T Minus 11 days....no job? no place? Oh well. (Seattle: sublet, to rent)

[lprock22]

So been trying to move up to Seattle from LaLa Land for the last few years and really started looking hard for work and such about 6 months ago.

Since October I've submitted 21 applications and got no bites. I have a steady work history, been with local government for the last 6 years so I'm not unemployable...and certainly not 'we shouldn't even interview him' material.

So....I'm taking the leap. I have 8 work days left at my job, and am almost packed. Gonna make the roadtrip up on 3/4/11 hopefully to make it up there by 3/7 after making stops along the way.

Bringing my clothes, my hockey gear and my guitars and enough money to make it for about 3 months. That's it.

Has anyone done anything similar to this, any tips? Any tips on the drive?

I'm trying to find some short term room/sublet kindda thing, but again that's been hard form out of state since I can't meet anyone in person or view places.

So what does everyone think? Any positive advice, leads etc. would be appreciated. Trust me I already know how risky this is, but I'm all in. I haven't liked where I'm at for a long time and I love it up there and that's where I wanna be...now to make it work.

[ResQd]

Im kinda/sort of in the same boat...I have submitted about 40+ resumes and have a couple of interviews lined up as of today. I love Seattle too and hopefully everything will work out, but if I don't get the job situation panned out beforehand I am prepared to move there with nothing but my wife dog and belongings. Now, my savings account will give me a safety net for about 4-6months, but hopefully it won't come to that being that Seattle is a place with such a big IT footprint and my wife is an RN. My plan overall is just to trust in God and let the chips fall were they may...that plan has had nothing but positive results in my past. I hope everything works out for you.

[Xanathos]

You haven't been getting responses because you don't have a local address (either that or you just suck as a candidate). There's no need to talk to out of state candidates (except for in IT) because there are plenty of local workers to choose from. Put a Seattle address on your resume (just pick one out of a phone book) and your results will likely change.

Of course, one benefit for the OP is that this state loves hiring state government workers that we don't need, so that might give him an in. Though with the budget crunch, that practice might finally be coming to a stop.

[Hemlock140]

The next budget has not yet been approved but there are likely to be many layoffs in state government. The City of Seattle has already cut over 200
people the first of the year, adding to the numbers of people looking for jobs.

When we hire all interview appointments are made by phone, so if you want to appear to be local make sure you have a local cell phone. A local address with an out-of-state area code could raise concerns.

I do know local people that have taken a year or more to find a job after being laid off, a few months worth of savings may not do it, but I do wish you good luck.

[TotalFat]

I say go for it. Where there's a will there's a way. I know a handful of people who are in similar situations. They hate where they are and want to move to (SOMEWHERE ELSE). They get laid off or the job runs out. Then they're on unemployment. I tell 'em all it's the perfect time to go since they have a trickle of income coming in and no job to tie them down. The response is always, "noooo I can't move yet I need to get another job and save up until I have enough money to move." Eventually they get another job and scrape by living paycheck to paycheck until they get laid off again. This cycle repeats until they die.

[kanhawk]

Originally Posted by lprock22

I'm trying to find some short term room/sublet kindda thing, but again that's been hard form out of state since I can't meet anyone in person or view places.

If you go to HotPads or craigslist you can find some listings for studio apts. or rooms to rent in homes around the city, some even in the nicer areas, that you may get for around $600-$650 a month. In Seattle, that's about as cheap as it gets, unless you want to live with the meth heads and tweekers.
As for jobs, I do know it's getting a bit harder for illegal aliens to get work, so some of the jobs they do around this area like landscaping, etc. may be more available.

[Capo]

I too am a bit concerned with how much savings you have coming up here with no job. 3 months may be tight.

I would suggest that you live as cheaply as humanly possible. While you're looking for a "real" job, supplement your income via random things. Heck, even small manual labor jobs on craigslist may help.

Be prepared to go out of your comfort zone. Try to stretch those 3 months to 4 or 5 by living below your norm. If you get a job earlier, then you still have a little left in savings (a good thing).

I wish you luck either way!

[lprock22]

Originally Posted by Capo

I too am a bit concerned with how much savings you have coming up here with no job. 3 months may be tight.

I would suggest that you live as cheaply as humanly possible. While you're looking for a "real" job, supplement your income via random things. Heck, even small manual labor jobs on craigslist may help.

Be prepared to go out of your comfort zone. Try to stretch those 3 months to 4 or 5 by living below your norm. If you get a job earlier, then you still have a little left in savings (a good thing).

I wish you luck either way!

Ya this is pretty much what I'm going to be doing. And the fact is, I'm not going to be picky in the early going as far as jobs. Just something to stop the bleeding to keep me afloat.

[lprock22]

Originally Posted by Xanathos

You haven't been getting responses because you don't have a local address (either that or you just suck as a candidate). There's no need to talk to out of state candidates (except for in IT) because there are plenty of local workers to choose from. Put a Seattle address on your resume (just pick one out of a phone book) and your results will likely change.

Of course, one benefit for the OP is that this state loves hiring state government workers that we don't need, so that might give him an in. Though with the budget crunch, that practice might finally be coming to a stop.

Ya that's why I'm doing what I'm doing. I definatley don't suck as a candidate, most of those apps were submitted for positions I either a)would directly transfer into skill wise b)would be slightly over qualified, though not glaringly so. Only a few were reaches.

I have to figure its the lack of being local.

[ryanmm]

Yeah not being a local is a huge problem for all but the most highly skilled and/or in demand jobs--doctors & lawyers, engineers, upper level execs, some IT jobs, etc. That's not unique to Seattle, it's true of most places in the US...why bother with an out of towner, who may or may not be serious about moving here, when you have enough locals applying?