Considering returning to CA in search of work (a pipe dream) (Sacramento: lease, credit)

[mistermaggie]

In 2018 I moved from California to Texas where I had zero luck finding decent, life sustaining employment. I have a BA in Art History. I had mental health issues and my family encouraged me to attend a program in Houston, while the program itself was helpful, there was no opportunity for me there. While the cost of living in Texas is low, wages are horrible making it a tough place to “start over” in. What’s the use of a degree when most basic office work pays $9.00 an hour and your boss is a conservative oilman?

As of now I am staying (not going to say living) with my mom in Iowa. I did not see a point in renewing my lease. I reckon if I go back to California I could probably find something (most likely through a temp agency) that would at least allow me to sustain myself. The only options for work around here is manual labor or retail. I have a gig with the Census Bureau, but work here will only last a couple months.

I was so much happier before I left LA. I wasn’t making much ($20/hour as a secretary/data entry assistant) but it allowed me to create a little nest in Culver City. I don’t see what the alternative is for me.

With the pandemic how long should I wait to make a move like this? Should I go back to LA or maybe try out SF? I am much more familiar with LA but have had many extended visits to SF (which I like more than LA, but is also more expensive). I am looking to move to the area where I have the best hope of landing another full time office job. I just want to get myself “launched” again.

[aslowdodge]

I’m curious what good paying jobs can you get as an art history major except as a teacher?

[semispherical]

Originally Posted by mistermaggie

I have a BA in Art History....What’s the use of a degree

There's your problem: you can't make any money with art history. Ugh.

IMO, you would have your best chance of job security & portability by finding a trade. HVAC repair. Plumbing. Electrician. Medical support services (e.g., running the specialized diagnostic machines). Dental hygiene. Go to trade school, not college.

[2011KTM530]

I’m afraid you are learning that you were sold a bill of goods by choosing an Art degree. You should have gone Engineer, Computer Science or some other practical real world money making degree. About the only way that degree helps is to open doors on jobs that just require a minimum of a Batchelor of Arts to even put in an application. But you do have good sense, the Midwest is not the place to make money. For all it’s faults, California is truly a place to make money, lots of it. I’m retired in the Midwest fully debt free at 59. But I made my fortune in that festering ****hole of California. And I did it with only a silly 2 year community college degree that had nothing to do with what I did for my career. But it opened doors, that’s all it did. So head back to LA, that’s where the money is.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by semispherical

IMO, you would have your best chance of job security & portability by finding a trade. HVAC repair. Plumbing. Electrician. Medical support services (e.g., running the specialized diagnostic machines). Dental hygiene. Go to trade school, not college.

Someone with an obvious interest and expertise in art history would die working a dull, tedious job such as HVAC repair.

Originally Posted by mistermaggie

With the pandemic how long should I wait to make a move like this?

At least wait until next year.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by mistermaggie

In 2018 I moved from California to Texas where I had zero luck finding decent, life sustaining employment. I have a BA in Art History. I had mental health issues and my family encouraged me to attend a program in Houston, while the program itself was helpful, there was no opportunity for me there. While the cost of living in Texas is low, wages are horrible making it a tough place to “start over” in. What’s the use of a degree when most basic office work pays $9.00 an hour and your boss is a conservative oilman?

As of now I am staying (not going to say living) with my mom in Iowa. I did not see a point in renewing my lease. I reckon if I go back to California I could probably find something (most likely through a temp agency) that would at least allow me to sustain myself. The only options for work around here is manual labor or retail. I have a gig with the Census Bureau, but work here will only last a couple months.

I was so much happier before I left LA. I wasn’t making much ($20/hour as a secretary/data entry assistant) but it allowed me to create a little nest in Culver City. I don’t see what the alternative is for me.

With the pandemic how long should I wait to make a move like this? Should I go back to LA or maybe try out SF? I am much more familiar with LA but have had many extended visits to SF (which I like more than LA, but is also more expensive). I am looking to move to the area where I have the best hope of landing another full time office job. I just want to get myself “launched” again.

I'd like to point out, for those saying, "What good is an Art History degree", that the OP was able to find a halfway decent job, that supported him in LA. I would follow up on that experience, OP, looking for admin jobs wherever you can find them. You might even score one with a museum, where you might find opportunities to use your degree.

Another option would be university gigs. The advantage there, is that, while you're working as office admin, you're able to take 5 credits for free each semester. In this way, you can build yourself an MA patiently, over time. This could expand your employability and earning power. At the least, it could give you hope of improving your circumstances. University employment offers good benefits, too. And universities have museums; you could watch the employment listings (once you're already an insider, working there), and jump on the rare opening for office admin in a museum context, for example. And btw, one way to boost your chances of getting a university job, is to get on their temporary pool. Once you have some experience with that, you'll automatically qualify as an insider, a university employee, so you'll get first dibs at the jobs, vs. applying and trying to compete from the outside.


I would NOT try this in the SF Bay Area! COL is too exaggeratedly high, and the gap between admin pay and COL is too big. Try somewhere in the LA area, or other state university locations: Irvine, Riverside, Davis (low COL in Sacramento), etc.

[TacoSoup]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

Someone with an obvious interest and expertise in art history would die working a dull, tedious job such as HVAC repair.

As opposed to secretarial/clerical work they’re currently doing, not sure about that? To each their own, but I would find sitting at a desk for 8 hours typing on a computer to be far duller, and way more tedious, than a job in the trades like HVAC? Even for an “artsy” type? You’ll make a lot more money, and have more flexibility in the hours you want to work as well.

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by mistermaggie

With the pandemic how long should I wait to make a move like this? Should I go back to LA or maybe try out SF? I am much more familiar with LA but have had many extended visits to SF (which I like more than LA, but is also more expensive). I am looking to move to the area where I have the best hope of landing another full time office job. I just want to get myself “launched” again.

Seriously, if you think making it in LA is tough, don't even consider SF. The wages are high in the Bay Area due to the tech sector. This primarily benefits engineers and support functions at large companies. If you don't have a technical or business degree or are a self taught programmer, I wouldn't recommend this path at all.

If you'd like long-term to go to the Bay Area, I'd recommend going to a trade school for programming elsewhere. I don't think your art history degree is going to be useful. Sure, you could get a teaching job, but most teachers I know that are comfortable have a spouse in the tech field. Once you have these more marketable skills, you may have better luck here. However, it is still a rat race and I think you'd have a better quality of life in a lower cost city. I wouldn't choose here if I was just starting out.

[HB2HSV]

OP is a woman ("misterm-maggie").

OP - you need a "hard skill" to get a decent paying job, even in LA.

While you're staying with Mom in Iowa, consider going back to school and taking accounting classes, for example. Every company needs accountants.

Better yet, get yourself a MBA degree. It takes only 2 years and it's a worthwhile investment in your life long career. Some companies actually like MBA with liberal arts background because you're more "creative".

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by TacoSoup

As opposed to secretarial/clerical work they’re currently doing, not sure about that?

But those are temporary.

OP, look at some job sites for those with art history backgrounds, or job opportunities at museums for future reference.

The Huntington Library: https://www.huntington.org/employment

L.A. County Museum of Art (which is closed now, but if/when you come after the pandemic): https://www.lacma.org/jobs