Young adult wanting to move to California (Los Angeles, San Diego: job market, neighborhood)

[Jay100]

Originally Posted by Samantha S.

I'm 23 year old female from the small town of Oak Ridge, TN. I'm ready to leave everything I know and move to California. I have visited California several times and I love it. I have some family in the Orange County Area. I love Anaheim, or Hunington Beach. I'm needing advice on where the best areas for young people to live are. I don't come from money, and I know it's expensive. I will work the details out later. However if you were in your early 20s and wanted to live in California, where would it be?

If I were YOU I'd try Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Manhattan Beach. Good luck.

[Apple-iPad]

Originally Posted by Jay100

If I were YOU I'd try Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, and Manhattan Beach. Good luck.

http://alice.sexygirlclub.co.cc/myphoto-1.jpg (broken link)I agree with u and recommend Newport Beach.

[Brenda-by-the-sea]

Originally Posted by Samantha S.

I don't come from money, and I know it's expensive. I will work the details out later.

A lot of young people come to California on the faith that they can "work out the details later." Please don't adopt that kind of reckless attitude. Don't sever your ties to your current livelihood until you have the resources and long-range planning to do it right.

[sms1967]

Are you educated? Have some kind of a trade skill or job lined up? Better not come out here without it... the job market is every bit as bad as we're telling you. Having said that, places like Manhattan and Huntington Beach are very expensive. You can get that same feel in cheaper places. They're wonderful, to be sure, but you'd better be making close to six figures unless you want 2 roomies in a small condo.

[Sunnnee]

California is no joke. Born and raised and I live in Silicon Valley with all the tech companies: Google, Cisco, Intell, Yahoo, Microsoft etc..Jobs here aren't easy to find whether its Northern or Southern California. I am trying to get out of California eventually and retire in South Carolina. Your B.A will only go so far. In my area its all about a degree for the big companies and experience. And yes, getting a job at McDonalds will pit you against allot of competition for a minimum wage job. They are leary on hiring someone with a degree (from a friend I know that manages a Mikey D) because you will only be leaving when you find something better.

Its a catch 22 but it's the way it is everywhere...especially in this state. If you have family, come with MONEY because people will only put you up only for so long with no job. Send me an offline message and I can give you more information if you need it.

[steel7]

Orange county is a expensive county to live in. There are poor people in the oc & i dont see how they manage to survive there. Riverside & san bernardino county is cheaper to live. The job market here is terrible.

[DjRey]

Originally Posted by Brenda-by-the-sea

A lot of young people come to California on the faith that they can "work out the details later." Please don't adopt that kind of reckless attitude. Don't sever your ties to your current livelihood until you have the resources and long-range planning to do it right.

Exacty..Have a plan ready..Dont just go out there on a whim. Your gonna have to put in some real hustle to get a job. It can be done though, Good Luck.

[lrmsd]

Originally Posted by Samantha S.

Yea... it seems like you got to have money to live in Cali. I'm extremely interested in the Hunington Beach area... I have some family there... but they are siblings of my grandmother so I'm not sure how much help they would be. Anaheim/Hunington Beach just gives me that laid back surfer vibe and I love it. I just want to make a big life change... I don't care if I'm working at a McDonalds... I want to move there. As long as I got a roof over my head and a job I'm set. I'm not too picky.

Hunington beach has alot of military and port influence. it's fine,but if you want more laid back,and esp. suited to your age,try san diego,which is a short drive away to visit HB. Parts of SD to look at [google them,they probably have images and websites]for you are: Pacific Beach,Solana Beach,Encinitas,North Park,South Park,University Heights/Normal Heights,and Kensington. The first 3 are coastal,PB is part of SD city proper,the other two are small coastal towns in north county [basically 20-30 min. from anywhere in SD proper,though,so not far,and they have all amenities,not super small.]

Arcata and No CAL are beautiful,but more how does one say 'granola'. I lived in SFO,and currently SD. It really depends not just on cost,but on what type of lifestyle/vibe you want.

Conservative? Bohemian artsy? Large city,or urban? Or a neighborhood wtin a large city,but feels small?
SD has alto of variety-on the whole it is more conservative,but there are many pockets of liberal. so you have a choice. Also,rental costs are lower than the rest of so cal,again more variety to choose from. And fewer people,better air quality and beaches.

But if you want the amenities/food/culture of LA,and the 'action',then there are many viable options for you there: north hollywood,santa monica,etc. Seal Beach not far from hunington is another option.

If you like HB and Anaheim,I imagine you would like SD even more-it's far cleaner and not entirely strip mall compared to those places. Less industrial,too. [notice I did not say entirely-this is so cal,after all,and strip malls are our life!!!! (:]

Some of the SD hoods I mentioned are walkable and bikeable. Do a search on craig's list to get an idea of rents and photos,etc.]
good luck to you. if you can stay with family while you take day trips to different areas to apply for jobs/look for housing,then you are alreayd ahead of the game,btw.

[lrmsd]

Originally Posted by Sunnnee

California is no joke. Born and raised and I live in Silicon Valley with all the tech companies: Google, Cisco, Intell, Yahoo, Microsoft etc..Jobs here aren't easy to find whether its Northern or Southern California. I am trying to get out of California eventually and retire in South Carolina. Your B.A will only go so far. In my area its all about a degree for the big companies and experience. And yes, getting a job at McDonalds will pit you against allot of competition for a minimum wage job. They are leary on hiring someone with a degree (from a friend I know that manages a Mikey D) because you will only be leaving when you find something better.

Its a catch 22 but it's the way it is everywhere...especially in this state. If you have family, come with MONEY because people will only put you up only for so long with no job. Send me an offline message and I can give you more information if you need it.

well,the OP is in her twenties,and wants to try out CA for awhile,get out of TN,etc. why not? she/he did not say they want to live their entire lives in CA.
It will be fine for someone that age who is willing to work retail,restaurant,etc. and have a roomate for a few years.

[lrmsd]

Originally Posted by Sunnnee

California is no joke. Born and raised and I live in Silicon Valley with all the tech companies: Google, Cisco, Intell, Yahoo, Microsoft etc..Jobs here aren't easy to find whether its Northern or Southern California. I am trying to get out of California eventually and retire in South Carolina. Your B.A will only go so far. In my area its all about a degree for the big companies and experience. And yes, getting a job at McDonalds will pit you against allot of competition for a minimum wage job. They are leary on hiring someone with a degree (from a friend I know that manages a Mikey D) because you will only be leaving when you find something better.

Its a catch 22 but it's the way it is everywhere...especially in this state. If you have family, come with MONEY because people will only put you up only for so long with no job. Send me an offline message and I can give you more information if you need it.

sorry,this is ridiculous. If the poster was married mid-career with children,then I would say this info is relevant. But not for someone in their mid twenties,who could come to san diego tomorrow and get a job at whole foods,jimbo's market [the one near my house in carmel valley is hiring right now,and it gives a discount on whole food that they sell[organics,etc.]and most workers are in their twenties or so. They have a sign out,been there for awhile,and there are other businesses around my area that are hiring,too. mostly retail and restaurant,but they are hiring,and one does not have to compete with 'students and migrant workers',as people on this forum often say. SD is not even a 'college town',per se. anyway...]
STOP telling people they have to compete for mcdonald's. If you are talking about parts of OC,suburbs in LA,etc. then fine. But for a twenty something who wants to try out CA for a while,there are jobs.
OC has never had the jobs to suppor thte lifestyle;it's a freakin' bedroom community for LA,for the most part.
And riverside is cheaper,only b/c it too had housing built to be a bedroom community. There is little industry in these places,overall. Esp.compared to say,san diego.
Now,SD is not handing out jobs at the county line,but it is a solid infrastructure and there are jobs.
Geez,have some discernment about the posters,and give information based on individual circumstances.

ALSO,PEOPLE: for the Ca forum,can we simply answer people's questions,and NOT take them through therapy sessions or interrogations about why they are coming and have they thought everything through? ie,this person simply wants ideas for places to look at-they even stated that the job thing would come later-they are aware it's expensive,and are not at that stage of the planning yet. The first stage is research.

Heck,people should just look at a map and search chamber of commerce websites to get a feel for places they might be interested in;then they can post on the forum with specific questions and avoid this negative,often not relevant info every time.
Yes,the job situation is bad.
yes,it's very expensive.
yes,there are alot of problems.

However,YES,CA has great weather,open vibe,great beaches,food,and alot of benefits. And,there are even JOBS!

FOr someone just looking for a few years of experience,and not a career track,CA will be just as good as chicago,boston,NYC,portland,etc. Let's be realistic. didnt' say easy,simple,but it is do-able.