the job was pretty much guaranteed. Honestly, I'd bag groceries if I had to, just to get a start and get away from here, but that's no way to start a career and start chipping away at the massive debt I've incurred (student loans).

Has anyone ever been in a situation like this?

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

Maybe you could find a cheap place to live and get a job like you said and on your days off or off shifts look for better work more in your field? It's not much of a help advice wise, but it would be a start.

Good luck, Lies. You're a smart girl and I know you can do it!

 

[MirrorballLemon]

I'm in the same boat as you, i'll be graduating soon and moving to either Pittsburgh (where I go to school now) or Atlanta. I'm absolutely terrified of leaving everything behind in my hometown and starting over somewhere where i know nobody, but at the same time I'm also really excited about it because I'll be out on my own for the first time (outside of the dorm life of course). I know there's going to be a lot of difficulties along the way, but I'm confident I can overcome them, and I'm confident you can too...

What kind of work do you want to do? I'm studying to be a teacher, and in my experiences so far, it hasnt been hard to find work. some places, depending on the demand, are like carsalesmen. Alot of places, if they really want you, will fly you down for an interview or do one over the phone. If they want you to fly down, do it, regardless of the cost. don't let the opportunity for a great job and a good life pass you by...

 

[Liesje]

What kind of work? Good question, hehe! I'll have a BA in business communications and I've done a lot of extra coursework in computers and have worked as a computer technician for 3 years. Basically, I'll do anything from IT to sales to communications to PR to web development...."office" kind of jobs is what I'm into.

I'm ready to move and I've wanted to do this for the past 5 years (meanwhile I've changed majors 5 times!). I live in dorms from age 17-19 (was required) and moved into a house after that, so I'm not tied to my family financially or emotionally, that won't be a problem! I just hate it here and I won't even consider job offers here (turned down a few already) b/c I know if I say "well, maybe just for a few years to get started", I'll never go. And I need to go.


I'm just nervous about going about the whole job process when I can't move until I actually HAVE a job. How do I do interviews when I live 1500 miles away? I'm just curious b/c I've had my current job for three years now (since I was 18) and didn't have to go through a lot of trouble to get the job. I got my internship because I wrote a nice letter to the company telling them as politely as possible that their website sucks big time and I know I can do a better job. So, I've never really gone through the whole resume - cover letter - interview process, especially not with a company that's a 30 hr drive from here.

 

[Techie2000]

Does your college have a career development center?

 

[one4u2]

Interesting, I'm actually working on revamping my resume and I've been kicking around the thought of moving away again as well. Years ago I had moved to Miami to continue my schooling and wound up having too much fun so I came back to NY

The fact that you're motivated is an excellent thing and like they say you only live once so go for it! You should probably have a number of interviews lined up and if possible take a trip down once and see what your possibilities are... Good Luck

 

[Liesje]

Does your college have a career development center?

Yep...I've been thinking of setting up an appt. with them b/c I need to go in and make sure they have my internship officially lined up like they're supposed to. I go to kind of a small college though, and most of the graduates stick around here and do things like elementary education, nursing, or social work. I'm ready to get the hell out of here and make some money, dammit!

 

[MsGiggles]

My roommate and I did the same thing after our senior year - except she went to Miami and I went to London and ended up working for an American company (go figure)....I had such a blast, I extended my visa 3 times....

Try a headhunter or possibly start with websites such as monster. Also maybe try the chamber of commerce of the city you want to move to...possibly pull up some online newspapers and employement guides for that area.

Good luck

 

[anitram]

I knew somebody like that who was getting a degree in radiation therapy, and she was looking to move to FLA (Naples). What she did is send out her resume to a bunch of places in southern Florida, and when they started contacting her she said she would be in the area the week of ___ and then scheduled 3-4 interviews in just a day or two so that she only had to make the trip once.

If you really can't afford to go down, probably the easiest thing would be to go find any job you can, find a shitty little place to live, without a long lease, and look for a job once you're down there.

 

[Liesje]

I'm going to try to work full time the entire month of January (along with a 4-credit internship...this will be fun ) and then maybe I'll have enough for airfare so I can go down over my spring break. My grandma lives in a retirement community just south of Naples from Nov - April so I could stay with her...but then I'm really limited as to where I can go unless I rent a car....which I don't think I'm old enough to do.....dammit!

 

[lady luck]

I think the first step before going away is having some solid background, both of money and knowledge.
what do you think about getting a job where you are and save some money and, when you have some, moving away?
I can understand you want to go away -- I am in the same situation, though I'm a little older than you, I thunk (I'm 21)

Don't hurry or you'll end up in a nightmare -- How to pay the bills? The rent? What to eat?

Life is expensive! I was in Miami this summer and I was shocked because the prices were so high -- for instance, a bottle of water was more that 1$... I pay 0,10 here...

So think well of what you do

Second issue: it's not hard to get to know someone who lives there (maybe also via interference).
I don't know what you think about living with strangers, but maybe you could consider that, too

Good luck, anyway!