Want to work in NYC and live in surrounding. (for rent, find a job)

[AStarvingArtist]

Okay, I lived breifly in the city a few years ago but now I would really love to go back. I figured it most practical to work in the city and try to live in an outside area, perhaps in Jersey. So I have two questions:
Where are some safe yet affordable areas outside the city (within 30 minutes)?
Any job suggestions? I have some college but no degree completed. I have 7 years in customer service and 4 years in branch banking. Obviously I need something that pays decent but I'm having a hard time finding jobs without a degree. I don't necessarily have to (or want to) to customer service or banking, it's just where I have the most experience. So any specific job suggestions or sites where I could find work would be most helpful (no Craigslist and I already exhausted Careerbuilder)

And any other advice you would like to give is always accepted.

Thanks guys.

[skinnayyy]

you can stay in bushwick with all the other starving artists. if you have so much experience in a branch banking role, start there. go to the websites of the banks here and apply. Once you have a job, it's easier to get another one. especially when you are living here.

[Chava61]

What do you consider affordable? What would be your monthly budget for rent?

[AStarvingArtist]

Originally Posted by Chava61

What do you consider affordable? What would be your monthly budget for rent?

Around 800 or so.

[jcoltrane]

Grow up, stop deluding yourself, start making adult decisions.

The odds of maing it as an *cough* *cough* "artist* is about zero! So, what's the back up plan?

Go back to school, finish a degree program or learn a skill.

The reason you can't find a job is that there are VERY few white collar jobs which do not requiie a degree and/or a skill in NYC.

So, that leaves jobs of 'labor', construction, busboy, dishwasher, etc. In such fields you will have to compete against legal and illegal immigrants, who will work harder and more diligently than you!

So, that leaves the few low wage jobs that require more than what illegals bring, such as speaking English, good high school math skills, basic 'public dealing' skills, etc.

Those jobs are....customer service, bank teller, retail, burger flipper, waiter/waitress/ hostess, and the like.

You could start at the bottom and commit yourself to become a PROFESSIONAL waiter and/or bartender, perhaps after 5 years of steady diligent work, you could then make a fair living wage.

Other than that, grow up!!