For those of you who moved to San Diego from elsewhere... (San Francisco: real estate, homes)

[Cardiff Kook]

so basically, the vast majority of people who moved to San Diego either had a job transfer lined up with their current company or moved without a job.

I'm curious as to the percentage of people who did each. Lining up a job transfer to relocate to San Diego requires a lot of luck and being in the right place at the right time.

[cruitr]

Originally Posted by GMUAlum08

so basically, the vast majority of people who moved to San Diego either had a job transfer lined up with their current company or moved without a job.

I'm curious as to the percentage of people who did each. Lining up a job transfer to relocate to San Diego requires a lot of luck and being in the right place at the right time.

While living in the Midwest, my wife took a job with a San Diego-based software company. She managed the Midwest region for them. Within a year, her employer offered her a job here in San Diego. She turned them down. A few months later, they sweetened the offer. She turned them down again. Eventually, the offer made sense for both of us and here we are.

She still works for the same company and now hires quite a few out-of-state employees. The new employee always works in their home area and needs to prove their value to the company. After a year or so, she sometimes offers to relocate a few of them to San Diego. Some accept, some don't.

The HR dept of my wife's company receives lots of unsolicited resumes. Most are trashed and not even reviewed. There are just too many resumes to look at and no one has the time to review them. All hiring is done as the result of personal networking or converting specialized consultants to permanent positions.

[Radical347]

I didn't have anything lined up when I moved to SD in 05, but I got by doing a few odds & ends. I had been planning to go to LA for the longest time but literally everyone I talked to told me, even begged me, to consider San Diego instead. I liked SD well enough but after a few years I never really felt like I connected with it, so I left.

[earlyretirement]

Originally Posted by Radical347

but after a few years I never really felt like I connected with it, so I left.

That's the one thing I've really noticed about San Diego is there seems to be an extremely high turnover from people that move here that actually stay here for the long term. I don't have official figures about this but I'd be curious how many people move to San Diego and actually stay more than 5 to 10 years?

Several people we met already have moved or in the stages of moving soon. And when we make good friends, one of the first things they ask us is "are you planning to stay in San Diego long?". One of our close friends we have made here that lives near us told us they will take the time and energy to make friendships only to have those people move away after a relatively short amount of time.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

As far as resumes, its a love/hate for the internet. We get probably a 70/30 out of area>local proportion of cv's. After reading through some of them for certain positions the out of area applicants are far less appealing when all things are equal.

I would get out here first, get the lay of the land, then start doing your thing and networking. Just keep in mind that it can take a long time and you need to prepare for that.

[Toroid]

Originally Posted by GMUAlum08

Just curious if you grew up and lived in SD your whole life?

So from what I'm reading in this thread, most people got a company transfer (or their SO did) and moved out here. I haven't heard of anyone applying for a job out of state and getting an interview lined up yet

Nope. Spent about 6 years there in my 20's to early 30's and left a little bit ago. I haven't really lived anywhere my whole life though and 5 years is one of the longest stretches though so it's my adopted adult hometown.

It's possible to get jobs by applying from out of state, those jobs typically just aren't entry level jobs and if they are are highly specific entry level jobs. This is pretty true almost anywhere right now since it's an employers market.

[ShelbyGirl1]

We've lived all over the Country, being transferred with my husband's job, as he climbed the "corporate ladder", so to speak. This last move, to here in SD, was purely for Retirement. With our son living here, and our falling in love with the area on many business trips, was enough for us to "just do it". For us, it is the last move I intend to make, or at least, out of State. Weather alone has proven to me we absolutely made the best choice for us. So, I guess, we don't fall in either of your listed categories, but still completely pleased with our choice.

[mover79]

I applied from out of state and got an offer after the interview. Depends if you are in a specialized field. Don't plan on staying here long term.

[Cardiff Kook]

Originally Posted by mover79

I applied from out of state and got an offer after the interview. Depends if you are in a specialized field. Don't plan on staying here long term.

well that makes 1! nice job

[Marinadistrict]

I was able to apply and get a job via phone interviews from DC to San Diego. This was a Federal job and in a specialized field that required security clearances. My wife transferred through her agency after a retirement in their San Diego office. I have heard of others in the Government services field, especially in the cleared world, being able to pull off the DC to San Diego move. There are just way less TS cleared personnel available in San Diego than in DC. We are here to stay, and had been planning for some type of move here for years.