My experience moving here without a job and how long it took me to find one (Charlotte: lease, credit card)

[JLK706]

Well I moved here in the beginning of April without a job despite the recommendations not to do it! I only did it because my fiance landed a job and was able to cover us both. I was scared though reading these forums and the articles in the newspaper. It is definitely a lot harder here than where I came from, we left a great job market for our fields (IT) but we came for family reasons and a better quality of life.

I started looking on career builder a couple of months before our move and even had some phone interviews but they led nowhere. Once I got here I applied to hundreds of jobs on career builder and contacted every recruiting agency here. I looked at all the big companies and applied on their websites I even applied for Mecklenburg county jobs. After only a couple of weeks I was feeling very discouraged at the lack of call backs compared to the number I applied for. The only calls I ever got were from recruiters and mostly for temp contracts that did not offer benefits. I had about four interviews and my self esteem was starting to dive since I never got called back about any of them!

My feeling is that there are many jobs here but the competition is fierce! One of the interviews I did on the phone had recieved hundreds of resumes and they said I was lucky to make it that far. About two weeks ago I got a call from a recruiter about a full time position and after extensive interviewing I got the job!

I don't know if it will help anyone but I would say persevere and put in the work to find something. Call the recruiters up and check their websites for openings, it only takes one to work out but I must have applied to hundreds.

Good luck everyone!

[flyingscotsman]

Originally Posted by JLK706

Well I moved here in the beginning of April without a job despite the recommendations not to do it!

There in lies why we recommend do not move here without a job!!!!!

[anifani821]

Whew! Well, I am very relieved you found a job! You are right - it takes a lot of effort to do an effective job search. No guarantees that the right job is out there, but thank goodness you found one!! Congratulations- and I hope things work out well and you are very happy here in Charlotte!

[Ready2LeaveLI]

Congrats on your job. Thank you very much for the great advice. Because of this post and others, we (husband is getting transfer) are not moving to Charlotte w/out a job. (especially since we don't have alot of $ in the bank).

[redlikemethodz]

It sounds like the competition is so fierce because our jobs pool is being tapped by more than just the local workforce (i.e., FL, CA, NY, NJ, PA, etc residents). I could see this becoming a bigger issue if city government doesn't push harder to entice more companies to setup shop here. It's important to note that this issue would/does affect locals looking for new/better opportunities as out-of-state applications flood the market.

[LoveBoating]

Now, if you are lucky and get "transfered" here, that is nice. But, there are a lot of people that have to move and they have to move without having a job lined up in where they are moving to. Unless it is for a CEO, CFO, President or some other high ranking area, getting a job in one State while living in another is mostly impossible. We had to leave Denver, CO before their winter season set in or we would be shoveling snow again. Yes, it is hard finding a job in some areas, but that is why people should set money aside for that situation of moving without a job lined up.

Originally Posted by flyingscotsman

There in lies why we recommend do not move here without a job!!!!!

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by Ready2LeaveLI

Congrats on your job. Thank you very much for the great advice. Because of this post and others, we (husband is getting transfer) are not moving to Charlotte w/out a job. (especially since we don't have alot of $ in the bank).

I am so glad you made that decision. On this forum, we hear complaints after people have moved here and are frustrated - money running out - no jobs on the horizon - and we keep telling people not to come w/o jobs lined up. I also hear the same stories out in the public, and I just have to scratch my head. I have never even considered moving somewhere w/o a job first. I guess it has become a phenomenon in the last few years - people wanting out of an area and "just moving." I know I never heard of people moving w/o a job transfer or something new lined up until around 2000. Maybe people were doing that, but I sure didn't hear about it!!!

What is so upsetting - you hear that people come and are miserable and what can anyone say or do? Most of us have been through at least one down-sizing or company lay-off or company closing. So we know how awful it is to be without a job . . . but CLT is not the land of plenty w/ open jobs just waiting - it is competitive here. If at least one person has a job, then the spouse can keep hunting . . . glad to hear people are being more careful about making that big decision to uproot and move to an unknown situation.

Good luck to everyone!!!

[flyingscotsman]

I have never been out of work of some sort in my life.

On the other hand I will go and wash dishes etc, rather than sitting at home waiting for a job, you have to choose your attitude.

Once I had a job lined up that I knew with the job I had was ending I had no work for three weeks, I washed dishes for a week and then got a temp two week job that I would have paid to do. (I ended up working in Pinewood Studios even got to see gotham city).

One thing people seem to forget some money coming in is better than no money!!!!

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by flyingscotsman

I have never been out of work of some sort in my life.

On the other hand I will go and wash dishes etc, rather than sitting at home waiting for a job, you have to choose your attitude.

Once I had a job lined up that I knew with the job I had was ending I had no work for three weeks, I washed dishes for a week and then got a temp two week job that I would have paid to do. (I ended up working in Pinewood Studios even got to see gotham city).

One thing people seem to forget some money coming in is better than no money!!!!

Darn right, Scotsman! You gotta keep moving forward . . . you do what you have to do!!! I had a friend who was making in the 60s, company closed and she was desperate. Months went by. Another friend found an opening for her . . . but the pay was only in the high 20s. She took it out of sheer desperation. She ran up credit cards until she could get out of her lease, downsized and was in a tiny studio - cut everything out of her life - not even cable TV. However, after 18 months, she was able to move up in the organization, to a job paying in the 40s. Over the last 9 years, she has steadily moved up and is making about what she did when she lost her job. The good thing was - the bennies were many times better in her new job . . . plus a pension. She plans to stay there and retire if all goes well. It took her years to pay off debt. Stuff happens. Life does not always go on a smooth course, but you have to move forward and make the best out of the situation.

[flyingscotsman]

I am at the point that I may look around for a part time job, I want to put some money away and may finally break down and get a car, I would rather have the part time job pay for a car.

Last partime job I had was a temp xmas one, they kept me on after xmas, out of over 50 xmas temps they only kept one on.

I have the same work ethic if I was washing dishes, running a register etc as I do with my current job.