Relocating to Las Vegas; restaurant jobs, mobile homes (for sale, rent)

strangecasualty · 10-05-2012, 03:29 PM

I'm looking at moving to Vegas with my girlfriend and possibly her younger brother. All three of us work in the restaurant industry currently, I have some prior healthcare experience (CNA and support staff to adults with developmental disabilities).

We're coming from Minot, ND. Jobs are plentiful up here, but housing is hard to find and rent is high -- you can't find a 2 bedroom for less than $2k/month, and it will probably smell like cat urine. A single wide, 2 bed 1 bath mobile home, not updated since the 80s, will run you $22k, and lot rent is $800+. We've also lost two houses in three years to flooding up here, so we're not too interested in sticking around.

We will be relocating in June, purchasing a mobile home and paying a few months' lot rent to ensure that bills are covered while we find jobs. I'm a little worried about the job market and finding an affordable mobile home. From searching the internet, it seems like lot rent ranges from $400-$600/month, and 3 bedroom 1-2 bathroom mobile homes range from $5k-25k (not looking at newer models). And there are a lot of them for sale. Does this sound about right?

As to the job market: I wouldn't mind going back to healthcare, but in my experience, the restaurant industry pays better. How hard is it to pick up a job at Applebees, or somewhere along those lines, coming in with 5+ years experience? I'm used to being able to quit a job and find a new one in the same day, so I don't think I could comfortably push it beyond a month or two. Even if only one of us finds work immediately, that should be enough to cover bills.

We're used to servers making around $25k and bartenders $40k, working around 30 hours/week. I'm used to 4-6 table sections, turning 3-4 times/night. Are there any servers who can tell me how this compares to Las Vegas?

Thanks for the time you've given me. Any advice is very welcome; my girlfriend's trying to talk me into Las Vegas (she has family in California), but we're also looking at Denver if it's unlikely we'll find work or housing in Las Vegas.

von949 · 10-05-2012, 03:35 PM

I understand why you are leaving Minot, but why Las Vegas?

Sent from cell...

strangecasualty · 10-05-2012, 04:47 PM

For me, the appeal is the drastic change in climate/landscape. I like doing "outdoorsy" things, and there's a lot to see in that neck of the woods. I've lived in a few different regions, but haven't lived in a large city, so I feel pretty relaxed about where we land. It'll be nice to not have to drive 500 miles to see a concert.

For my girlfriend and her brother, it's close to home and family. They're confident that moving will be smooth, but they haven't lived in the area for six years, and I know that a lot can change in that amount of time.

ScoopLV · 10-05-2012, 06:05 PM

I would go to the various resort employment websites and start applying for restaurant gigs. The resorts pay better than Applebee's.

But forget about quitting a job and finding a new one the next day. Those days are LONG gone. Even with good skills and a solid resume, plan on a month of interviewing and background checks. Applebee's might take a little less time -- two weeks from start to finish. You're in for a criminal background check and a drug test no matter where you go these days. And that takes time.

But at least you'll know you have the job -- once they ask for a drug test, you're hired. (Provided you don't have a criminal record.) The procedure is: interview, stage (back of the house), interview, offer, drug test, background check, start work.

strangecasualty · 10-06-2012, 11:30 AM

Thanks for the heads' up about the criminal background check and drug test. It won't be an issue for us, but that's definitely a change from the states I've lived in the past.

I hate the length of the hiring process, but I'm looking forward to working in a place that isn't perpetually short-staffed. For the past five years, I've been dealing with line cooks bringing Wild Turkey in styrofoam cups, front of house staff who show up when it's convenient (I've seen multiple shifts where the entire front of house shift doesn't show up), etc. Last summer, a lot of businesses had to close their doors for lack of staffing, so you pretty much can't get fired here unless you burn the place to the ground.

I would take a month of inconvenience to my hometown work atmosphere any day of the week.

I'm probably going to take the first job I find that's close to my neighborhood. Then, after getting some local experience and getting a sense of where I might want to work, I'll check out other options. It's good to get a perspective of Las Vegas service industry that's not focused on working at the hottest places, lol. Prior to your comment, I was having no luck at finding what it takes to get hired at a chain. I appreciate the advice, makes me a lot more comfortable about taking the jump.

ScoopLV · 10-07-2012, 01:19 AM

Are you front of house or back? At the resorts, back pays around $20/hour. Front of house on a good night can expect $300+ per shift -- at a resort. Plus the benefits are better. I'd try for a Strip resort first. You might luck out. You can always do the "local joint" first if applying for a resort doesn't work out.

If you're front of house, a banquet server gig at a resort with strong convention business -- Venetian, MGM, Mandalay, Caesar's, Bellagio -- will be your best bet. Back of house it doesn't matter. Everyone gets the same rate. The banquet servers where I work are pulling down $70K per year or so.

C. Maurio · 10-07-2012, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strangecasualty

I'm looking at moving to Vegas with my girlfriend and possibly her younger brother. All three of us work in the restaurant industry currently, I have some prior healthcare experience (CNA and support staff to adults with developmental disabilities).

We're coming from Minot, ND. Jobs are plentiful up here, but housing is hard to find and rent is high -- you can't find a 2 bedroom for less than $2k/month, and it will probably smell like cat urine. A single wide, 2 bed 1 bath mobile home, not updated since the 80s, will run you $22k, and lot rent is $800+. We've also lost two houses in three years to flooding up here, so we're not too interested in sticking around.

We will be relocating in June, purchasing a mobile home and paying a few months' lot rent to ensure that bills are covered while we find jobs. I'm a little worried about the job market and finding an affordable mobile home. From searching the internet, it seems like lot rent ranges from $400-$600/month, and 3 bedroom 1-2 bathroom mobile homes range from $5k-25k (not looking at newer models). And there are a lot of them for sale. Does this sound about right?

As to the job market: I wouldn't mind going back to healthcare, but in my experience, the restaurant industry pays better. How hard is it to pick up a job at Applebees, or somewhere along those lines, coming in with 5+ years experience? I'm used to being able to quit a job and find a new one in the same day, so I don't think I could comfortably push it beyond a month or two. Even if only one of us finds work immediately, that should be enough to cover bills.

We're used to servers making around $25k and bartenders $40k, working around 30 hours/week. I'm used to 4-6 table sections, turning 3-4 times/night. Are there any servers who can tell me how this compares to Las Vegas?

Thanks for the time you've given me. Any advice is very welcome; my girlfriend's trying to talk me into Las Vegas (she has family in California), but we're also looking at Denver if it's unlikely we'll find work or housing in Las Vegas.

Why is lot rent $800 a month in North Dakota? They have nothing but open land there! Sounds like I am in the wrong business. You should be able to BUY a lot for $800 in ND!

airics · 10-07-2012, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C. Maurio

Why is lot rent $800 a month in North Dakota? They have nothing but open land there! Sounds like I am in the wrong business. You should be able to BUY a lot for $800 in ND!

Oil! Have you not watched the news lately? It's booming there!

ScoopLV · 10-07-2012, 10:23 AM

Whoops. Somehow missed the whole "servers make $25K, bartenders make $40K" bit. At a resort, they make roughly three times that. (But not at the buffet. At one of the fine-dining restaurants or banquets.) Flair bartenders make quite a bit more than three times. But good luck getting into a regular bartender position -- even if you have 10 years experience. Doesn't matter. That's a job that requires juice. (Juice = local experience and someone higher on the totem pole pulling some strings for you.)

Or you can come to LV and win the flair bartender event. Then you'll be able to move right into a position. (Assuming drug and background check come through OK.)

But a 30-hour week? Unlikely. Minimum 40, lots of overtime (which FOH isn't paid extra for, aside from the minor base hourly). 8-10 table sections turning 6-8 times per night. Considerable volume of side work. Unless you go to a sleepy local's joint.

airics · 10-07-2012, 10:33 AM

You make it sound like these positions are easy to get.... they aren't! You have hundreds fighting for a single position... and already in the house gets precidence over outside.