San Diego Job Market (hotel, school district, college)

[TravelingBard]

I plan to move to San Diego in a month. I don't have to be in SD, but having lived elsewhere in CA, I think it would be preferable. However, I want and need to work. I hear some people on here writing that jobs are scarce in SD unless one is in Hi Tech. And I'm not in tech. I'm very computer literate, but don't write code etc. I'm a mature female with money saved. I'm semi-retired and have a small business that gives me very modest income. I will need more income, but I don't need a huge income. I've got a masters in psych, am bi-lingual (Spanish-speaking, native English speaker), and I have people, sales, as well as office skills. I was once a licensed professional in the healthcare field, still in good standing, but prefer a different field. I'm tired of healthcare for so many reasons. So I'm not expecting to get a high paying, mid-level management position or anything. I am fit, and present a good appearance. I'll try to bike to work if I can.

Couldn't I reasonably expect to find employment in SD within a few months? A desk job, a hotel clerk job, something?

Also, I've been vacillating between LA and San Diego. Is the SD job market that much more dismal than L.A. as some have said on these forums? How about SoCal?

I am coming from St Louis, a much much smaller, very tight market. Even the simplest jobs here are obtained through knowing someone. There aren't many jobs period. A comparison of job openings through temp agencies, and on Craigslist, between San Diego and St Louis yields what appears to be exponentially more opportunity in San Diego.

Thank you for your help and your thoughts in advance.

[AADAD]

The Immigration/Border could use your skills esp bilingual for the border. It's not healthcare it's more like translating with your Psych background. It's not an easy job but it may have p/t positions. Not sure how to get application started perhaps others here can help.

[moved]

If you speak Spanish, you may be able to find a minimum wage or just above minimum wage job. But keep in mind that employers want "young," bilingual college graduates, not mature people. This is what I ran into when I was laid off from San Diego Unified School District / Welcome, and they were hiring the kids of the bilingual employees without testing them, they just GAVE them jobs because they spoke Spanish, but everyone had to be tested.

[kettlepot]

Many of the businesses associated with import/export could use someone with bilingual skills. Whether it's manufactured maquiladora goods, or food imports, if your bilingual skills are truly good, say learned from Spanish speaking relatives, not simply learned in a class, you could make hay with that in the international transport field. In that field, you would earn more than minimum wage.

[hitman619]

Are you asking for advice or an Application

[TravelingBard]

Thanks for those ideas!

[hooverphonics]

Terrible job market. I work in marketing, laid off 3 times in 3 years (and I have a decade of experience, a BA/Masters from an Ivy league). Worked in NYC for many years and was never laid off once so I canNOT wait to move. SD is extremely unstable in terms of making a good living. There are many many reasons I don't like SD but this is the main one.

[NYSD1995]

Originally Posted by hooverphonics

Terrible job market. I work in marketing, laid off 3 times in 3 years (and I have a decade of experience, a BA/Masters from an Ivy league). Worked in NYC for many years and was never laid off once so I canNOT wait to move. SD is extremely unstable in terms of making a good living. There are many many reasons I don't like SD but this is the main one.

IMO the big (maybe only) downside to SD is the weak job market. LA job market isn't very good either but it's a much larger city, so many more jobs. I would not move here without securing something first.

[Cardiff Kook]

Originally Posted by hooverphonics

Terrible job market. I work in marketing, laid off 3 times in 3 years (and I have a decade of experience, a BA/Masters from an Ivy league). Worked in NYC for many years and was never laid off once so I canNOT wait to move. SD is extremely unstable in terms of making a good living. There are many many reasons I don't like SD but this is the main one.

Ouch. Sorry for your bad luck

[Gentoo]

Yeah, after having lived in the Bay Area and Seattle areas over the last year and a half, SD's job market is bad.