Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My husband and I want to move to NYC...The only way I see it happening is if we just quit our jobs, sell most of our stuff and just go. Not all right away of course. I was thinking, we could save $20,000 in about a year, then just up and leave. After reading stuff on here though, it sounds like we're not going to find an apartment without at least one of us having a job lined up - I'm currently a state government employee in PA, and when I was looking at NY state gov't jobs, they all require 90 day residency. No big deal, I figured I could pick up odd jobs, maybe something in retail, and my husband is a bartender, so he could easily make good money - if he can find a job. But I think it would be easier to live in NYC while we look for jobs...
So - how hard would it be for us to take $20-$30 grand, and start out in NYC being jobless?
I'd line up work first. You're correct that you need stable income most times to get an apartment. Even a bartending job for your husband is not easy to find, bc people rarely leave bars that pay well, so you'd have to have it timed perfectly - which is luck (this is coming from someone with experience). Maybe take your experience and apply for a private sector job in NY for a while, then look into working for the state at a later point. I wouldn't just sell everything, show up in NY and expect things to fall into your lap, and 20-30k is about a years rent, not including any other expenses you'll incur (like eating)
NY State is in the midst of a fiscal crisis like none that any of us have ever seen.People are being laid off left and right and it looks like there is a lot more to come in the next year or so.It would be really foolish to move to a place as competitive as NY on the assumption(or even hope)of finding a state job any time soon.
And a big chunk,probably most,NY State jobs are in Albany.
Nobody should move to NYC jobless.
Could you transfer your current position to one in the Lehigh Valley area? That way, your husband could look for a job in New York, and commute via the bus from Easton, which is somewhat of a long ride, but might give entree to the city. Other areas to consider would be East Stroudsburg for maintaining the PA residency, yet having proximity to NYC.
Once your husband has a job, and you have your savings, then you could make a transition to New York if you were to find a vacancy. It would be difficult to drop everything and start over in the city, and would be better if you could be in the extended metro area, and then move to NY.
__________________
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
What I don't understand is that if jobs are so hard to come by, why are there a million job postings in the NY Times/monster.com (which I just submitted applications for several jobs with Time Warner), and Craigslist is over flowing with help wanted ads? I have retail experience, restaurant experience, hospital experience, human resources experience, and government experience...You're telling me I wouldn't even be able to get a part time job working at a Rite Aid, and maybe pick up some hours waiting tables? My husband and I aren't looking to live the high life, just to live in a more interesting and fun place, because everywhere else we've been is just plain boring. We can move in to a cheap studio and eat ramen noodles every day until we get on our feet for all we care! I'm not getting defensive, I'm just kind of annoyed after reading so many posts of people saying that there are NO jobs at all in NYC.
Could you transfer your current position to one in the Lehigh Valley area? That way, your husband could look for a job in New York, and commute via the bus from Easton, which is somewhat of a long ride, but might give entree to the city. Other areas to consider would be East Stroudsburg for maintaining the PA residency, yet having proximity to NYC.
Once your husband has a job, and you have your savings, then you could make a transition to New York if you were to find a vacancy. It would be difficult to drop everything and start over in the city, and would be better if you could be in the extended metro area, and then move to NY.
That's actually a really great idea, and not one we had thought of. It's hard for me to move out of my current job though because our state government is on a hiring freeze, but it's definitely something to think about. Thanks!
What I don't understand is that if jobs are so hard to come by, why are there a million job postings in the NY Times/monster.com (which I just submitted applications for several jobs with Time Warner), and Craigslist is over flowing with help wanted ads? I have retail experience, restaurant experience, hospital experience, human resources experience, and government experience...You're telling me I wouldn't even be able to get a part time job working at a Rite Aid, and maybe pick up some hours waiting tables? My husband and I aren't looking to live the high life, just to live in a more interesting and fun place, because everywhere else we've been is just plain boring. We can move in to a cheap studio and eat ramen noodles every day until we get on our feet for all we care! I'm not getting defensive, I'm just kind of annoyed after reading so many posts of people saying that there are NO jobs at all in NYC.
There are jobs in NYC, and it's getting better, but it's not fully recovered. There is also a TON of talent in NYC looking for jobs because they were let go and have not found new work yet. So while jobs are out there, employers are being more picky than usual before hiring. For a job where they may have only interviewed a couple people, they're now interviewing dozens.
I'm a performer - so I'm out of work a lot or doing odd jobs to pay the bills - and I moved to New York with out a job but with a chunk of change. Finding an apartment with out a job is difficult but not impossible. Sometimes they might ask you for 3-6 months rent up front. Even when I moved back to New York after being on tour for a year, I still found an apartment with in a couple weeks even though I didn't have a job. Both times, I rented out the third floor apartment in a condo complex in Astoria. My landlords lived in the apartment below - and they were both very nice families that trusted that I would pay the rent even though I didn't have a job when I moved in. Like I said - it's harder to find an apartment when you don't have a job - but not impossible.
Thanks for the replies - I've been looking at the job openings and submitted a couple resumes this afternoon. The plus side to getting a job before moving is that we can move sooner!
What I don't understand is that if jobs are so hard to come by, why are there a million job postings in the NY Times/monster.com (which I just submitted applications for several jobs with Time Warner), and Craigslist is over flowing with help wanted ads? I have retail experience, restaurant experience, hospital experience, human resources experience, and government experience...You're telling me I wouldn't even be able to get a part time job working at a Rite Aid, and maybe pick up some hours waiting tables? My husband and I aren't looking to live the high life, just to live in a more interesting and fun place, because everywhere else we've been is just plain boring. We can move in to a cheap studio and eat ramen noodles every day until we get on our feet for all we care! I'm not getting defensive, I'm just kind of annoyed after reading so many posts of people saying that there are NO jobs at all in NYC.
First, many of these jobs are employment agencies padding their records, or out and out fake job posting for phishing purposes.
Secondly, each job posting gets between 300-700 responses. Competition is the worst it's ever been. You can submit hundreds of resumes before you even get a phone call.
What is your monthly budget? What do you think your income will be? What do you do and is there a demand for those skills in the NYC area? Are there other areas that you are interested in? What if you don't find a job in a year? (I've been out 14 months, so don't think that it isn't possible). There's a lot to work out before you leave gainful employment because your life is 'boring'. I wish my life was 'boring'.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
