Moving from California ...jobs and small business opportunities? (Seattle, Tacoma: sales, rent)

[oneofakindcharly]

I am moving from California to Kent, Wa. I have an AA Degree in Paralegal Studies with about 3yrs exp. I was wondering would I be able to find a job anywhere in the state? If not, would I be able to start a small business I understand that the state’s business/home taxes are very high; almost as high as California.

[M3 Mitch]

Probably you can get a job as a paralegal, how that would pay vs the cost of living in Kent, I can't say offhand.

WA is not the best place to start a small business. Our experience with my wife working as a freelance medical interpreter were pretty negative. A business that uses employees would be worse.

[oneofakindcharly]

M3 Mitch:
Wow, I guess its all about luck in WA. I am really to relocate to WA.On the other side, I used to be in the medical field as well. Have you guys thought about going into the legal end of the medical field. If you guys could get your foot in the door with some paralegals that handle medical malpratice; that would be your ticket. I say this because I am assuming that your wife understands medical term. If this is the case, try to get aquainted with some medical coders/personal injury paralegals/lawyers.
The average joe doesn't understand medical term;I honestly think you may have another starting chance, if you guys want to go that route again. If you guys can manage you may not need any employees.

[TheCarService]

We moved from California to Wa last year and have a small business..aside from sales tax and alcohol I have yet to find anything more costly than in California..A successful business in Cali may prove very difficult here

[oneofakindcharly]

Originally Posted by TheCarService

aside from sales tax and alcohol I have yet to find anything more costly than in California..A successful business in Cali may prove very difficult here

"More costly"? Are you saying that it would be more difficult than California?

[M3 Mitch]

As to the medical interpreting - we live about 40 miles from most of the medical centers, the main malfunction is that the wife would have to drive in to work say from 9 to 10 am, then hang around town till the next work at say 3-4 pm. So she'd shoot the whole day and only be able to bill for 2 hours and the mileage. Frequently the mileage check was more than the actual salary.

Pile onto that the self-employment tax that WA applies to this sort of work, where regular employment does not bring about any state income tax - it was just more hassle than it was worth.

I don't think of CA or WA as being very business-friendly states. Just my 2 cents worth.

[montanaroots]

Washington is a beautiful state that is for sure, job wise it is getting harder becasue of all the lay offs that there has been. I am from a town with alot of Mills and they are laying off left and right. I would try to open your own bussiness from home then you can right off part of your home expense and wouldn't have the overhead costs. But the cost of living in the Seattle area is high and the further you get away from the Seattle area the cheaper rent or buying is. Here is an example (turned out good for this person) She sold her house in the Tacoma area for a bit more than she thought she would get and she moved to our remote aarea bought and paid for a house with some left over. She has a 45 minute commute to work in another city but she has a home that she can call her's. She had enough left over to buy a small 4 wheel drive for the bad weather commute. Came in handy this year. I am sure coming from California you already know about the high cost of things. Good luck in your choices.