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I live in San Francisco and have been planning on a move to NYC for a while, with a planned move in late August. My plan was to show up, get a short-term sublet, and pound the pavement looking for a job. I work as a clerk at a law firm and would be looking for similar work in NYC (though I'd be up for anything, it's just that the legal field is what I've been working in for 6 years) so I don't think it would be possible to get a job set up before I move there.
Anyway I have been pretty confident and the economy seemed to be doing ok for a while, but lately economic news just keeps getting worse. Bad unemployment numbers, low job growth, the Dow dropping badly all over the place.
Anyway I'm curious about the economic mood in NYC and what people who actually live there think about my chances and if they have any advice. I have enough money to survive without a job for probably 5 months but I don't really want to move there and then find there's no work and have to move in with my parents or whatever. Another option might be something like teaching English in some third world country but I dunno if I really want to do that.
I have a job which is something a lot of people can't say, but I'm pretty tired of SF and I don't want to put this off forever.
I live in San Francisco and have been planning on a move to NYC for a while, with a planned move in late August. My plan was to show up, get a short-term sublet, and pound the pavement looking for a job. I work as a clerk at a law firm and would be looking for similar work in NYC (though I'd be up for anything, it's just that the legal field is what I've been working in for 6 years) so I don't think it would be possible to get a job set up before I move there.
Anyway I have been pretty confident and the economy seemed to be doing ok for a while, but lately economic news just keeps getting worse. Bad unemployment numbers, low job growth, the Dow dropping badly all over the place.
Anyway I'm curious about the economic mood in NYC and what people who actually live there think about my chances and if they have any advice. I have enough money to survive without a job for probably 5 months but I don't really want to move there and then find there's no work and have to move in with my parents or whatever. Another option might be something like teaching English in some third world country but I dunno if I really want to do that.
I have a job which is something a lot of people can't say, but I'm pretty tired of SF and I don't want to put this off forever.
Ok let me lay it out a little to explain some of my incentive for moving out East.
I grew up in Florida and my parents still live there. From California it is 6+ hours to get there and quite expensive, and it gets so expensive around holiday times that between the price and conflicts with work I have only been home for Christmas once during the whole 6 years I have lived in SF, and I have never been able to go home for Thanksgiving. It was ok at first but by now it has really worn down on me. From NY it would be about a 2+ hour flight and still a little pricey but quite a bit cheaper and more doable in terms of the time frame.
Beyond that I really don't like the constant threat of earthquakes. By now I'm used to it but it would be nice to live somewhere that isn't constantly at threat of a massive deadly quake...of course I'd probably move to NYC and then suffer through some 9.0 once-in-a-lifetime NYC quake...
Someone at one of the huge, top NYC law firms told me in Feb. or March of this year that they used to hire 40 paralegals/legal assistants per year and that this year they hired only one. I am assuming by "this year" they meant academic year, since they generally have recruited legal assistants right out of college (probably top colleges) for a 2-year program at the firm.
I don't know what a law clerk does vs. paralegal/legal assistant, so I apologize if I am giving info that doesn't relate to your situation.
Also, maybe things have gotten better since February.
The legal industry in New York retrenched significantly in the last year, like everyone else. It's starting to recover, but slowly.
Your problem isn't moving, but moving in August. Huge numbers of students, both recent grads and incoming freshmen, arrive in August. Also, many attorneys and business people go on vacation then. Business, and hiring, doesn't start up again until September.
I'd be highly cautious before making any plans. I have experience as a paralegal (have certification from a top school, plus a bachelor's) and moved here from metro Detroit, seeking greener pastures. I am a waitress now six days a week. I interview when not busting my ass to make rent. The last interview was for a real estate firm last Thursday. They waited until during the interview to tell me the starting salary would be $18K with no health benefits. And they are not the exception.
UI rate around here is still near 10%. No one is hiring. Do NOT come here without the guarantee of a job.
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