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I'm here today because I have a few questions about Hawaii. I've visited Oahu and Maui a few times and have basically fallen in love so I have been seriously considering a move once I'm done school in the next few months. I have a bachelors degree in computer sciences so almost anything involveing computers I would be good at.
My questions are:
1. How is the job market on the islands for professionals?
2. How hard is it starting out with 10 k in the bank?
3. What cities are best in terms of affordability and beach access (hardcore surfer here)
...I have a bachelors degree in computer sciences so almost anything involveing computers I would be good at.
My questions are:
1. How is the job market on the islands for professionals?
2. How hard is it starting out with 10 k in the bank?
3. What cities are best in terms of affordability and beach access (hardcore surfer here)
Thanks for takeing the time to read this =]
You've got some specialized skills that are in need, on Oahu at least. My husband is a tech guy too (BA math, MSCS). He got hired within a couple of weeks of being here for a pretty good job. One caveat: he didn't get a phone call or interview or anything until he put in the cover letter, "I will be arriving in Honolulu on *date* because we are relocating for my wife's job." Employers don't take inquiries from the mainland very seriously, but when they knew he would definitely be here on a particular date, they were more interested.
10k in the bank is pretty good, I think. We had a bit more, but didn't go through very much of it at all before we were up & running.
I'm not a surfer, so I'll defer to others on #3. But I'll leave you with one bit of advice: a lot of the tech jobs here require a security clearance. If you have any way to get one before you come, it'll go a long way towards getting you in the door for the better jobs. Even the private companies & the university do a lot of military contract work, so it's a plus wherever you're applying.
Jobs are at an all time low right now. Surf is great though. Lahaina would be the best. Beaches all over the place and cheap housing. 10k isn't too bad. It'll be enough for a few months.
honestly if you can find a job on the mainland take it. here the job market is terrible, it is difficult for even locals to find places that are hiring. honolulu of course you'll have a better chance of finding a job, unlike the other islands. many places are letting workers go, even in fields where you'd think they wouldn't, like medical/sciences etc. so be careful, maybe just plan on staying for a few months, ie don't ship everything you own over until you know for sure 1) you want to or even can live in Hawaii, it is VERY different living vs visiting the islands, and 2) can find a satisfactory job that will afford the type of lifestyle you want. Hope that helps
1. How is the job market on the islands for professionals?
If you look at the jobs that are advertised in the newspaper there aren't many anymore. Hawaii is feeling the bad economy and many big companies shedding jobs. Depending what industry you're in you might be able to find a job.
2. How hard is it starting out with 10 k in the bank?
That much money won't last long if you can't find employment. The rent here starts at just under $1000 a month for a tiny place (studio) depending on the area. It still is a landlords market as demand exceeds supply.
3. What cities are best in terms of affordability and beach access (hardcore surfer here) Honolulu has lots of surf spots but they can be crowded depending on where you go. Localism is alive and well here. Count on everything being more expensive here than most anywhere else in the U.S. accept for some of the bigger cities of the mainland U.S. Neighbor islands (Maui, Kauai and the big island of Hawaii) are all more expensive than Honolulu. Kauai has awesome surf spots and the crowds are virtually nil again depending on where you go but much less crowded than Oahu. Maui is a crowded island but nothing like Oahu. The big island of Hawaii doesn't have as many surf spots and is for the most part not crowded. Good luck !
Ha! My husband pointed out to me today that the Honolulu Bankruptcy Court is hiring a computer systems administrator. That has got to be pretty good job security for the next couple of years.
Anyway, again there are jobs in the computer tech industry. Not as many as a year or two ago, but they're there.
No.1 piece of advice: don't mean to hurt your feelings but in your brief post there were no less than FOUR spelling or punctuation errors. Be more careful with what you send out to employers. Even in the tech world they expect literacy. For your sake I hope the job market is better than the impression given in the Star-Bulletin online. Good luck to you.
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