How realistic (or unrealistic) is my plan to move from Long Island to Bay Area? (San Jose: sales, credit)

[jade408]

Your plan isn't realistic. The best way to get a job in tech, especially the way it works now is:
1. be a superstar
2. have friends that will help you get your foot in the door

It looks like none of these are the case for you. Your housing budget is also unrealistic.

If you really want to get a job here forget about craigslist and start making some connections.

[crouching_tiger]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

Here is an affordable home within "commute distance" to the Bay Area for OP...in Los Banos.

489 Winemaker Street, Los Banos, CA For Sale | Trulia.com

Oh yeah totally forgot about south of San Jose options. People are now moving to Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Santa Cruz, Las Banos etc. to save money and commuting from there.

I actually like places south of SJ; they are very picturesque and have easier access to places like Monterey on the Coast.

[crouching_tiger]

Originally Posted by jade408

Your plan isn't realistic. The best way to get a job in tech, especially the way it works now is:
1. be a superstar
2. have friends that will help you get your foot in the door

It looks like none of these are the case for you. Your housing budget is also unrealistic.

If you really want to get a job here forget about craigslist and start making some connections.

Wrong all on fronts. He is not trying to get a job at Google and doesn't have to live in SF or the fancier Bay Area suburbs.

He is willing to put up with long commutes and live in a small home as well.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by crouching_tiger

Oh yeah totally forgot about south of San Jose options. People are now moving to Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Santa Cruz, Las Banos etc. to save money and commuting from there.

I actually like places south of SJ; they are very picturesque and have easier access to places like Monterey on the Coast.

Well, and with Gilroy there, OP can get his/her garlic on as recompense for the multi-hour long commute.

[crouching_tiger]

I would rather do a long commute in California than just about anywhere else. Yes, traffic is bad but at least its pleasant, sunny and not humid outside and the scenery along the way is gorgeous.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by crouching_tiger

Wrong all on fronts. He is not trying to get a job at Google and doesn't have to live in SF or the fancier Bay Area suburbs.

He is willing to put up with long commutes and live in a small home as well.

You need friends / superstar status for even small tech companies. Tech is cliquey. You need to be in the clique.

It is almost easier to get a job at a big company, at least they cast wide nets. Smaller companies fill the job before it is posted via the employee's personal networks. That's why tech is not diverse.

It is not practical to spend 4 hours a day commuting. It is also not sustainable. There is no place that meets his criteria, and he has the wrong skill set and wrong connections.

[Chuck5000]

Crouching - what the OP is missing is that nobody is telling him he can't get a job. What he is missing is that he is making all kinds of assumptions that arent true a) getting a career progression path that will lead to high paying jobs, and b) buying a place in the Bay Area that will be workable re: commuting to jobs. Nobody....Nobody....wants to spend 90 or 120 minutes each way commuting.

In the end, time is the most important thing in life. Why waste a substantial amount of life commuting? Pretty roadside views are not worth it to almost anyone, I think you're an outlier. If one is older, and past young fun and child rearing years, sure, who cares, spend another 20 minutes in the car enjoying the view before you get home. In the end, people really want quality of life recommendations.

People who yearn to escape their current lives are usually, in my experience, blinded by that pure need to escape. The wrong decision just makes getting over unfinished personal business take longer.

[crouching_tiger]

Originally Posted by jade408

You need friends / superstar status for even small tech companies. Tech is cliquey. You need to be in the clique.

It is almost easier to get a job at a big company, at least they cast wide nets. Smaller companies fill the job before it is posted via the employee's personal networks. That's why tech is not diverse.

It is not practical to spend 4 hours a day commuting. It is also not sustainable. There is no place that meets his criteria, and he has the wrong skill set and wrong connections.

I would argue tech is diverse, lots of Asians, Indians and Foreigners are working in it. Just because there are few blacks and hispanics doesn't mean its not diverse. Also he can try getting a job with a bigger company to start out with. Finally 4 hours a day commute is an exaggeration. A commute from say Gilroy to San Jose (31) miles takes only 37 minutes without traffic and maybe 1 hour with traffic.

As long as he is ok with living in one of the exurbs, he should be fine. He is moving from expensive NYC metro area, not Biloxi, MS.

[snaaaaake]

I also want to add that I am flexible as to where I end up working. I don't have to work in the Bay area, but be living close to it to be able to commute there within reasonable time frame. I wouldn't mind working in a place like Fremont, for example.

Edit: I see it's part of the bay area, but you get the point. The idea is to be within reasonable distance to San Francisco on a pay similar to what I currently make. Similar to how my current distance to NYC takes an hour or so.

[crouching_tiger]

Originally Posted by snaaaaake

I also want to add that I am flexible as to where I end up working. I don't have to work in the Bay area, but be living close to it to be able to commute there within reasonable time frame. I wouldn't mind working in a place like Fremont, for example.

Edit: I see it's part of the bay area, but you get the point. The idea is to be within reasonable distance to San Francisco on a pay similar to what I currently make. Similar to how my current distance to NYC takes an hour or so.

Yeah if you get a job in Fremont, you could for example live in Tracy or Gilroy for your budget and have an 2 hr/day commute. People are doing such commutes right now.

Just don't have unrealistic expectations of maybe (ever) living in tonier neighborhoods like Palo Alto, Orinda, Danville etc.

What's the worst that could happen? You fail and end up back in NYC. Big Deal. Its not like he is moving to Syria or something.

Never give up on your dreams however ridiculous they may be - give it a shot especially when you are young. I wonder how many people discouraged people like Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise etc. to pursue their dreams in Hollywood and settle for a middle class life in the midwest. Yeah the odds are slim but you never know until you try. Life is all about taking some chances, especially in places of big dreams like California and NYC. That's what these two places are all about and that's why they say NYC is the concrete jungle where dreams are made of.

As long as you have a backup plan I see no harm. He is trying for a friggin tech job folks, not moving to LA to be the next Steven Spielberg.