Westward bound on a shoestring (buy, income, living)

[exitingtheeast]

Originally Posted by psychprof

I think the advice here could be framed as follows. 1) Consider taking a little more time to save some money so the transition is a comfortable one. 2) Be very aggressive about the job search, being fully aware of the current challenges. 3) Have a back up plan. If you get out here and things do not go well, have money reserved to relocate back east where you have some support.

Yes, I understand that and I am being aggressive in my approach to finding work, I am emailing Cafe owners that have websites, Checking CL hourly as well as Monster,Yahoo and Local papers and asking around at other places people talk about the bay area on the net.

That is why I came here to help me find new avenues and ones I might not have thought of in finding work.

The truth is I am no better a place here then there and for me it seems like a worth while venture with a better payoff then sitting and waiting for something new or for things to get better..

[exitingtheeast]

Anybody have any opinions on the canvassing jobs I am seeing pop up?

[newenglandgirl]

Originally Posted by exitingtheeast

Anybody have any opinions on the canvassing jobs I am seeing pop up?

I read everything everyone is advising you. As a 60year old, I say go for it. You sound determined enough and where there's a will there's a way. Just go for any job possible, caretaking, whatever. If you have any yard tools, take them with you as you could do odd jobs for older folks. Make sure you have a neat, clean one-page resume with references with updated phone numbers, and show yourself to be earnest, hardworking and clean. I hope you have a laptop so you can do internet job searches there. Libraries are great places for bulletin boards--post what you will/can do for money. You'll be fine. The others of us telling you to be careful...it's cuz we're too acquainted with the realities of the world. There's dreams to be had, too.

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

I read everything everyone is advising you. As a 60year old, I say go for it. You sound determined enough and where there's a will there's a way. Just go for any job possible, caretaking, whatever. If you have any yard tools, take them with you as you could do odd jobs for older folks. Make sure you have a neat, clean one-page resume with references with updated phone numbers, and show yourself to be earnest, hardworking and clean. I hope you have a laptop so you can do internet job searches there. Libraries are great places for bulletin boards--post what you will/can do for money. You'll be fine. The others of us telling you to be careful...it's cuz we're too acquainted with the realities of the world. There's dreams to be had, too.

I am thinking that you might not be familiar with the San Francisco/Bay Area? Our unemployment rate is higher than many other states..especially if you don't have any skills, friends, family, money. We are also one of the most expensive areas to live/eat/survive.

Most young people that come here from other states seeking the "dream" of escaping for a better life rarely find this here (and trust me, there are thousands all trying to "make it"). Take a walk around San Francisco/Oakland and you will see the outcome of taking a risk. It might be fine to give this sort of "go for it" advice to someone moving to a cheap state like Texas or Idaho..or even at a different economic time, but not here, not now.

[newenglandgirl]

Originally Posted by clongirl

I am thinking that you might not be familiar with the San Francisco/Bay Area? Our unemployment rate is higher than many other states..especially if you don't have any skills, friends, family, money. We are also one of the most expensive areas to live/eat/survive.

Most young people that come here from other states seeking the "dream" of escaping for a better life rarely find this here (and trust me, there are thousands all trying to "make it"). Take a walk around San Francisco/Oakland and you will see the outcome of taking a risk. It might be fine to give this sort of "go for it" advice to someone moving to a cheap state like Texas or Idaho..or even at a different economic time, but not here, not now.

I hear you, believe me...but just about every place in the US sucks right now in terms of jobs and housing. He's obviously fixated on the Bay area. The advice given is not going to stop him, obviously. I learned with my (now grown) kids that when advice fails to convince, just tell them to go for it. They're going to anyway, so help instill some positivity into the (bleak) odds.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

I hear you, believe me...but just about every place in the US sucks right now in terms of jobs and housing. He's obviously fixated on the Bay area. The advice given is not going to stop him, obviously. I learned with my (now grown) kids that when advice fails to convince, just tell them to go for it. They're going to anyway, so help instill some positivity into the (bleak) odds.

No, you don't understand. California is up there with Michigan and Ohio in terms of joblessness and economic decline. New England, where you are at, is measurably better, economically, than we are, at the present time.

[newenglandgirl]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

No, you don't understand. California is up there with Michigan and Ohio in terms of joblessness and economic decline. New England, where you are at, is measurably better, economically, than we are, at the present time.

I personally need more of a primer on what's going on in California, the golden state. Why are jobs so much more scarce than in New England? What is the chief industry/industries there, and what exactly is happening to them? Don't the upper classes still provide restaurant and housekeeping jobs? Are illegal alien workers the problem? I can say that where I am, lots of decline is happening esp in cities/infrastructure. But what is so different about the California mess as opposed to other areas of the country? What are the best/most current articles to read about this? Whatever happens West comes East. We need to be prepared wherever we are.

With all that said, how can you stop someone who is absolutely bent on doing something? He wasn't asking for advice, he was asking about resources (however few there may be). Surely there are at least a few resources to steer him to???

~~NewEnglGirl

[gradstudent77]

Go (northern, mid-) West, young man!

U.S. Cities With the Highest and Lowest Unemployment Rates - Careers Articles

[mdwstrnkid]

Originally Posted by exitingtheeast

Yes, I understand that and I am being aggressive in my approach to finding work, I am emailing Cafe owners that have websites, Checking CL hourly as well as Monster,Yahoo and Local papers and asking around at other places people talk about the bay area on the net.

That is why I came here to help me find new avenues and ones I might not have thought of in finding work.

The truth is I am no better a place here then there and for me it seems like a worth while venture with a better payoff then sitting and waiting for something new or for things to get better..

With regards to finding a job at a restaurant or cafe, I posted this link on another related thread to give some perspective on the difficulty of getting a job in that industry. A restaurant recently advertised a part-time server position and asked people to show up between 1 and 3pm - 327 people showed up.

Eater SF: Times Like These

Beyond just landing a job, what types of positions would be a good fit for your background and skills? What types of jobs have you held in the past?

[redwoodlvr]

Originally Posted by exitingtheeast

More like a shared situation at up to $500 a month or less.

I am a total rebel, have moved numerous times in my life, but times are a bit different now. California is changing just like the rest of the world. It's not about being a naysayer, it's about keeping it real exitingtheeast. However, if you've made up your mind go for it. You will find out soon enough and you can post your results for us. I sincerely hope that you will prove us wrong for your sake. And as far as $500 a month or less shared rental, not in San Francisco, California you won't. Not even in the deepest trenches of the ghetto 'hood. Good luck.

Originally Posted by clongirl

I know I'm sounding negative here..I have kids, have lived my entire teenage yrs/twenties/part of thirties in San Francisco..I've know a lot of kids in your mindset looking to get away from whatever situation that is making them want to leave.

Yup and they usually end up on Haight Street. Literally.