The Quest West (Denver, Craig: apartment complex, home, find a job)

[BummedInBmore]

Hey All,

Like many, many people before me in this forum. I am planning to move out to Colorado. After talking with some friends of friends (and Mike from back east) it looks like Denver and the surroundings would be a good fit for me. I am a 23, single, man who has spent a majority of my time in New York City and the last two years in Baltimore. I like to visit the metro areas, (NYC, Philly, DC, Boston) but just visits. I was looking to move into the burbs around Denver and begin again.

My last real concern (I'm pretty confident I can find somewhere to live for a while at least) is work. I graduated two years ago with a BS in Civil Engineering and have been working at Maryland State Highway Administration since. I have done a decent amount of transportation work and dabbled with structural design/analysis and hydraulics.

My question to you all is, if you know of anywhere to find a job directory or of even know of a few companies to contact to see about job opportunities.

I have been doing the online stuff (Monster, CareerBuilder, JobsOnline, etc) and haven't really had much luck. Too little experience or jobs that say Colorado but are actually offered in completely different states.

I thought a good fit would be Colorado Dept of Transportation, so I called them for a while and finally reached someone who said I needed a local address to apply. I told them my situation and they said to use a friend's address on the application. That's a bit of a problem because I don't know anyone who currently resides in the state. (Not looking for anyone to "lend" me their address, I want to get a job legitimately)

So thats where my question leads me. I have been known to find jobs by going through the phone book and calling all the firms that are listed (I did that my sophomore year to get an internship), so thats not a big deal for me.

A point in the right direction will help. Thank you all in advance!!

[steveco.]

Try the craigslist website under arch/ engineering there might be something under there and it will usually be better odds than using the big employment searchers

[dj32]

i'd also go to google or yahoo and try and find some good user groups in your field. Many have job sections within their group, it will also be a good place to look locally. I'd also try linked in and connect with people in your field, who also may know people in Denver. Best of luck!

[Mike from back east]

If you have enough money saved up for 3-6 months of living expenses, you can come on out and wing it. My guess is $5k would be enough. Others have done this sort of thing, it's a crap shoot for sure, but most folks do fine.

Before you leave my hometown, have a crabcake in my honor.

[ColoWeb]

Hi,

I am not sure what it is at the moment, but a while back while I was job hunting there were some companies who had such job openings. Look into Denver water, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and maybe excel energy. Sorry that I cannot be of more help.

And yes, it is very hard to get local/state jobs while being out of state. Some do not consider such applications while other allow but do not look at them.

Good luck; hope all works out for you.

[livecontent]

The Regional Transportation District The Regional Transportation District Home Page (check out the current job openings) is currently hiring engineers for the built-out of the massive multi-modal public transportation project called fastracks Fastracks
FasTracks Home

Keep in mind that there are many firms doing subcontract work and that some commuter rail lines are being turned into a public/private partnership. In addition, all municipalities are hiring engineers because much of the design for environs around the stations are the responsbility of each entity.

I have talked to numerous young engineers, who have just been hired, at meetings on this project.

Livecontent

[BummedInBmore]

Mike from back east

Before you leave my hometown, have a crabcake in my honor.

It would be my pleasure. I would say I would have a Natural Bohemian (Natty Boh) as well but I gave up drinking for awhile (personal choice, no court order or anything of the such)

I do have enough to last for awhile. I was seriously contemplating going with a minimum wage job (first one I could find) and my savings to hold for awhile. But as spontaneous as this is for me (only my immediate family knows that I am going to move), I would feel much better if I had the housing and the job settled before the move.

The move is still 2 and a half months off, so I have some time. I am planning at least one visit there beforehand and I was trying to knock out housing and the job interviews then.

Thanks a lot for the suggestions, I will definitely look into those companies. I will also let you all know how its going and what works (what sites/directories/etc)

Has anyone heard of any firms that I should stay away from? Like have any firms been in the news are far as legal trouble or financial trouble? It would be pretty disappointing to land a job with a firm that could possibly be losing there license(s).

[ColoWeb]

Coming for a visit, as you plan to do, is the best suggestion. As for companies not to work for, none of the ones I mentioned above would be on that list (due to necessity, security, or government contracts). As for others, at the moment, I cannot think of any that would affect your line of work.

[Katarina Witt]

The minimum wage job might be the best route. "The best way to get a job is to have a job". Try to make friends with some people who work at Ball Aerospace. I interviewed there once, b/c a friend referred me. They told me 30% of their employees come from referrals from current employees.

[BummedInBmore]

Thank you all for the help. Its greatly appreciated

I have been going on several different websites and the two thats seem the most promising are Craigslist and .... the Yellow Pages. It might sound weird, but while going through the phone book is much more time consuming then the job websites, I found many more engineering firms in the Denver area that way then with any other website. Not all of them hiring of course, but after an hour or two of surfing, I have found 3 or 4 firms looking for the same stuff I want in a job.

I am currently looking into the RTD and the FasTracks websites. I figured seeing as most of the work I have done is transportation it would be a good fit. I am trying to find out what contractors/firms are doing what and for which projects, then go from there.

I understand and kind of expected that it would be harder for me to find a job in Colorado while still technically being out of state. My mom does the hiring for company and she has passed over quite a few people with an address that are too far away from the office. That was until an employee brought it to her attention that they might want to relocate to accept the job. So what I have been writing towards the top of my resume is " Willing to relocate and incur relocation costs". I try not to put the note too far from my address, that way they are more likely to see if they are just glancing around. I will let you all know how that works out.

I'm still on the hunt for apartments as well. I was wondering if anyone has any good reviews/horror stories of any apartment complexes in the city. I have looked on a site (apartmentratings.com) and it looks like any apartment complex on the site has more negative then positive. I think thats because most people are faster to complain if something is bad then to praise it if it's good.

Thank you all again for the help. Can't wait to visit CO!