Effective ways to find a job in LA/OC while staying in Europe? (Highland: for rent, home)

[SATXNY]

I was a little disappointed to read this thread. I am in a similar position as lightangel. I am an American currently living in South America and want to move to LA next year. I have an MBA and almost 7 years experience in Marketing. I would prefer to find a job before moving. I don't want to spend my entire savings on rent and never find a job. It's really unfortunate that the job market still hasn't improved!

[londoner1]

Don't listen to people like Marilyn220. They're asking people to quit before they've even tried. Arrogance is not pretty though (maybe different in the US?).

Marilyn220, best of luck with everything. I can understand your frustration, hopefully in the future you'll be both realistic and supportive, though.

[lightangel]

i dont want to sound mean, but maybe its a matter of a social circle, among people i know i dont know anyone who would stay unemployed or collecting unemployment for months, all are working, although some were forced to take on less glamourous jobs in addition, maybe unemployment as marylin describes affects certain industries and social classes more than others

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by lightangel

i dont want to sound mean, but maybe its a matter of a social circle, among people i know i dont know anyone who would stay unemployed or collecting unemployment for months, all are working, although some were forced to take on less glamourous jobs in addition, maybe unemployment as marylin describes affects certain industries and social classes more than others

But you don't live in California right now so you don't really know what it like. Everyone likes to think they're too good to be unemployed but plenty of very well qualified and experienced people are out of work.

[marilyn220]

Originally Posted by londoner1

Don't listen to people like Marilyn220. They're asking people to quit before they've even tried. Arrogance is not pretty though (maybe different in the US?).

Marilyn220, best of luck with everything. I can understand your frustration, hopefully in the future you'll be both realistic and supportive, though.

Londoner, with all due respect, I don't have time to blow smoke up people's behinds. The true fact is that there are no jobs here and YOU KNOW THIS. Forbes.com put Los Angeles as the fourth WORST city in the entire country to look for a job.

Why on earth would I make this up from thin air?

The only people that I know that have found work or left one job for another are people that KNEW someone to get the position. Unless the OP and others have a skill that is NOT common then they might be able to find work.

All city and state agencies are shedding their departments to bare bones. Many state and city employees are being furloughed to try to keep their jobs which is NOT working. Accepting mandatory days off will not save your jobs as people are still being laid off.

And you have the nerve to call me "Arrogant"?

How am I arrogant by point out the obvious? You must be one of those "always speak positively people no matter what" folks. You guys refuse to see "negativity" in any situation which results in not planning properly for the eventuality of your "dream" or "desire" falling through.

This is something prevalent throughout California which is why the state is in the mess it's in now. Refusing to see the "reality" of your situation.

[marilyn220]

[quote=lightangel;16888788]i dont have paralegal experience

but obviously millions of people are able to find employment in southern california, why cant it be me, considering i am much younger, more educated, and more beautiful than 90% of them?[/QUOTE]

You can always be an escort or paid *****, since you're so "beautiful".

[londoner1]

Marilyn, I was responding to Lightangel. I think she was being arrogant with "I'm bla bla bla", not you.

And I am a realist more than anything. It's not realistic that out of the entire state there is not one single job vacant. That's a pretty ridiculous thing to claim.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by marilyn220

I'm one of those people that have officially stopped looking. I'm leaving here in January for good. It doesn't matter where I go, all I know is that ANYWHERE else has got to be better than LA.

So many people are leaving my apartment building not because they want to, but because they have to. Either they can't pay their rent and leave voluntarily or they get evicted.

There are no HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS in Los Angeles. If you can't pay your rent, welfare will not pay for it for you. What's crazy is that they'll pay up to $1,000 a month to house in a shelter hotel with no cooking utilties, but can't give you less than that to stay in your current apartment.

Backwards.

It is shocking how many apt buildings in LA have For Rent signs, in fact I don't think there is a building that doesn't. I don't ever remember seeing anything like it before.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by seain dublin

It is shocking how many apt buildings in LA have For Rent signs, in fact I don't think there is a building that doesn't. I don't ever remember seeing anything like it before.

I'll tell you how bad it is: The Irvine Company sent someone I know a notice that they were reducing their rent when their lease expired. IAC is pretty much known for putting the screws to their tenants so for them to voluntarily reduce an existing tenant's rent is a bad financial sign. My own complex (not IAC) has had at least one vacancy the entire 2+ years I've been here. This place is cheap for the area and 5 years ago all it took was a tiny sign in the front to get units re-rented before the existing tenant had even moved out. People are doubling up, moving in with family, etc because they can't afford the rents anymore.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

I'll tell you how bad it is: The Irvine Company sent someone I know a notice that they were reducing their rent when their lease expired. IAC is pretty much known for putting the screws to their tenants so for them to voluntarily reduce an existing tenant's rent is a bad financial sign. My own complex (not IAC) has had at least one vacancy the entire 2+ years I've been here. This place is cheap for the area and 5 years ago all it took was a tiny sign in the front to get units re-rented before the existing tenant had even moved out. People are doubling up, moving in with family, etc because they can't afford the rents anymore.

Well I noticed many had "move in specials". I know of a building in LA that has 40 units and 9 of them are vacant. And this is in Highland Park which is a lower rent area. They still can't fill them up.

I don't ever recall in over 20 yrs in the LA area ever seeing so many For Rent signs. You can drive down any street from the Valley to West Hollywood to the South Bay, it is all vacancy signs.