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Where would you recommend someone relocate to if they don't have any particular standout talents or skills but are ready to work hard and build their careers?
I (and surely others here also) am ready and willing to move somewhere to get a job that doesn't require 5+ years of experience or any specialized knowledge or advanced degrees that all the entry level job ads seem to demand these days.
While I do have a college degree, at this point, I'm fed up with applying for those jobs knowing that they either won't look at my resume (I hardly have any experience after all, just a degree from an albeit really good school) or there's always someone out there who's far more qualified and willing to work for less.
So I'm really ready for anything at this point. Doesn't even have to require a college degree. I would like to go somewhere with a booming economy that is hungry for hard workers and maybe even willing to actually invest in giving us the training we need so we can do our best.
I know some people like to recommend coding/programming, and I do think that's a good idea. But it takes (realistically) at least 6 months up to several years to get good enough to be hireable. So while I'm not against coding on my free-time, I would really like to just hit the ground running with something that can offer a paycheck.
So please help with any all of your ideas, CD. I am really open to anything. Are there parts of the US that are struggling to find people? Or certain industries? Or maybe specific companies you might know or have heard of? Anything will help, thank you!
Go to a cold weather city with a low unemployment rate. They'd love to have you. Minneapolis for example.
Expensive coastal cities also need rank-and-file workers, who aren't plentiful because they're priced out. But here's the trick: Outside of SF, these places are doable if you don't have a car, debt, housepets, or kids, and you might need a roommate for a while.
Yea I don't care too much about the weather. Will definitely move for the job.
I actually have applied to jobs out in the midwest and rust-belt states but received no responses.
Besides my obvious lack of work experience, I think companies are reluctant to hire out-of-state candidates.
I would pack everything up and make the move to go job-hunting there, but the general consensus on CD is that this doesn't work anymore and that it's far wiser to line up a job first before making any moves.
I am in a similar situation as you. I do not have my degree yet, because I am a senior now. I am an IT major and I live in New Jersey. My dream is to move out West and I am not open to the eastern half of the US at all. IT jobs in NJ are scarce and you have to have a prestigious resume to even get a real job of any kind out here. The whole NY Metro Area is like that. Booming cities are usually secondary cities and those are the Millennial trends. If you are into technology, so far, San Francisco has tons of technology opportunities although it is not a secondary city. I am also looking at the San Francisco Bay Area as a backup plan, since my grandparents live there.
Secondary cities in the West that are definitely booming would be Boise, Colorado Springs, or Phoenix. Salt Lake City would also be a secondary city, but those three mentioned are definitely booming cities.
In the East, I would say Charlotte in North Carolina is a booming city. Most New Jerseyans who could not get jobs ended up getting a job there.
Hey, that's awesome to hear. I was hoping this could be helpful to someone else besides me I was sure I'm not the only one in this boat...
I have friends in the NYC metro area, and the general consensus there is that the job market is extremely competitive. Companies there are unwilling to just "take a chance" on you, and that hiring/recruiting there follows a kind of formal well-defined process that requires you to have already checked off a lot of their prerequisites before they even look at you (liking having gone to one of their target schools, for ex.)
Luckily for you, seems like you have more time than I do, so definitely do your best to lock something down before you graduate. I know my parents don't mind having me live at home, but it definitely cuts into their ability to go live their best lives now that they're empty-nesters.
Get in on the ground floor of a big corporation doing well. No matter the job, just get in. Work hard, be all they want you to be. Sound advice 40 years ago, sound advice today. I know folks who started answering phones and now manage entire office sites and business units. And that wasnt the 60s, they started in the 00s.
Even if you only plan to stick around for a handful of years, it will be good for experience in how big organizations function.
I would love to if given the chance.
If you don't think I've already tried applying to the most entry-level of entry-level jobs there are out there, guess again.
I'm apparently "overqualified" with the implication being that I'll just quit and take another job when conditions improve.
Move to a big city with a very low unemployment rate. My suggestion would be Boston which at 2.6% unemployment is a full percent below the national average. When the rate dips below 3% employers in all but the most specialized fields typically have issues filling entry level positions with desirable candidates. Is Boston considered expensive? Yes, but as arguably the nation's biggest college town (Harvard, Boston College, Boston U, Northeastern U, Tufts and several others) finding shared and affordable living space is a breeze and often a great way to network for jobs via roommate/new friend acquaintances. Bear in mind as well that "expensive" cities have significantly higher salaries so conceivably in a shared living situation you could find yourself able to put aside some savings versus living paycheck to paycheck.
Thanks didn't know about Boston, I'll definitely look into it.
The only big concern I have with larger more expensive metros is that I know I'll have to start from the ground level up and that means I may not even have the funds to try to "last" until I can get my salary up.
Any industries or companies there you could suggest?
Actually, a lot of “Rust Belt” cities are in this position of baby boomers retiring and needing people to take the jobs that they are leaving. This is occurring in Upstate NY. A couple of references to this: https://www.localsyr.com/news/newsma...nd-doug-wehbe/
When you're 65, there's an enormous advantage to having lived in a high cost of living region of the country. Your pay was much higher so you likely have a much bigger Social Security check. You probably saved more in your 401(k). You're sitting in a big pile of home equity. When you stop working, you can always move to a lower cost of living place.
I really want to believe you...but I'm wondering if you understand what my generation is facing...
- Home equity sounds nice...if we can even afford the down payment, especially in high COL regions like you recommend.
- Home ownership is only a good idea when your work situation is secure...which is not the case for a lot of my gen
- I don't think you see the same economy we do...the salary offers are NOT high. Companies know they can get away with low-balling especially entry-level jobs since 1) there's so many of us willing to do it at that price and 2) so many want to live in those high COL areas.
- You need to have some money leftover from your paycheck to even put anything into your 401k. It's really not easy to do when you're only making 35k/year in NYC.
We are the least likely to own homes, have children, or even make purchases outside of the absolute necessities. We are literally doing everything we can to minimize our expenses. I know there are rich millennials everywhere flaunting their parents' wealth, but I'd say the majority of us are in my boat. We keep our heads down and work hard and try to save whatever we can. We can't afford the high COL areas. And social security may not exist when we retire. I'm sorry I think you meant to help, but it came across tone-deaf to the reality of the situation.
Back in 2012, I was making a very low income in a rural part of Virginia. There's no job base there. I started looking at places with low unemployment rates, openings in my field, and a reasonable cost of living. The COL in a superstar city would have eaten me alive. I ended up in Des Moines. It met the need at the time.
That's awesome. And exactly how I should be doing things.
If you don't mind, could you talk a bit about how you went about doing this?
You researched low COL areas first, found Des Moines, and applied to jobs on Indeed/LinkedIn?
NotEnufMinerals, the key is networking rather than sending applications. Also important is having a well-defined goal for your first career!
1. Who do you know in the professional world? They don't have to be in your industry. They just have to be your advocate and ears/eyes. Family friends, relatives, parents of your friends?
2. If someone asks you what you're good at or what you want to do ... do you have a good response? I go to great lengths to help people make the right connections but when I get an answer like "I just want a job. I'll do anything," I shake my head an move on. You either relate well to people or you don't. What kind of data/products/services would you be good at analyzing, for example? You can either sell ice cream to an Eskimo or you can't. You either love getting lost in the details of research or you don't. What makes you YOU?
3. Do you have an updated Linkedin Profile? Have you connected with more experienced people in your industry and asked for advice and help getting started?
4. What do you look like in a Google search? Search your name and location. Do you share interesting articles on LinkedIn, Facebook, or YouTube to connect your face with something professional or do you appear in embarrassing photos and questionable forums?
5. Are you keeping yourself informed about your industry by setting up Google Alerts, following trendsetters in an industry, etc.?
6. Have you called companies and told them you were willing to take any job for the chance to gain experience and move toward you desired career? I once offered to work 6 months or free in return for learning programming. The deal was that if after 6 months I had learned the skill acceptibly, they would hire me at an agreed salary. I got the job 6 months later as well as free training.
7. Have you joined any organizations to expose yourself to movers and shakers ... Local Data Meetup Groups, ToastMasters, United Way, HonorAir...
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I was sure I'm not the only one in this boat...
