Relocating to Dallas with nothing lined up

[whodhu]

Originally Posted by loves2read

don't you think that one reason she felt a "greater sense of acceptance" was because she was HOME???

Her HOME was in Georgia before she & her mom moved up to Nashville, and she still hated it here. Plus I've been up there before so I know there are cities out there that are a lot friendlier and not necessarily as fast paced as Atlanta.

[loves2read]

I lived in Atlanta many years ago--went back for funeral about 6 or 7 years ago and I would not want to live there if I had to do much travel on freeways...
my SIL lived there through college and several years afterwards and they travel to visit friends there--and he hates it...
but he had a job in hand when he moved to FL from Atlanta...

I would not encourage anyone to move to new location w/o a job from one where you have one...
in this economy...

[LV702]

With no income you will have to pre-pay rent at most places.

[PatanjaliTwist]

Much of the info here is on-point, so although it may initially sound discouraging, I think people are trying to caution you against jumping too quickly due to impatience or dissatisfaction & perhaps getting yourself into a vast financial bind. Protect yourself & make the best decision you can for your own security.

Charging up your credit card, unless it's a life or death situation & you know you can pay it off in-full when the Visa bill arrives, is not a good strategy, which you'll feel full force should it take several months too long before you find a job (if you move without one) or you're not making what you thought you would initially or get unexpectedly laid-off. Why put yourself into that stressful position in any locale?

I've moved many times to new cities/states/countries, at times sight unseen & it's all worked out well because I planned well prior to moving, meaning 6-12 months of preparation. Part of being comfortable & secure with a move is having the fortitude to handle any problems I may encounter when uplifting & changing every major area of my life. It can sound refreshing & exciting, particularly if one is in a rut, but since we all need $$ to live, you basically hit the ground running in your new chosen home.

Ensure you're moving now for the right reasons & take your time to line up as much as possible beforehand. I'm not saying don't move at all... just be as set up in your new locale & as prepared for the inevitable. And, the inevitable may happen sooner or later... unexpected car repairs, lost wallet, have to buy a car fast for your new job, etc... will you be bankrupt & homeless if you've suddenly got to spend $1-2K on a hospital emergency because your Atlanta insurance won't cover the TX E.R., or suddenly have to move & come up with 1st/last/security because the current landlord can't/won't refund it for the full 30-days until you've vacated, which is outlined in your lease? If you've ever been in any of these binds, it feels dreadfully unpleasant.

Part of it is knowing all the reasons for moving... are you running FROM something (boredom, bad/no relationship, no friends/family, think city A has to be better than here because the pictures look lovely & you've "heard" it's great from those who vacationed there 10-yrs ago, your salary isn't fair & you think you can make more in city A)... in which case, perhaps a career change, hobby, further education, new apartment to a different side of the city or vacation would be most useful...

... or are you moving TO something (always wanted to live in Aspen to start your snowboarding company whilst you work your day job until it catches on, have 1/2-dozen good friends in Seattle who tell you there are plenty of jobs in your area of expertise, you'd love it & they can put you up for a few months, have a job to move to or you have someone to move with so you have support in a myriad of ways)... in which case, research the area, save up plenty of fall-back $$ before moving, visit if you can & go). It's a big difference... moving TO something or just AWAY from anything.

Also, being honest, are you the adventurous type? I don't know your age, but if you've lived your entire life in the same city, perhaps you just need to move from downtown to Little Five Points or into Buckhead & rent with a friend/roommate to afford the rents? You'll meet different people which will expand your network of contacts & perhaps this will parlay into other job offers or leads.

Find, create or join networking groups in Atlanta... there are many. Yahoo Groups is a start. There is an organization called Meetup... some get togethers are for social networking/club crawls (my experience is the member base is early 20's to early 30's), others are more business based dinners/coffee. I've seen very specific Yahoo groups such as French dinner/wine for Americans who speak French & do so for the entire evening or couples who consist of 1 American & 1 Brit. Meet with one, if it doesn't work out, try another. It may even lead to job leads in other states... you never know to whom you're speaking, where they've been & their story.

You mentioned having a college education which is great for you. Why not contact Dallas headhunters with a fresh, crisp resume and/or phone call, let them know you have a job, won't leave it until you've another & let them give you tips on securing employment in TX? I wouldn't play up your monetary dissatisfaction... let them know you're looking for a change in locale (you love their city & really want to live there), you've got a great job but feel ready for new challenges & you're looking forward to it... not that you're moving because you're disgusted with your current paycheck.

Present yourself as a winner with a college education & xx-yrs of experience already under your belt. Turn this into a winning situation. Until you're able to speak of moving by extracting the things you dislike about your current situation, stay where you are & perhaps learn even newer, bigger, better skills (padding a resume never hurts), feeling better about life in general & are moving with great enthusiasm, ready to sink your teeth into a new opportunity.

If you were offered the same $$ you make in Atlanta, would you move to Dallas anyway? Ask yourself all these questions, get a new resume together anyway because you'll need it sooner or later & begin poking around to see what's out there. If you build a new fun life for yourself, whatever you decide, you'll bring THAT fun spirit with you. If you hate your job, move to something you think is better & it's not perfect because your expectations are a bit skewed... well, you still bring THAT with you.

Dont' give up, just modify what you're doing now to begin changes slowly but surely. It will change if you allow it to. You're very lucky, you've a college education. Use it to your advantage... get a good resume & move forward. Best of luck to you.

[kanepowell2010]

I'm thinking about moving to Dallas Texas witihn the next few months. I currently reside in Atlanta, ga but I have been unable to secure a full-time position and I have been looking for over an year. I have a Masters Degree in Accounting and Financial Management but still havent found anything. My biggest concern is being able to find housing and a job rather quickly, what is the job market like out there?

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by kanepowell2010

I'm thinking about moving to Dallas Texas witihn the next few months. I currently reside in Atlanta, ga but I have been unable to secure a full-time position and I have been looking for over an year. I have a Masters Degree in Accounting and Financial Management but still havent found anything. My biggest concern is being able to find housing and a job rather quickly, what is the job market like out there?

Better than many areas, but it's not exactly paradise. Unemployment rate in DFW is hovering around 8% compared to national average of 9.5-10% range.

But this does not take into account another 10-20+% of DFW workers who have taken pay cuts and wage freezes over the past 2-3 years who may be actively seeking other employment, nor does it take into account those who were laid off and accepted part-time or inferior full-time work while they continue to work. The "under" employed rate in DFW could be near 25% or higher, according to a source I have at the Dallas Federal Reserve.

Yes, there are jobs here, but you will face stiff competition. Good luck. I really would not move here without a job- you'd have to outlay a lot of money to get an apartment rented (up to a year's rent up front with no verified income) and it may take you that long to find a job.

I'd seek out recruiters in your field in the DFW area and see what they think about the strength of your resume & experience in our local market.

[msbing766]

i'm actually doing the same thing! crazy, right? anyway, my husband and i are both professional people but are not afraid of hard work - we will wait tables, do temp jobs, anything. sometimes the need to change zip codes goes beyond escaping your problems, it's about getting off a dead end road and making your life go somewhere.

[tx2010]

I think that if you are somewhat resourceful you will be fine. I relocated to Philadelphia 7 years ago without a job. I sublet an apartment, and found work within a week. Everyone has different circumstances regarding savings, and what they are willing to do. If you do not have a problem waiting tables to tide you over until you find the full time gig, more power to you. I tend to only take advice from people who have actually done the same thing. Opinions are always helpful, but in this case, most of them are going to be people telling you not to do it.

[skids929]

Originally Posted by loves2read

charging up the credit card would be a very "dallas" like move, but hardly viable

actually that sounds like a move anyone would make who has no real plan or skills but lots of despiration -- and not necessarily tied to Dallas or any other state/city...

PLEASE -- don't come to Dallas ...to paraphrase a Dave Loggins' lyric...

Wait, didn't he sing Please Come to Boston??