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Old 04-13-2014, 02:57 AM
 
Location: Ohio
13 posts, read 14,305 times
Reputation: 18

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Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! I will be moving to North Carolina from Cleveland, Ohio at the end of June. I am looking to live somewhere along the water within walking distance. (10 minutes or less). A little info about myself to help you guys help me put myself in the best situation. I have always wanted to move North Carolina, I cannot stand Cleveland, Ohio's weather anymore HA. It is miserable. It is also a time for a change in scenery. I am a 27 year old male and will be graduating very shortly with a bachelors degree in Business Administration. I will be looking for a career in marketing or sales (B2B sales). I want to live in an area that is not too crowded, but also not a ghost town. There has to be some sort of nightlife/entertainment in the town (local bars, cover bands, nice restaurants). I would prefer a sleepy town over an overpopulated town as long as there are things to do in nearby cities. Wilmington has caught my attention but it may be too crowded. Below are questions that I have.

Job market? (within a 35-40 minute drive)

Is the area nice? (Parks, trails, clean city, scenery)

Crime rate?

Age demographic? (Are there young adults with good careers in the area)

Friendliness of people?

Are there nice apartments? (My price range is 700-900 per month)

Activities to do?

amenities? (grocery store, restaurants, shopping, recreation center, etc.)

Recreation leagues to join? (Basketball, football, volleyball, softball or soccer)


Anything else that you can add would be great. Thank you!!

Last edited by Horvathhh; 04-13-2014 at 03:10 AM..
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Old 04-13-2014, 03:12 AM
 
Location: Ohio
13 posts, read 14,305 times
Reputation: 18
Another important question is the future of the area. Is it improving or on the decline?
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Old 04-13-2014, 05:57 AM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,352 posts, read 26,870,862 times
Reputation: 6943
Quote:
Originally Posted by Horvathhh View Post
I am a 27 year old male and will be graduating very shortly with a bachelors degree in Business Administration. I will be looking for a career in marketing or sales (B2B sales).
Focus on finding a job first. Everything else will fall into place. Wilmington will have every you need, but if you find the appropriate job in a smaller town like Morehead City, you can also drive to Wilmington for the live music night life.

But, fair warning, there have been dozens of people coming through these forums who "have always wanted to live near the coast" or "can't stand the snow any more". There are hundreds more local graduate of UNCW who want to remain near the coast. So sharpen your resume, and use the social network forums to give the job hunt your best effort.

Last edited by goldenage1; 04-13-2014 at 06:12 AM..
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Old 04-13-2014, 10:30 AM
 
Location: Ohio
13 posts, read 14,305 times
Reputation: 18
Thanks for the advice! Finding A job will be my number 1 focus wherever I decide to locate. I'm prepared for coming down and not being able to get a job right away. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. I may even begin taking classes part-time to get my masters degree. I haven't decided yet if I want to continue with my education, or if getting my masters will even be worth paying another 50 grand. I'm not sure how much it will even help me in my career field. Experience is probably more important than everything else.
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Old 04-13-2014, 10:58 AM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,352 posts, read 26,870,862 times
Reputation: 6943
Quote:
Originally Posted by Horvathhh View Post
Experience is probably more important than everything else.
I was going to suggest emphasizing any real-world experience you have. Wilmington is full of business majors who are waiting on tables and tending bar. Your resume needs to stand out from theirs.
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Old 04-13-2014, 11:10 AM
 
Location: Ohio
13 posts, read 14,305 times
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I have some leadership experience. My resume is okay, but I wouldn't say it stands out from the rest. My biggest strength is communicating with many different types of people and being able to relate. I'm personable. I'm extremely ambitious and I feel I set myself apart from most when I am able to have a face to face interview with the hiring manager or human resources. Basically selling myself in a way.

I am prepared for the worst case scenario, which would be, moving down and not be able to find a job for an entire year. If that were to happen I would be okay with the decision I made, and I would move back to Ohio and start working there again. I could live without a job for about 2 years without touching any of my Roth IRA retirement money. Obviously I want to get a job as quickly as possible, but I am prepared for it to be tough at first. I know I'm not going to move down and be handed a job. I would also be willing to take an entry level job to have some source of income coming in until I can get into my career.

I know you and just about everybody else would say it is a mistake to move down without a job, but I have worked really hard the last few years and have saved up to be able to make this decision. Although the move may seem random, I have been slowly saving up to be able to do this.
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Old 04-13-2014, 11:45 AM
 
Location: St. Louis, MO
4,009 posts, read 6,839,096 times
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I used to live in Coastal NC (Jacksonville, about 45 minutes north of Wilmington) and the job market really isn't pretty, even in Wilmington.

I came in with an MBA, a very impressive resume with years of experience in both private and government sectors, and it took me about 4+ months to find a job. That job paid me FAR less than any job I've ever had- and I probably would have really struggled with maintaining a somewhat decent lifestyle, considering the COL in the area, had we not had my husband's income as well (Marine Corps).

There are three issues:

1) The abundance of recent college graduates from UNCW with similar degrees competing for the same positions
2) The abundance of people from out of state who are equally qualified, moving to NC
3) The lack of decent jobs / proper industries beyond tourism, military, hospitality and healthcare. Fortune 500 companies aren't exactly flocking to the coast to set up shop.

Also, despite my better-than-average resume, I only got two face to face interviews in four months. Like you, I can totally rock an interview, and that's when I'll stand out from the rest. Getting the interviews in the first place was the hard part, and I was well and truly shocked! I got offered both positions I interviewed for, and took what I felt was the better option at the time (less pay but a 10 minute one way commute as opposed to a 70 minute one).

I'm glad that you do have a year or two of living expenses saved up. However, worst case scenario be prepared to go through that quicker than you anticipate. Coastal NC is more expensive than Ohio, in general. Housing in Wilmington on average is more expensive than in Cleveland, and if you want to live within walking distance to the coast, expect an even higher premium. South Carolina is actually cheaper than North Carolina (COL wise), but again, it suffers from the same problems regarding lack of decent jobs.

I fully respect that you have saved up that much to move... and sometimes moving away from what is familiar to you is the best thing you can possibly do (I've done it myself a time or two, although not without a job lined up. The only move I made without a job was the NC move, and that was because I married a Marine).

The other problem you may encounter, is finding a place that will rent an apartment or house to you, without a verified employer. That may also be something to consider.

It sounds like you really want to do this though, and whatever we say on here won't change your mind. So I wish you the very best of luck! Please keep us posted and let us know how it goes for you!
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Old 04-13-2014, 12:33 PM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,352 posts, read 26,870,862 times
Reputation: 6943
Quote:
Originally Posted by Horvathhh View Post
I am looking to live somewhere along the water within walking distance. (10 minutes or less).
While I wish you luck, I hope you have a Plan B. There are not many corporate jobs in the beach towns unless you count working on the desk at a Holiday Inn. Even with those jobs, you are not likely to be able to afford a place close to the water.

I will suggest some alternatives to Wilmington, know that I cannot ensure you could find a job there.
1. Manteo or Beaufort, NC.
2. Beaufort, Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Savannah or Hilton Head, South Carolina.
3. Jacksonville, Florida.
4. Virginia Beach/Norfolk, VA
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Old 04-13-2014, 12:54 PM
 
Location: St. Louis, MO
4,009 posts, read 6,839,096 times
Reputation: 4607
Quote:
Originally Posted by goldenage1 View Post
While I wish you luck, I hope you have a Plan B. There are not many corporate jobs in the beach towns unless you count working on the desk at a Holiday Inn. Even with those jobs, you are not likely to be able to afford a place close to the water.
Yup. The vast majority of hotel jobs in Coastal NC pay desk clerks minimum wage, or just a tiny bit above it. Definitely not a sustainable living wage, that's for sure.

To get somewhere close to the water, you'll be paying a huge premium in rent, and probably traveling quite a distance each day to get to work, so they're costs you'll have to factor in as well.
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Old 04-13-2014, 01:47 PM
 
Location: Ohio
13 posts, read 14,305 times
Reputation: 18
Thanks for the info guys! From what both of you have told me and from reading other peoples posts about the area, the job market looks rough. The apartments I have looked at are within my price range for a 1 bedroom place. I've seen some nice places to live within what I'm willing to spend. 700-900. The location of these places are ideal as well.

My buddy moved to Panama City Beach a little over a year ago. He has his Bachelors Degree and will soon have his Masters. He makes 12 dollars an hour which is very little with his rent being at 820 per month. He is a account coordinator. You think it would pay more, but it doesn't. He is definitely spending more than he is making each month.

I would not be opposed to living in Coastal South Carolina.

I do not have a problem taking less money for what the average market pays for a certain position as long as there is room for growth within the company. I have no issue with starting at the bottom and proving myself in order to move up through the ranks, even if it requires me to accept a low salary.

From what I've seen, the best places in North Carolina to live would be places like Raleigh/Durham/Charlotte. The economy is strong in those areas I believe and the cities have experienced major growth. I am really set on living on the coast though.

Places will rent to me without a job lined up but I will have to put a big deposit down. Usually a month and a half of rent or two months down.

In coastal North Carolina and South Carolina, what would be the best area to live in terms of the job market if you two had to choose?
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