Its been a year since I was on here: How bad is the job market? (Austin: lease, insurance)

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by haylo7580

Can anyone tell me if there are an abundance of call center jobs in Austin?

I have noticed several openings for Progressive, Apple, and AT&T call center jobs but does anyone know how difficult it is to get those jobs?

My boyfriend and I will be moving to Austin in January 2011. He already has a job lined up making 48K and I plan to return to school to become an occupational therapist assistant; however, I would like to make a few dollars while I am waiting to qualify for in-state residency. I have over 10 yrs experience working for a major credit card company as a trainer/instructional designer but have scoured craigslist and indeed.com for these types of positions in Austin and there doesn't seem to be a lot of openings. I am not opposed to working in a call center since I have several yrs of call center experience (specifically fraud investigations) and if it means that I get a steady paycheck and receive benefits.

Only way to find out is by coming here..be forewarned that Craigs is the worst place to look for job openings..total scam artists and false posters on there....I upload my real estate listings on there occasionally and get scam calls and e-mails from foreclosure sharks constantly, even this afternoon....there are many local boards on here for job openings, and best is to come here and get out yourself knocking on doors looking for work and networking...trash craigs list...not 100% irrelevant, but close to it for job openings..far better stuff than that

[XLadylawX]

One way to get to Austin, might be to find an Austin job with your current company. My DH saw a posting for his Austin Job on his company's website and applied and was promoted as well. He also got to leverage his California salary levels although now that he is here, he has been offered a job with another company that would pay him almost $50k per year more. Yeah we digg this whole Austin thing although it is probably more to do with my husband's very specific skill set.

I think this is a viable option expecially for those who work with large tech firms. One of the benefits of staying with the company too is that your vacation accruals are higher than if you are a new employee and if you got the golden handcuffs you get to keep them too.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by XLadylawX

One way to get to Austin, might be to find an Austin job with your current company. My DH saw a posting for his Austin Job on his company's website and applied and was promoted as well. He also got to leverage his California salary levels although now that he is here, he has been offered a job with another company that would pay him almost $50k per year more. Yeah we digg this whole Austin thing although it is probably more to do with my husband's very specific skill set.

I think this is a viable option expecially for those who work with large tech firms. One of the benefits of staying with the company too is that your vacation accruals are higher than if you are a new employee and if you got the golden handcuffs you get to keep them too.

You still can't beat working for yourself, regardless of skill set...if not, you are forever beholden to what someone thinks you are worth....and you absolutely will never become wealthy working for someone else, let along rich, not to mention the everpresent possibility of being let go or demoted....

[thesonofgray]

Well you're just a bundle of joy, inthecut. (Also, FYI, multi-quote is a great forum feature.)

As far as jobs go, I think it really depends on the field. I'm 2 years out of college and I'm doing pretty darn good. But a friend of mine, also 2 years out of college but in a different profession, just miraculously found a job a few months ago getting paid half of what he would have a few years ago...oh, and he had to move to Houston (absolutely nothing in Austin for him).

Fun times for some, not so fun times for many.

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by inthecut

Thats for a country of 300 million...and, considering that a typical paycheck for a blue-collar worker in the 70's was the equiv of todays 50-60K, not saying much if we think that a great salary...secretaries in many metros, along with many occupations one would not associate with a high educational level, are pulling 40K, so, to boast that 50K is "good", "doing great", or worth relocating from across country for, is not saying much....

I've just been able to maintain a decent, hardly luxurious lifestyle, living solo, paying 900 month rent, on 42K, and that 8-10 years ago...now I'm doing far better, but I have no doubt that if I was just making it living solo at 42K, you sure as hell are not going to go far on 50K NOW, even solo..per raising a family on 50K, I would def hope your spouse is working is making at least 30-35K as well to live comfortably with today's high costs of education, transportation, medical, kids, and the entertainment "frills", as some concerts seem to average 40-50 dollars a ticket now....could easily cost 35-40 bucks to take a family to the show, before you even eat anything....

To sum, 50K is not much, especially in a relatively expensive metro like Austin, compared to the rest of the south and Texas...and a household income of 50K is very much struggling territory with a family in Austin..

Puhlease. You can do very well making 50K solo in this town. Are you confusing this town with LA? There are many people who make below 50K here and aren't slumming in. Please don't give wrong information. You can easily afford transportation, entertainment, whatever. Live in a nice neighborhood too. I make in the high 50s as a base salary and even without my husband, I would do very nicely here. I don't NEED an extra salary. Oh, and I have kid(s) and we live in a nice neighborhood. If you were "just making it" at 42K that many years ago, you must've been saddled up to your neck with debt and student loans.

[riaelise]

OP - how is the job market? No magic crystal ball. Some industries are more active than others. I will tell you one thing, it isn't the land of milk and honey. I wouldn't even attempt relo now unless I have a job lined up. Austin is expensive for Texas, yes. To me, though, it is much less than the life I was living in NYC. Then again, I live in the evil suburbs with the "deplorable" tract "cookie cutter" housing.

You can make it fine here on less. I make a full 20 or 30K less here than I would make back home but I get a lot of bang for my buck here. And FYI inthecut, 50K is not abysmal...and comparing some janitor in Chicago to an Austin salary is ridiculous. There are a LOT of people who make less than I do, just like there are a lot who make more. So?

[sinking]

Originally Posted by jobert

An even better question: where in Austin do all these people making 27K/year live? Our household income is between 110K and 125K a year, and I live in a house that cost us 230K (2:1 ratio). I feel comfortable enough to save, travel and sock away money, but I don't understand how everyone here manages homeownership considering the average home value is around 190K and the average income is only 52K in Austin (3.65:1 ratio). Shouldn't the majority of people in town be really be spending only 3X max for housing? How do people cope? Are they in denial about home values? using credit cards? are they not having children? It's puzzling. Home value is not something that gets locked into a house like layers of permafrost.

I make 30k so only 3k more than that. I live in NW Austin by myself in a house I purchased myself with 20% down. I drive a Corvette and a BMW. I have very little debt which I hope to have paid off by June of next year when a 0% deal I have runs out. I even save for the future and have investments. I have even gotten through over five years of college with no loans or financial aid. Unfortunately, I think the time has come for me to take out a loan to finish up my last few classes but at least I won't have 60k in loans like some people.

How do I do it? I know how to manage my money. I can't be frivolous and make purchases on a whim too often. People at work give me a hard time for being cheap saying I am so tight with money the Lincolns on my pennies don't have any beards but I am proud that I am able to stretch a 3/4" penny 3/4 of a mile.

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by XLadylawX

Might be an interest rate thing. $52k qualifies you for a mortgage payment of approx. $1444. Assuming you put 20% down in this market, you could easily qualify for a $200k with interest rates in the mid to upper 4% range.

To actually spend what you qualify for is a horrible financial decision. $52K gives you a take home salary of a bit over $3K per month so basically 50% of your monthly income is your house payment. Good luck if something comes up like major medical expenses or actually saving for retirement.

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by jobert

An even better question: where in Austin do all these people making 27K/year live? Our household income is between 110K and 125K a year, and I live in a house that cost us 230K (2:1 ratio). I feel comfortable enough to save, travel and sock away money, but I don't understand how everyone here manages homeownership considering the average home value is around 190K and the average income is only 52K in Austin (3.65:1 ratio). Shouldn't the majority of people in town be really be spending only 3X max for housing? How do people cope? Are they in denial about home values? using credit cards? are they not having children? It's puzzling. Home value is not something that gets locked into a house like layers of permafrost.

I see a lot of people well into their 30s being supplemented by their parents so they can afford their lifestyle. One pair of friends probably bring in around $120K and her parents give them $1K/month. Another single friend making over $70K and in her 30s has her car payment, insurance, and gas card paid by her parents. Another friend who's an attorney making over $140K still has her car insurance and cell phone paid by her parents. My wife's aunt and her husband who are in their late 40s get $40K/year from his parents. We were just at an open house in Circle C a few weeks back and another couple there was with their parents and from overhearing the conversation they were going to pay for a large portion of the house for them.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by achtungpv

To actually spend what you qualify for is a horrible financial decision. $52K gives you a take home salary of a bit over $3K per month so basically 50% of your monthly income is your house payment. Good luck if something comes up like major medical expenses or actually saving for retirement.

Not to mention taxes...sweet jeebus. Imagine spending around 12% of your disposable income (36K) on property taxes (4.5K)... deductions or not.