Questions About Relocation (Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Roswell: fit in, home, unemployed)

[thecolorsplorge]

I know, you guys get a million of these threads, but bear with me. I blame it on the incredibly limited internet presence that NM has.

Here's my situation: I just graduated from college in north Texas and am currently living with my parents again just north of Dallas. I'm looking at moving somewhere, and a radical change might be just what I need.

I visited Santa Fe, ABQ, and Roswell a few months ago. My plan is to go into film and TV (writing and editing), but at the moment I don't have much more than unbridled passion.

I've been applying to tons of jobs in Albuquerque and Austin and trying my best to choose between the two. They both have huge film scenes, they're large cities, but in many ways they're quite different.

Getting out of Texas (born and raised here) sounds nice, but I'm wondering how things really are in ABQ. Anyone have any experience with working in the film/TV scene around ABQ? And if I can't get a job in that industry, I'll be looking at copywriting/marketing positions, a few of which I've applied for.

My unintended vacation following my graduation is pushing me to the point where I feel as if I just need to move and maybe figure out a job once I'm in the city. I'm pretty confident that I would be able to make something work, though I realize that plan is a real gamble.

Any words of wisdom are welcome. Perhaps someone's lived in both ABQ and Austin and can share them with someone who's used to life in the DFW metroplex?

[Zoidberg]

What I can advise is as follows: NM's film subsidies are drying up a bit, and while our film industry has really benefitted from them and will not utterly disappear, the jobs situation is waning rather than waxing for film industry folk.

Writing and editing are largely merit-based positions; doesn't matter how many people are employed as such; you can carve out a niche anywhere if your writing and editing are superior, but only if they are. Can't imagine any of the places you listed would be A-grade places to write and edit, as getting someone to notice your superior writing and editing skills is your primary hurdle to getting your foot in the door.

Austin at least is only 2 (ok, maybe 3 if you're WAY north of Dallas) hours' drive away, and that's an awesome distance for cutting the cord from your parents in a measured, sensible way. Culturally, Austin would probably be 1/2 the culture change you'd get with Albuquerque.

If you want a radical change, try L.A.. A sensible change, Austin. Albuquerque doesn't really figure for your line of work.

[Northanna_2001]

Originally Posted by thecolorsplorge

Here's my situation: I just graduated from college in north Texas and am currently living with my parents again just north of Dallas. I'm looking at moving somewhere, and a radical change might be just what I need.

I visited Santa Fe, ABQ, and Roswell a few months ago. My plan is to go into film and TV (writing and editing), but at the moment I don't have much more than unbridled passion.

I've been applying to tons of jobs in Albuquerque and Austin and trying my best to choose between the two. They both have huge film scenes, they're large cities, but in many ways they're quite different.

Getting out of Texas (born and raised here) sounds nice, but I'm wondering how things really are in ABQ. Anyone have any experience with working in the film/TV scene around ABQ? And if I can't get a job in that industry, I'll be looking at copywriting/marketing positions, a few of which I've applied for.

My unintended vacation following my graduation is pushing me to the point where I feel as if I just need to move and maybe figure out a job once I'm in the city. I'm pretty confident that I would be able to make something work, though I realize that plan is a real gamble.

Any words of wisdom are welcome. Perhaps someone's lived in both ABQ and Austin and can share them with someone who's used to life in the DFW metroplex?

Hi, I am born and raised in East Texas and Oklahoma. My parents live in McKinney. I have a niece that lives in Austin. I lived in North Dallas in my late 20s; a long time ago as I am now 62. I live in Eastern NM but I have been to Albuquerque many times. I worked as an Army HR Spec filling jobs for the Army in Alaska, Hawaii, Japan, etc. for many years in Alaska. The federal government has jobs in writing/editing as well as public affairs. Do some exploring on: USAJOBS - The Federal Government's Official Jobs Site Austin and Albuquerque are hugely different from each other. Austin is in a boom tech economy now ... lots of people your age group live there and you will find it alot more familiar to what you are used to. Albuquerque is a big city (I think over 500,000 population now) filled with people from all over including the East Coast and California. Any questions, feel free to ask me via PM.

[Northanna_2001]

Originally Posted by Zoidberg

Austin at least is only 2 (ok, maybe 3 if you're WAY north of Dallas) hours' drive away, and that's an awesome distance for cutting the cord from your parents in a measured, sensible way. Culturally, Austin would probably be 1/2 the culture change you'd get with Albuquerque.

If you want a radical change, try L.A.. A sensible change, Austin. Albuquerque doesn't really figure for your line of work.

Zoidberg, I agree with your good advice in the first paragraph but your last sentence in your last paragraph, was presumptuous and not helpful. Lots of young people that have those skills from college fit in well in government (state and federal) developmental positions.

[Zoidberg]

Originally Posted by Northanna_2001

Zoidberg, I agree with your good advice in the first paragraph but your last sentence in your last paragraph, was presumptuous and not helpful.

Wow. Better tell the people who added to my reputation from that thread then. Boy won't they be embarrassed.

Lots of young people that have those skills from college fit in well in government (state and federal) developmental positions.

Lots of young people that have those skills from college fit in well in restaurant (fast food and casual) server positions. But that's missing the point.

My plan is to go into film and TV (writing and editing),
.
.
.
Anyone have any experience with working in the film/TV scene around ABQ?

The original poster wanted help with their intended career, not whatever career we picked as being best for them.

Plus, I bet a lot of this forum's unemployed feel really silly that they haven't applied for all those vacancies in government developmental positions geared toward freshly minted out-of-state college graduates. Wonder where they're hiding those job listings.

[nonexpat]

I lived in Plano for ten years, Austin for a bit over a year, and I have recently moved to Albuquerque. I can't speak personally about the film industry here, but my neighbors in Austin were both late 20's and worked in the film industry in Austin--he a sound man, she a producer. They both told me the film industry is bigger in ABQ than Austin and that they had a lot of friends here in the industry in ABQ. I won't say that will mean you will get a job.

I for one know that it takes much longer than two hours to get to Austin from Dallas let alone Plano. If you have lived away from home while at college, I can't imagine that the culture shock should be that difficult by moving here to ABQ. It is the United States, not a third world country with a different language.

ABQ is beautiful and seems fun. That being said, I really loved Austin--except for the weather and traffic. Here the weather is gorgeous. Austin, as I'm sure you know, is filled with young, hip people and the downtown is wonderful. Surprisingly, ABQ isn't too cheap. I thought housing would be less expensive, but it's not.

I think you could be happy both places. I would wait to get a job first before moving. All things being equal. If I were twenty something and offered jobs in both places, I would go with Austin because it has such an amazing, youthful vibe.