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Is it active or dormant? After 6 months, they lose their active status. You're still ahead of the game with it dormant (up to two years if I'm not mistaken). I have no idea what field you're in or what job function you've worked in before, but San Diego is at the top of the game as far as UAV development at Northrop Grumman, General Atomics, SPAWAR, SAIC, etc., that mostly require clearances. Viasat in Carlsbad has some cleared positions as well. You may find lots of opportunity up in El Segundo with LA Air Force Base related intelligence/space work, plus you'd get to live in the South Bay.
Is it active or dormant? After 6 months, they lose their active status. You're still ahead of the game with it dormant (up to two years if I'm not mistaken). I have no idea what field you're in or what job function you've worked in before, but San Diego is at the top of the game as far as UAV development at Northrop Grumman, General Atomics, SPAWAR, SAIC, etc., that mostly require clearances. Viasat in Carlsbad has some cleared positions as well. You may find lots of opportunity up in El Segundo with LA Air Force Base related intelligence/space work, plus you'd get to live in the South Bay.
I am finding out the status now from my old FSO. It's probably Dormant. I used to work as a financial analyst for a division of L-3 Communications.
I'm now working as an accountant. I'll have 2 degrees in finance and accounting when I move out there. Don't know if there is a market for financial people with clearances
There's always budget analysts at any agency or defense contractor, and you'd possibly be able to get into entry level contract management, although contracts management requires a lot of specialized training. You would probably have better luck with a budget analyst gig with a company that's headquartered in the area like General Atomics or Viasat. I think most large contractors have tried to centralize financial functions at their HQs in Arlington and Fairfax.
When I did my final phone conversation with the woman who was going to become my boss, she said something very clearly to me.
"Don't come here because you want a job. I can't promise you that past December. Come here because you want to be here."
And then she paused for a second and said "It sounds like that's what you want."
She was right. I wanted to be here and I wanted to get the hell out of DC. I was going to make it work come hell or high water. even got the high water as Fashion Valley's parking garage where I would normally park got flooded that December.
If you are willing to work hard and hustle, you can make it work. It's like what Edison said. It's 99 percent perspiration and one percent inspiration.
The one percent is wanting to live here. Are you willing to do the other 99 percent?
That's the one thing I've really noticed about San Diego is there seems to be an extremely high turnover from people that move here that actually stay here for the long term. I don't have official figures about this but I'd be curious how many people move to San Diego and actually stay more than 5 to 10 years?
Several people we met already have moved or in the stages of moving soon. And when we make good friends, one of the first things they ask us is "are you planning to stay in San Diego long?". One of our close friends we have made here that lives near us told us they will take the time and energy to make friendships only to have those people move away after a relatively short amount of time.
That's interesting they think like that. I've seen high turnover used as reasons for being both difficult and easy to make friends. I'd personally rather be friends for a few years than not at all, but to each his own. Plus, it's awesome having friends across the country/world.
If you asked me if I was staying for the long term I honestly wouldn't have known how to answer. I don't move anywhere with the explicit intention of leaving, but sometimes the situation doesn't end up being right.
We came here because of my spouses job. He had been to SD a number of times and pretty much thought it was a dream location, but did not seriously consider moving here because of the cost of living and job market. I joined him at a conference in 2005 or 06 and really thought it was nice, but didnt consider it livable based on the cost of living (real estate was through the roof then), as I have shared on other threads a realtor we met here told us we could have roommates. As you can imagine, being people who had bought 4 homes, this was not going to happen.
Didnt think much about San Diego for many years. We loved Cleveland, neither of us were from there but loved the city, the people we met, our home, and the quality of life-the last view years we lived there I dont think I ever went more than 2 months without a trip somewhere-NYC, CHI, Europe, Hawaii, etc. We are not high rollers but the COL was so low we could do this (and still save nicely for retirement). the weather was so bad there in the winter we budgeted for 3 get aways to someplace warm every winter. One thing about SD is I dont feel like I need to be going somewhere else all the time...maybe I am finally home.
My husband applied for job out here, on a lark- it was a cold icey february. He got the job (flown out to interview by employer and relocation paid). I did not come out when he did (aug) as I had a lot of things to wrap up with our home, and my work. I came out in Nov 2010. We budgeted to live comfortable off his income for a year. We never touched savings, but retirement contribuations could not occurr if I was not working. I didnt start working until August of 2011.You can stop reading now or see below to see how crazy it can be to get a job.
I started applying for jobs when I was in Cleveland, using our address in San Diego. I never got called for an interview until December-for 2 in fact. Both positions I had actually done before, so chances are good I would have had a great shot at getting hired. But we had a non refundable vacation paid for and they would not deviate from the interview schedule so I had to decline. SInce I had only been here a month, I thought I could expect other interview invitations at the same rate, and this is a huge metro area right? (faulty thinking) Well this did not happen. I could not get interviews for jobs requiring a GED (I have a Master's and excellent job experience) for months!
Meanwhile, I started to volunteer, a process I started before moving here. Luckily I happened to be out here visting my husband when they called and gave me 48 hours to show up for a drug test! I worked for government agency in part knowing it would look solid on a resume (if volunteer expereince didint get filtered out in screening). While greatful to have the oppurtunity, the work was not what I wanted. I was sequestered to a cubicle with piles of office type work to do. But I would talk to anyone who would give me the time. One of these people used to work in HR. He said I could almost forget getting a job out here until I had been around for at least a year. Why?? He said people move out here with not enough money to get by, and just cant cut it. They leave and the employer is back to square one. He said most positions in my field (Human Services) would get over 300 applicants and they just pitched most of them from people out of area or recently relocated.
When he found out I had a Masters he gave me a friends number to call as he worked at one of the places I applied for a position. I called the person. He was very nice, said there were no volunteer opportunites, positions were not being filled BUT, he would connect me to a collegue at the local university- this occurred and they were thrilled to have me working on a research project.
Then low and behold, in June 2011, I got a call regarding a job I applied for in Sept 2010 while still in Cleveland. I interviewed -and guess what? it was at the same agency that referred me to the University so I was able to drop a few names and most important -because of the project I had been working on, had some local knowledge and understanding of the population I would be working with.I accepted the position although it was not exactly what I wanted at the time. It is interesting to note when they called me for the interview, they asked if I was still working in Cleveland, so I actually could have gotten this interview without the volunteer experience.
Within a week of accepting I called for 2 interviews at the university. With a heavy heart I declined to interview, as I already committed to the place I am working now. My job has a lot of positive elements, but does not have the kind of stimulating challenges I was used to. Both the husband I miss the intellectual side and autonmy we had in our jobs in Cleveland. We are happy we are here though. I dont think I could live so far from the ocean again. Finacially it has been a perfectly good move. My spouses income is much higher. Sadly mine, while not bad, is about the same. We are able to save etc. Unfortunetely my brother (i'm his only family member) has had a health crisis (brain injury) that erupted the day I received my first paycheck last year....so we have been fully supporting him until he gets on disabilty. Once that is straitened out things will be even better financially.
Anyway....I would not move here without a job, or spouse/partner having a job. thats just me. Im cautious with money, have traveled a lot, lived in different regions of the country, but am not going to blow my future just to live near the beach. And if you do come with a partner/spouse who does have a job, I would budget to live off their salary. For a LONG time.
Last edited by Clevelandgal; 11-28-2012 at 08:11 PM..
Reason: Want to fix typos...iPad won't let me ;)
That's interesting they think like that. I've seen high turnover used as reasons for being both difficult and easy to make friends. I'd personally rather be friends for a few years than not at all, but to each his own. Plus, it's awesome having friends across the country/world.
If you asked me if I was staying for the long term I honestly wouldn't have known how to answer. I don't move anywhere with the explicit intention of leaving, but sometimes the situation doesn't end up being right.
Absolutely Radical I agree with you that I'd rather make friends for a few years vs. not at all. It's not a case of the people we met not wanting to bother to be friends. More so them just being bummed out that they had some great friends and many of them end up leaving town. Heck, in a short amount of time, I've already met people and made some friendships and they moved out of San Diego or on their way out.
I've only lived here for 1.5 years but in that time I've made some great friends here in San Diego. I've never had a problem making friends. I've heard some people complaining that it's difficult to make friends in San Diego. I do think you have to make a bit more of an effort here in San Diego but I don't find it's difficult if you are a bit more outgoing and open to meeting people.
I totally agree it's awesome having friends from other countries around the world. I lived abroad for 8 years and made so many wonderful friendships. It's fun to visit them and have them visit.
I can honestly say that this is the first time I've lived somewhere where I definitely knew I would be here for the long haul. But part of that is having kids and wanting to raise them here. We love it here.
I moved here 3 months ago or so from Michigan - was looking to go somewhere different, and applied to a number of jobs in different areas. In all cases, I used my Michigan address/phone number on the application. As for my current job at UCSD - I had already collaborated with and met some of them through my previous job with the University of Michigan (the project I had been working on was closely related to their project). As such, I got in touch with them to inquire about openings when I started my search, and they got back to me a couple months later when an opening was available - at which point I applied, and eventually got the offer.
On the other hand, of the other jobs I applied to in various cities around the US (many - perhaps over 100), I got hardly any response - a couple brief phone interviews, but that was about it - save for one offer from the FBI in San Francisco. That was intriguing, but the salary really didn't measure up to SF's cost of living (not to mention that they wanted a response the next day).
In the end, I would definitely suggest leveraging your network and/or specific technical skills if at all possible to get a job from out-of-area - otherwise, it may be tough to compete with locals (who will be able to start sooner, and who won't have any relocation expenses).
I am in the hiring process with a local government agency. Truthfully, the only way I got an interview with them was because I already know a higher up in this government agency.
I have experienced several times, local bias. Employers not wanting to even interview someone not local. I had offered to fly myself out for the interview and still was turned down due to me living 2400 miles away.
I would suggest doing what "EarlyRetirement" suggested. Getting a local phone number via Google and obtaining a local address in some way.
I would also suggest as others have already, get a job before moving. We will not be moving unless I am successful at securing this job. I am open to transfer to SD with my current company, but the salary doesn't cover living in SD.
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long version!
