Jobs and social scene in Rapid City... (Webster: apartments, renter)

[MissKitty79]

Hi all! I've been very happy to see quite a few threads about moving to Rapid City, I'd like to throw my sitch in the ring if I may....

I'm a mid level corporate trainer and SEO writer looking to move to Rapid City from the Chicago burbs. I am wondering if there are a lot of mid career "white collar" jobs around? I am also going to be going back to school to become a nurse (type undetermined as of this post). In the meantime I'll need a job that can cover my expenses.

Does anyone know of any pet friendly (cats) properties or property managers that might be available for rent in the next year or so? (I'm a potential long term renter too, I've been renting my current apt for 7 years)

Also, I am a single girl and while finding a relationship is not on my list (it'll happen when it happens) I am interested in a nice social scene. I've spent a little time in Paddy's (in the Hotel Alex Johnson) and I've seen that there are some other pubs... Is there a good relaxed social scene a single gal can be comfortable jumping into without worrying about walking to her car at the end of the night? If it comes with a good pint I'm all the happier. :-)

Thanks for your suggestions/advice! I hope to land squarely into Rapid City's heart the way she's planted in mine within the next year.

[RC01]

I don't know too much about the social scene, but, for a warning, it can be difficult finding a steady job.

[MissKitty79]

Thanks RC01 I've seen that pop up here in the forums, as my target date gets closer I'll be working to find that covetted full time position before I actually make the haul. If I have to stay back a bit longer and finish my new degree I'll do it, but I'd like to hit the road ASAP.

[kbat]

As far as apartments that allow cats, you might try Harmony Heights Apartments on the west side. I lived there for a while and found them to be nice, well-maintained and they will allow 2 small pets (only in certain designated buildings though). You do have to pay a deposit and pet rent for them. They come with kitchen appliances and also have washer/dryer hookups. You can bring your own or they will rent you a pair. You can also rent a garage. All units have central heat and A/C. You get your own little patio or balcony. They're little on the spendy side, but if you're looking for a place you'll want to stay a while it's worth it. The same company owns a newer place called Stoney Creek Highlands, IIRC. They are a little more upscale and thus more $ but super nice.

I don't do the singles scene anymore but have noticed that Dublin Square in downtown RC is always buzzing with activity. There aren't a lot of really rough areas in RC anyway, but that strikes me as one of the safer places to go since it's in a busy, well-lit area.

It's not too hard to find a job here but they tend to not pay very well compared to other places. Many people work more than one job. Indeed.com is a good place to look for jobs because their search engine pulls from a lot of different sources.

[Elipar]

We rented a house through Alliance Property Management. They had a couple of listings that allowed dogs (which is what we have, so don't know about cats), but it's up to the property owner to decide if they will allow that.

[JesseQ]

If you want full time work you're going to have a hard time. Everything is seasonal and part time, so far as I can tell. As hard as it is to find a job while living out of state (I tried that before I even moved here, but I gave up too soon), you will save yourself alot of headache by just waiting until you have a job lined up.

I can't help on the pets issue, sorry. I can't help with the social issue, I can't afford to go out anywhere, so I don't even bother.

[MissKitty79]

Thanks everyone! That helps! I'm going to school to get into the medical/nursing field which is hopefully going to help with the job thing when I'm getting ready to apply. Biggest mistake I ever did here in Chicago was let the allure of a regular paycheck take me away from finishing my post secondary education. The economy has hit me HARD.

Thanks on the apartment info too! I saw some property managers websites and they are all very hardlined on the pet situation it seems... I know dogs are prevalent in SD (my dad grew up in Webster) I just have never lived a dog friendly schedule. My kitties are very important to me and I believe that when I adopted these guys I meant to take care of them for their lives, so I'll do what I must to make sure we're all comfortable.

Glad to hear about the social scene, I tend to be the social director everywhere I go, but it's nice to know there's something I can slide into when I arrive and not feel too bad about going in alone until I get the lay of the land. Irish pubs are all the better for me as that's where I learned how to socialize (both Chicago pubs and Ireland). :-)

Now just to put a big ol' FFWD on the next year so I can save up, smarten up, and move!

Thanks again,
Happy Holidays all!