Moving from London, England. Can you help? (Denver, Parker: extended stay, apartment)

[LondonDweller]

So, another moving to Denver thread.....sorry guys.

I posted a thread a while ago asking for help choosing where my wife and I should move to in the USA...and we've chosen Denver! We're both very happy and excited about the potential move (in late October '08 as that's when our lease is up). We've done a lot of research but would like to get some opinions to help shape any future research we do. But firstly, a little about us:

We are both in our late 20's and have no children...nor have any plans for any on the horizon. We're not big on partying or clubbing but we are into sports and want to enjoy the Broncos, Nuggets, Rockies, Avalanche and Rapids. We'd also like to participate in as many sports as possible. I used to play semi pro soccer in London (many moons...and pounds ago) so obviously I'd like to join an amateur team I could play for. We'd also be interested in co-ed teams in various sports if they're available.

Now to our problem.

From reading this forum it seems as though it is very difficult to get a job while not living in Denver. I've been told that we need to have a Denver address to stand a chance of being considered let alone short-listed for an interview. Which leads to another problem, how do I find a place to live? If my wife and I take the plunge and move to Denver without jobs then we're obviously going to need a place to stay. We have family in Parker and some close friends of my parents in Washington Park who we could stay with for a short period (a week each max) but how are we going to rent an apartment without a job?

So, no apartment, no car, no job so obviously....no money! This is looking bleak. Does anyone have any ideas how to do this without running up massive credit card bills or damaging relationships with family?

We know that we're going to have to take on temporary jobs (office based or retail/restaurant work) but are those jobs readily available in October? What do we do about finding a place to live once we have an income? Where would be a good place for us to live in Denver considering our age/income/interests?

Any help would be welcome. Thank you in advance.

[2bindenver]

A boatload of people stay at extended stay hotels for about $30-40 a day. Until they land a job; then they go looking for a more permanent housing solution.

[kristenfromdenver]

In lieu of getting a Denver address, I think it would be helpful to put the date you plan to arrive based on your plane tickets. That way they feel more confident you are actually moving. It would help the employer feel like they wouldn't have to wait months and months for you to move. Welcome!!!!

Could you ask your friends and family if you could use their Parker and Denver addresses for your resumes??

[tfox]

Actually, renting an apartment or house without a job is not really a big deal. True, it would be virtually impossible to do from a corporate-owned complex, but from an individual owner, all you'd have to do is convince the owner that you're financially stable, which in your case I think would be easy to do.

As for getting a job when you're remote, I don't think it's as difficult as you're thinking. The main thing is that a lot of employers will neither pay relocation and will not actively seek you out because they won't pay relocation. However, if you approach them and have the skills, I think you have a decent chance. Even in recession it's still hard to find highly skilled employees in Denver.

One thing I would definitely do is get a local VOIP access number through Skype, Gizmo5, vonage, lingo, etc. Actually it doesn't matter too much that it's local to Denver, but it's very important to have a U.S. number. Even though the long-distance charges are not the issue, the last thing you need is for an H.R. person trying to figure out what to do with a number that starts with +0044 or something.

[Katarina Witt]

I don't know about all fields, but I know about health care. Most places will not hire you until you actually show up, unless you are a relocating physician or other high-end employee. I don't know if that's true of most professions. I do think you'll have more luck in the job search once you get here, though you can certainly try from abroad.