Should I move to SA without a job lined up? (San Antonio: loans, how much) - Texas (TX) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Backliteyes · 04-30-2009, 01:14 PM

I did it. It worked out fine. I moved here with as much stuff as I could fit in my car July 4th, 2008. I had just graduated college last May and moved out of my parents house, so I didn't have much stuff that would tie me down (no kids, no house to sell).

I had no interviews or leads on a job when I got here, but I started a job I'm still at now in late August, 2008. A little over a month to find a decent job with a college degree and minimal experience isn't bad at all, I think. I have a MIS degree, so I'd guess with an Accounting degree and four years of experience you wouldn't be out of work so long as to really hurt you. I don't know anything about the accounting job market here though.

Caveats: I had a place to live free here, which I stayed at around 6 months after I got a job while I saved up some money, found an apartment, was lazy, etc. I had/have really low fixed costs. My car is paid for, and I'm good at (and used to) living on the cheap. I also HOUNDED the job market for that month and a half I was out of work. I was spending hours a day looking through various avenues.

Granted I had a good experience, but a single experience is nothing but anecdotal evidence and there's probably people that moved here without any prospects that didn't fare so well.

Bottom line is, if the above sounds like you I think it's very possible to move here without a job and end up just fine.

rd2007 · 04-30-2009, 01:21 PM

I'm almost positive you can't legally collect unemployment from that situation and never trust what friends or others (especially online forum people) tell you. Unless of course they tell you to look it up from an authoritative source.. which I'm definitely suggesting.

SATX09 · 04-30-2009, 01:30 PM

At the end of August, my boss would lay me off instead of me just quiting. the company is moving toward that direction anyway, just that they are not sure of the exact date of letting some of us go. They were thinking of laying off employees near the end of the year. Since I talked about a possibility of moving away and our year end is June ( and yes, my boss and I are comfortable with each other enough that we can have this type of conversation), he asks if I would stay until August. Then he would have me layoff at August instead of December. That way, I can legally collect unemployment.

majormadmax · 04-30-2009, 03:16 PM

Can you still collect state unemployment when you move out of the state in question? I don't know, but it is something you will want to check into.

As for moving here, what guarantees are there in life in the first place? I would say go for it, as long as you understand your situation. Do you have some savings you can tap into? How much can you live off of until you find employment? Are you willing to take a non-accounting job in the interim? San Antonio is primarily a tourist and military town, so there is a lot of service-oriented jobs that could tide you over; but how long are you willing to do that kind of work? As I am always telling people, it is a lot easier to find a new job when you have a job, and a lot harder when you don't.

Yeah, the cost of living is lower here, and we aren't being hit by the economic downturn as badly as many other areas; but there is no sure-fast guarantee you will find employment within X number of days/weeks/months. There is a degree of risk involved but if you are willing to do it, and motivated, then it may be the best thing you ever do. It sounds like you have some reasons to do so, and we don't really need to know what they are but it is up to you and only you to make the decision.

I wish you all the best, and I hope if you do come here that you enjoy it as much as we do!

Oh, and check out the USAJobs web site for government jobs here in SA! Ya never know...

Cheers! M2

SATX09 · 04-30-2009, 05:35 PM

Thank you so much for all the responses. I really do appreciate it. The first time I cam to SA I already felt welcome. This means alot to me. I have been to quiet a few different states and nowhere do I feel that is a place I want to move to. I have lived in Massachusetts all my life and although I visits many other places, nowhere makes me feel like worth me leaving home like SA. Yes, I will try secure a job before I move and I am willing to do other jobs if it is necessary. I still have some time. I really would rather have a job then be on unemployment! agian thanks for all the responses.

wCat · 04-30-2009, 10:19 PM

I'm confused about the unemployment agreement as well. Contact the EEOC in your area and find out what happens if you move out of state. $1300 is a generous amount for unemployment and obviously based on cost of living and job stats in Ma. Unemployment in Texas would be about half that max! You may have to maintain a residence there in order to collect that amount. Even if you completely trust your employer, he may not know the specifics....so cover yourself.

Try checking out accounting jobs within larger companies. Indeed.com is a very user friendly web site that you can search by location, zip, salary, company etc. Try any San Antonio zip......78205 is the downtown vicinity. A 16-18 mile radius of downtown would cover the majority of the San Antonio metro area.

SATX09 · 05-01-2009, 06:32 AM

Thanks for the website info. I will look.

austindoxie1972 · 05-01-2009, 07:50 AM

wCAT brings up a good point. You can start collecting unemployment in MA, but you will have to sign-up again in Texas, where the benefits will be much lower. A friend of mine just moved from DC to Ohio, where she had to re-iniatiate her unemployment claim. The clock didn't necessarily start over, it just continued with whatever time she had left from DC. However, her money dropped to the Ohio compensation level and there was a lag time between the stopping and starting. She had to plan financially for the weeks of waiting on the money.

I also like the idea of checking with companies prior to moving. Maybe even call some of the temp companies (for some reason, Robert Half comes to mind). All in all, it sounds like you really like SA and you are thinking ahead. I'm a big believer in following your heart. Best of luck!

guerosincero · 05-02-2009, 11:29 PM

best of luck on making your decision. the massachusetts unemployment insurance department should be able to answer that question very easily, but i would be surprised if they care whether you leave the state or not so long as you are otherwise fulfilling their requirements of looking for new work.

do not go to the eeoc in your area. it would be a waste of their time and yours. they are a federal agency charged with enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws and do not have anything to do with state unemployment insurance.

wCat · 05-03-2009, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guerosincero

do not go to the eeoc in your area. it would be a waste of their time and yours. they are a federal agency charged with enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws and do not have anything to do with state unemployment insurance.

Actually they do. It's not just a dispute resolution agency. They can help trouble shoot employee/employer relations of any kind. They do know about unemployment insurance issues.

I would agree with going to the unemployment office first, but he better let his boss know what he's doing. There is something about this "arrangement" that does not sound completely on the up and up. It sounds as if his boss has a high regard for him and may be trying to help him out by going around some of the rules. If he goes to the unemployment office he might be blowing the whistle on his boss inadvertently. It's really his call but he needs to look out for himself first.