Seeking Relocation and Job Hunt Advice (find a job, live, versus)

[Generic Bicoastal Liberal]

Gee whiz, man - Chris Farley's "van down by the river" comes to mind. But seriously, everywhere is SO TOUGH to find work in. Everyone's town is SO TOUGH compared with everywhere else. If it's SO TOUGH everywhere, what difference does it make if the kid moves to LA or stays put? It's ALL HOPELESS!!! AHHHHHHHHH!!! If people don't hire people who don't have jobs, then no people would have jobs, don't you think? Why would someone say they wouldn't hire someone who doesn't have a job? How absurd is that!

Here's the real life lesson, kid: there are many people out there who have a very narrow view of life, and for some reason assume everyone else does too. Luckily, narrow views are not all the SAME narrow views. So, you can get "lucky" two ways: 1) by finding an employer who does not have a narrow view, or 2) by finding an employer whose narrow view happens NOT to exclude you! Presto - a job.

I love when people talk in absolutes: like, e.g.: "employers don't hire people without jobs," or, "landlords don't rent to people without jobs," or, "women don't date guys without jobs." All are false. Who cares if you lose your money in LA, or staying at home - if all is hopeless, then what does it matter? Take your own advice and go to LA - but make sure that's your primary goal.

[uptown_urbanist]

Based on my experiences, anyway (living in LA when things started to combust, and in Minneapolis now but with some LA job connections still) the situation is far, far worse in LA than in Minneapolis. I'm not sure how San Diego is doing; my San Diego relatives are definitely hurting, but I don't know if it's worse or better than LA. We lived for a time in SF and things were better there (not the massive feeling of free-falling that we felt in LA), but still far from good. Plus, cost of living was a LOT higher.

In any case, I think the job situation is much, much, much worse in LA than it will be in Minneapolis. My recent college-age Minneapolis relatives or friends have all managed to find decent jobs in relatively (compared to LA!) short time. It's certainly not all smooth sailing here, and I still know people who are job hunting, but in my experience, anyway, it's literally like a night-and-day difference.

It might be worth taking the risk and making the move -- after all, there are jobs out there, just with hundreds of other people also all applying for them -- but only if you're willing to potentially burn through your savings, and if you recognize it as a gamble. The odds of finding a job in a reasonable time frame will be much, much higher in Minneapolis. Whether or not it's worth it is up to you. If I were in your shoes I'd probably be willing to risk it (and consider it just like an extended vacation if things didn't work out), but don't come expecting it to be easy, and know exactly how much you're willing to spend until you give up and move on. Then again, you could be lucky, and could find a job quickly and things will fall into place. Everything's a gamble. At least you're set with a lot of savings, no dependents, and some flexibility.

[Generic Bicoastal Liberal]

Also, I must point out that I DO have a hump, and I only have $450. This is AMERICA!!! If you can't make it here, you can't make it in Haiti, either! It's hard to find jobs, especially with a hump. Imagine my dating options! Now IS the time to uproot, when things are bad everywhere! What better time to start fresh, than now? Take another job from the locals - that is what capitalism is about, no? yes? It's always the strictest of capitalists who complain when capitalism goes bad. The fact is, capitalism has BUILT-IN unemployment! That's the system. One cannot cheer capitalism in the good times, then blame others for capitalism's faults in the bad times. So, buy into the system or not, but do it all one way. I also think that vans are not economical. A van is a bad career move. But, you could be homeless and still have a mailing address, right? And you could send out resumes from Starbucks, right? LA is the BEST city in the country, especially for those who are be-humped. Heck, I can't even get noticed!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Generic Bicoastal Liberal

I must point out that I DO have a hump

I think people with humps should never be hired. In fact, I think they should be cast out on to the hills to rot away or maybe used for laboratory experiments.

[nighthouse66]

vans will save your ass. imagine living in your ford escort. believe me, there are loads of success stories that started with "i was living in my car when....." you gotta have true grit, and i am chock full of that. better to have a van than to have to sleep under a bridge and pray you don't get sodomized.

[NickelDime]

Originally Posted by nighthouse66

vans will save your ass.

Originally Posted by nighthouse66

better to have a van than to have to sleep under a bridge and pray you don't get sodomized.

So THAT'S what you meant by that first sentence.

[nighthouse66]

Originally Posted by NickelDime

So THAT'S what you meant by that first sentence.

LOL

and BTW, i have heard the "van down by the river" jokes millions of times, and every time i hear it everyone acts like they are the first to mention it. its like "stairway to heaven"- it was good the first billion times i heard it.

laugh if you must, but i have a bed, bookshelves, even a sink in there. i have power, just didn't have it hooked up. believe me, my van is like an apartment on wheels, and he who laughs last, laughs hardest.

[Inter441]

i am here almost 3 weeks now still stuck with my odd job in the mall i been networking might get a job soon

[Generic Bicoastal Liberal]

Somebody named Charles is hump-ist.

[Generic Bicoastal Liberal]

But really, I was giving some solid advice to OP and once again, my hump is attacked. Vans and humps. Poor OP needs some real-life advice! Humps and vans. So much negativity in this economy. I don't think it's THAT difficult to get A job in LA. The comparison to Minneapolis, if analyzed closely, is purely anecdotal, hence not scientific. Discount it entirely. It's hard - yes. Not that I have any first-hand experience. Just me and my hump. But it's hard EVERYWHERE. If it takes 1 year to find a job in LA vs. 6 months in Minniehahhahaha, would that change OP's mind on LA? It wouldn't change mine. What is 6 months vs. the rest of your life? Be broke now - be happy later. Do it.