Desire to move to western WA... can I get a job before making the move? (Seattle: 2014)

[TenEightyPee]

western WA. I am open to live from Tacoma all the way up to Bellingham. It's all beautiful!

I am 34. I have lived in Phoenix, AZ my entire life and I am SICK of this dusty, dry, barren desert wasteland. I have visited a friend in Seattle about 4 times in the last 2 years. I have been there in January, and June... so I know what I am getting into.... weather wise.

I have nothing really holding me here... other than a job. No lease. I could rent a U-Haul trailer at any time and load it up and go. I am scared to death of moving somewhere without having a job lined up though. If I moved now... I would do so with about $4000 saved. That is cutting it real close if I moved and tried to find a job when I get there.

Trying to find a job in WA while in AZ has seemed futile. Have submitted my resume all over Seattle craigslist and
Careerbuilder. No response. I guess they are all shying away from the fact I am not actually there yet.

My background is:

1995 - 1999 (4 years) Worked for a Kroger-owned grocery chain called Fry's. (QFC equivalent)
Started at age 15 as a bag boy, then got into fresh produce at age 17.

1999 - 2014 (14.5 years) Worked for a family chain of supermarkets called Bashas. They are only in Arizona, but they have been around about 80 years. Produce clerk at first, then Assistant Produce Department Manager. Experience handling and prepping fresh produce for display. Insuring quality control. Stocking. Ordering, inventory. Directing others. Salary: $32,000 year.

But in 2013, I decided that I wanted to learn a new trade. Something that could pay better than what I earned in produce. So I enrolled in the "Precision Machining" program at the Maricopa Skill Center. What I got is a basic understanding of machining, different types of metals and material, machining theory and method, blueprint reading, geometric tolerancing. Hands on training with manual milling machine and lathe. Basic CNC operation. When it comes to G-Code, I am still learning. The school managed to get me a contract job with Honeywell Aerospace in Phoenix. They make gears and shafts for jet engines / APU's. I currently operate a Pratt & Whitney gun drill lathe... drilling deep holes into shafts.
Any (Seattle) job in this field would have to be entry level with some OTJ training.

I am also good with computers. Building PC's. OS installation. Home networking. (Although I stopped using PC's in favor of Macs about 4 years ago.)



Anyway... I am considering moving without the job lined up. Maybe get a room for rent on craigslist in the $400/mo range. Then just apply anywhere and everywhere just to get something. Walmart, Safeway, Albertsons, Call centers, temp agencies, anything.

Anyone have any advice or any inside tips on who's hiring immediately?

[Gruvis]

Try Paccar, Terex, Leviton, and Boeing. I am trying to make the move from Michigan to Washington with a job lined up, and I didn't start getting callbacks on my applications until I expressed my desire to move as "...am relocating by X date" compared to "...can relocate" or "...willing to relocate". The company will most likely not cover relocation costs, and they need to know you are committed 100% to moving. Good luck.