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I just recently moved to Honolulu from the mainland. My employer is allowing me to work from home. Because I already have a job, it was pretty easy to find an apartment, it took me about a week.
I have a friend from the mainland who moved to Maui last year. He is very young and only has hospitality experience. He lined up an apartment as a roommate situation via craigslist before he arrived in Maui and found a job at a restaurant within a month of arriving.
I haven't been in Hawaii very long but from talking to many people I have been informed that the islands are very different. What may work well on one island may not go so well on another. While there are more jobs in Honolulu, I think landlords and employers in Honolulu have been burned one too many times by mainlanders with grandiose dreams of living in paradise.
I would suggest creating an outline of all possible situations and outcomes -- have a backup plan if you do not find an apartment or job right away/within a week/within a month. I also think you both should have more money saved first - like $10k each.
When I was looking for advice before moving, someone suggested getting a UPS box (to have a Hawaii address). I did that and I also changed my cell number to a 808 number many months before I moved.
Hopefully you both have very positive and outgoing personalities -- you need to be able to know how to get along with people of all races/nationalities -- Honolulu is like the international hub of the pacific.
My apologies for my response being a little all over the place -- good luck to you!
In what are you certified? Just wondering. My guy is a master carpenter and finally got a job offer 6 months after we left the island. But he did work in the trade for one company that was VERY biased towards locals. We were grateful for that job, don't get me wrong. Then another company that he'd applied for before we got there hired him about 4 months after we got there but that was based on his QC/R&D background.
We got a young man certified as a lifeguard - they're everywhere so that's a good one to have. ETA: the water park hires and trains.
Do you speak any Japanese? If you did you'd have a shoe-in for the hospitality industry! It's not a matter of not being too good, but are you good enough? Big competition!
I talked to a guy who looked to be pushing 40. He'd never been off the island. He worked at the recycle place taking in plastic bottles.
Can you do USAJOBS.com? You might find something there.
I think you might need your own car...
Sorry for the delayed response, had some matters to take care of for the past several days. I'm a nationally certified pharmacy technician, certified industrial truck operator, and certified switch-gear operator. My friend has his personal trainer certification, E.M.T certification, and Fire 1&2, I believe.
@csassie: Thank you for the UPS box suggestion! I've already registered a 808 phone number but having an address will be very beneficial. My friend and I are both very sociable and pretty cultured, as well. We both spent most of our childhood and teenage years in a location that we we're a relatively small racial minority.
@OpenD: Ha-ha no, never orchids. I have been in distributions though, mostly the shipping and handling of dedicate items for the distribution center.
@Iowaloha: I've taken many college courses (Mostly Small Business Management & Marketing), however I don't have a degree (The only detail that really matters). I have four years of managerial experience but I overseen a much smaller budget (≈$100,000/Mo). It was in a Retail/Grocery chain and management did 6 month departmental rotations, so Grocery, Produce, Meat&Seafood, Non-foods, Dairy, Frozen, and Home-Goods (Furniture&Decor).
@Joliefille: Thanks for your suggestions on location. I'm totally complacent with commuting a decent distance to work. The most recent position I held was just shy of 1.5 hours to work and usually I arrived about 30 minutes early because traffic was nearly unpredictable. According to city population statistics Pearl City was the second most populated city in Hawaii so that was a location I looked into too. I found about 4-6 affordable hostels in the Waikīkī area, ranging from $22-$40 nightly, which would seem to be the most viable of options (If Honolulu is the initial destination), outside of finding a short-term private sublet.
Judging by the general consensus of the plausibility of my success, If I do in fact succeed it would seem appropriate that I write an instructional blog, ha-ha.
I think your plan is without reason. 5-6k between two people will not last you very long. It wouldn't be able to support the rent payments each month. You would have to put all your eggs into the finding a job ASAP basket, and I think that would be a very costly mistake. What will most likely occur is you will burn through the savings way faster than you imagined and then you will high tail it back to the mainland. I'm not trying to speak negative, I'm just speaking experience. I wouldn't recommend anyone moving to Hawaii unless they met a few factors. Have enough savings to live off of for one year, essentially pay 1 yrs rent in cash and upfront. Or, line up a decent paying job that will cover the bills. Hawaii has some very high taxes, COL must be calculated for.
No, but really all guidance and/or advice will be much appreciated. A friend (Age:27) and myself (Age:24) are looking to move to Hawaii, particularly near Honolulu (We are however considering Kona / Hilo). However we will be on a budget, each of us will have between $5,000-$6,000 in savings. Both of us have an array of job experience but initially have agreed to take any job and several jobs if necessary to support Island living. However, between the amount we have saved up and the fact neither of us are transitioning into an assured position on the Island, I of course have some concerns.
I'd like first to ask, with these circumstances would the Honolulu area be the best choice? I know the real estate is quite a bit more pricey but the job opportunities seem better and I will essentially be reliant on finding a job(s) fairly quickly to avoid expending all my funds. If not, where would you recommend? It seems the real estate is extremely affordable in Hilo but between having less jobs, jobs being less prosperous, and 200 inches of rainfall a year, it wasn't the first choice. Kona on the other hand was still affordable but also had less jobs available.
Next, I were wondering if anyone had knowledge of known affordable sublets that my friend and I could stay while securing jobs and searching for more permanent residence. The idea is to apply for multiple jobs several weeks before the move, have interviews set-up upon arrival (Because most Hawaiian businesses don't strike me as hiring employees from Skype interviews) and stay in temporary housing until I have proof of employment for a leased apartment.
Now, before I receive animosity from Natives or wise words of admonishment, know this: I'm going to move to Hawaii, period. And please save your heedful warnings of homelessness, Thanks.
Have you ever visited Hawaii? It doesn't sound like it from what you've said. How do you know it is what you want without visiting Hawaii? It'a a lot different when you are there walking on the ground, rather than looking from afar on the Internet or TV shows. It costs a lot more than you think.
It sounds like you don't have any specific job skills that would cause employers to want to hire you over a local. Maybe you have jobs skills that would allow you to survive. You haven't mentioned anything specific. You may think that $5K to $6K is a lot of money. It isn't. For people that have viable job skills, it's only two weeks to a month's pay. You might burn through savings at the rate of $4K a month, maybe more. If you insist on 'moving' to Hawaii with that little money saved, why not approach it from a different angle?
Take an extended vacation for a few weeks. You might have enough money saved to do that. While you are visiting, try to determine if Hawaii is right for you when you are on the ground in person. When you are there, go on job interviews and find out what happens. Make sure to have your resume and cover letters for the interviews.
By taking this approach, you will learn if Hawaii is right for you and you will find out how hard it is to get a job there. You will not give up your current employment in case things don't work out. It could happen that you will find a job right away, but that is not likely. If you think you cannot afford to visit Hawaii with at with at least one 'scouting' visit, then you've already answered the question already, you cannot afford to live there.
If you want to try living in Hawaii longer than a few weeks, such as six months to a year, you'll need to save up about $25K to $50K. You should be able to save up that much money in a year or two by saving a lot and living below your means, if you have a the job skills to make a good income. If you don't have the job skills that allow to to save that much money, then you don't have the financial viability to attempt the move to Hawaii.
I'm sure it wouldn't be a popular idea, but would you two consider renting a room in a house. You should be able to find one for $600/month or less. Put up a room divider for privacy. Stay there until you have jobs and get to know they area well. After a couple months move to your own apartment. I would choose Oahu over Big Island for what information you have given. Buy round way plane tickets in case you lose everything while you are there. Have return tickets say 6-8 months after you arrive. Really don't skimp on this, you don't want to be homless on Oahu. The return ticket will probably only cost $200 or so extra, and is the best insurance if you fail.
Now for my optimistic part, I know a couple who did what you are doing and was successful, they still live in Honolulu after 2 years and are saving to buy a condo. They started with $10000, no jobs, and just out of college. They both had jobs within 2 months, both near min wage. 1 changed jobs after 6 months and is now making a decent living. If you are serious and don't act like a beach bum your chances of getting a job will greatly increase. Apply everywhere for jobs and don't be afraid to take a job beneath you, even if its flipping burgers, but don't stop looking for jobs. If I remember right the person's 2nd job was around $18-20 an hour in an office, but she didn't stop looking for jobs after that. She is always watching for better opportunities.
More then likely you will love Oahu, but after sometime you will realize it's not the amazing place to live that many think, but I think you should give it a shot. Just do your research and don't be too stupid.
CheshuR -- Not certain if this is advice but . . . before moving to Oahu we vacationed here for about 6 weeks in a room rented from a homeowner (not from Craig's list -- it is very unreliable). We rented a car (expensive -- bus will do but will slow you down), watched gas prices, visited the grocery stores to price food, watched rent prices for a small place, found sources and priced used furniture, learned how to test furniture for termites before purchase, read a few books on Hawaiian culture (Culture Shock Hawaii), estimated our costs overall. Once we thought we might be able to squeak by we decided to try it out. We sold everything we owned (shipping boxes and/or furniture is expensive) and arrived with two suitcases each.
As previous posters mentioned jobs being part time, preferences going to "family", and frequently employers will not interview unless Hawaii residence can be proven. It is tough but it can be done. Be certain to do it with all cards on the table first so you know your hand. A scouting vacation sounds like a great idea. BTW most skilled work done here is through unions.
Hey thanks, Hotzcatz. Yeah, I forgot to mention public transportation will be vital. I haven't looked too much into WWOOF'ing or the YMCA but those do seem like more secure options.
No they are NOT!!! Do NOT even consider either as a possibility. Whoever suggested them should be made to shower at the Y and live on a Woof settlement for a week as punishment. Neither is safe, secure or sanitary no matter how low your standards are.
Public transportation, the bus, is unreliable at best. There are people who work at 5P.M.
who have sit in town for hours before their shift to make sure they make their shift & there are many who have to camp out overnight after work because of no bus service. Very few early morning shifts are available to newcomers because locals take them first to be able to get home by midnight.
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But he did work in the trade for one company that was VERY biased towards locals. We were grateful for that job, don't get me wrong. Then another company that he'd applied for before we got there hired him about 4 months after we got there but that was based on his QC/R&D background. 
