Jobs In Anchorage? Any words of wisdom? (Fairbanks, Wasilla: ski resort, sales)

[COmountaingirl]

Im a 25 year old single girls + 1 dog looking to relocate to Anchorage Alaska. I currently live in a small mountain town in Colorado and have spent a year in Fairbanks at UAF. I have a 4 year college degree in Natural Resources and am currently working as the manager/buyer for an outdoor store. In the winter I work for an extreme ski area managing the base camp and planning events. Im a hard worker, extremely responsible, have good references, and work experience. Im ready for a new adventure so Im set to move to Anchorage in September or October but lining up a job has been much harder then I planned. I have been saving up but I know that living expenses will be more once I move to Anchorage and I would feel much better if I had some type of job lined up to help pay the bills. Currently I have been applying to jobs like crazy but I feel like it would help if I was living in AK already. I have been debating if I don't have a job lined up in AK by September/Oct do I still go and just try to make it work, or am I setting my self up for big financial problems and it would be best to just stay here (which I REALLY dont want to do). Any words of wisdom would be most appreciated! Thanks!

[sraekesteloot24]

This has nothing to do with Anchorage, but may I ask...what small town in Colorado you live in? I am currently live in Georgetown, CO. Myself and 2 friends plus my son are planning a move to Anchorage the first week of Aug. We are having a hard time getting jobs and a home right now. I also am currious what ski resort you work at? I am a hospitality major and the job you have sounds like what I want. Sorry if I am being too nosy, I just am currious. ~SAM~

[rivil]

Is the whole state moving here? I just moved to Anchorage from Colorado at the beginning of the month for a job following graduation (went to school in Boulder, originally from Littleton). I can't really comment on the job situation here as I was contacted by a company for the job I got and it is in a much different area (engineering). From observation, hotels and retail are going up everywhere. There is such a big tourist industry up here....hopefully someone else who works in it can give you some pointers as to how to go about landing a position.

Certain things are way more expensive up here. In general, if you are working, the high pay and lack of state income or sales taxes puts you at about even, if not ahead. Colorado is becoming way expensive and I will be financially better off than if I stayed in Colorado. With that said, I would definitely find a job first before just moving up here. I was given a decent relocation package thinking I'd be able to pocket most of it......nuh, uh.....blew through it and then some.

[COmountaingirl]

Thanks for tips, most appreciated. I work at Silverton Mountain. Its a great job and I love all the people, but its just time for a change for me. Rent is inexpensive for the most part, and the winter is filled with great outdoor folks that love to ski. However as you most likely know in Georgetown working seasonal jobs can be tough. In winter jobs are scarce, summers have plenty of jobs and tons of tourists.

[warptman]

They say don't go on Silverton Mountain if you're looking for a wife.........(had to, couldn't resist)

[Moose Whisperer]

When I was relocating to AK a few years back, I noticed the same thing – you are definitely at a disadvantage when applying from out of state. On one of the many jobs I called about, I actually ended up speaking to a specialist from an Alaska job search company (BTW, that’s another resource you could check out: Alaska Executive Search, Inc. ) and she pretty much confirmed what I had suspected; simply because of the logistics involved, Alaska residents often are considered first for many job openings. Like everywhere else, hiring managers up here get swamped by resumes, but they have little time or inclination to find out if someone from the lower 48 is really serious about moving up here.

She suggested that I add a statement on every cover letter I sent out making my intentions absolutely clear that I was already committed to relocating to Alaska - not that I was just “thinking” about it or that I had visited Alaska once on a vacation and thought it was cool. At that time, my wife and I already owned some land out in Wasilla so I mentioned that too and was able to add a “real” Alaska address to my cover letter as “proof” that we were serious about moving up there.

Now, I’m not going to claim that’s the only reason, but the very next resume I sent out got me a phone interview and I was flown up for a real interview two weeks later and got the job offer with a nice relocation package.

I definitely think anything you could do to make your resume to stand out from all the others from the lower 48 could only help.

Good Luck!

[LestrMoos]

I found it very difficult in finding a job when I moved up here a year ago. I actually ended up having to work a seasonal job and it took 5 months after that to even get an interview with a company. I have some friends who have lived here there entire lives and they tried explaining to me that things just move much slower up here than I as use to in the lower 48. I just needed to be somewhat patient. One of the other things that made it difficult is that preference is given to military and natives. I'm not against that or anything, but it did make the job search a bit more challenging. Just be patient and I'm sure something will eventually come up.

[Seanographer]

Ak_Photographer.
just curious, are you a pro photographer on the job ? or doing something different
for living ? and how is the Photography job market ?

[Kongakut]

Words of wisdom? Hmmmm. The words of AK Photographer sounded pretty good. You might evaluate your move based upon the number of interviews your contacts say they will grant when you show up. Let's say, if you have 6 positive responses, there is likely one that could be a good fit.
Based upon your short note, there is an REI store in town for your retail experience, the State would be a good place to look to use your degree, and the town of Girdwood (Alyeska Ski Resort) is the Alaskan mecca for skiing. You should come with money to see you through 3 months at least plus a return ticket. You will likely need to buy a car.
Best of luck.

[COmountaingirl]

Thanks so much for all the tips. I tend to be an obsessive planner so Im planning to drive up the AK with about enough money to make it at least 4 months (and thats if I just didn't work at ANY job, which I could never do-like every other person in their 20's I have excellent barista experience if I must!), and list of addresses of all the places I plan to apply at. I appreciate the tip on including my intentions in my cover letter that I am relocating to AK. I have decided it's time to just take a leap of faith and figure it out when I get there, if I am unable to get something lined up ahead of time. I wont be able to take this chance in 10 years . Im a smart hardworker with a good resume and I have played it really safe up until this part of my life so Im going to make the jump and just plan on it all working out in the end!