RELOCATION TO NC - How Did You Do It? (Charlotte: apartment, rent)

[Jamerican]

Guys,

I need every bit of advice that you may be able to give to me. I have been trying to relocate to your beautiful State of North Carolina for the longest while, but have been experiencing very little or no success in doing so. I have now gotten to the point where I am second guessing my entire strategy and becoming down at times. I am a Network Engineer and was laid off from my job in New York around mid December. I saw it as a blessing in disguise in that I was rid of a very stressful and unhappy situation with all the time now to focus on obtaining a job in NC before moving down to the area. My first preference is Raleigh/Durham, but also opened the door to Charlotte as well. I have had a few close calls in terms of obtaining a job, but on two of those three occasions I lost out to an "Internal Candidate". The last employer is a well known financial institution who flew me down to Charlotte for an interview which even they agreed went very well ....BUT .... well you know the rest.

I have friends who are telling me that I should just pick up my wife and two girls and just go to NC and let the chips fall where they may. I on the other hand am somewhat nervous about that idea. My medical benefits will run out in the middle of the month, so I am also faced with the decision of whether or not to look for something locally in NY until something happens for me in NC. I am so frustrated and am wondering if I am going about this the wrong way. Any advice?

[findinghope]

i think its difficult for people to find jobs down here while they are living somewhere else. unless you are being transfered with the same company etc.
i have a feeling the companies feel better hiring the people who are already living here.
we moved from NJ but my dh got a transfer with the same company.
i think a good way to do this is (if you have the financial means), to come down here, rent for a while, pay cobra and try to find the job while you are down here.
you might get luckier that way
i wish you luck...

[superk]

Tough call.

Do you have someone you can live with for a period of time while you find what you're looking for? Can your wife possibly find work if you can't?

For me, I started my search for a job in NC in 1989, and didn't find one until 7 years later in 1996. Even then, the job wasn't in Charlotte or Raleigh, but was located in Winston-Salem (don't limit yourself to a specific metro area). My wife immediately found a job in Greensboro. After a short period of time, I took another job in Burlington. That lasted for a while until I was finally able to land my current job in Charlotte.

When my dad lost his job in CT, he was unemployed for close to two years, when he decided he'd had enough and mom and dad moved to NC and lived with us. He found a couple of temp jobs almost immediately, some lasting for only a week or two. Then, he hit a slump with no jobs for a few months. Then, things picked up again, and he worked for a few longer-term jobs. Eventually, he temped at a company and was offered a full-time position. Once he had that, they were able to move into their own apartment. He is still with them, even though he's had to transfer to OH due to a merger. They plan to stay there as long as the job holds out, then they'll be back.

The downside is, I'm sure that there are a lot of folks out there who've tried this and had it fail.