Moving from St. Louis to Seattle (Tacoma, Everett: 2014, apartments, lease)

[Seb24]

Hello,

I'm planning a move to Seattle in Spring 2014. The idea is to save enough money, relocate to Seattle, find a temporary job while looking for a permanent position. More about me: BS degree in Computer Science, 8 years experience in IT as system admin, no dept.

I would appreciate any sort of feedback and/or advice. As far as housing I would like to lease a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment or house. ($1000-1500 range) Any recommendation as far location?

Thanks,

[Seb24]

71 views and no comments?

[tobester]

You don't provide a lot of "wants" other than an apartment within the 1000-1500 range. That could fit anywhere from Tacoma to Everett. I would recommend finding a job and living close to it.

[Hemlock140]

There are hundreds of posts very similar to yours, I think you will get a better response if you indicate that you had read them and then ask more specific questions. Your price range is the median for King County, so you should be able to live in Seattle or any of the close-in suburbs, but with our terrible traffic the work location and whether you have a car makes a big difference.

[beautifulseattlehomes]

I would definitely live in Seattle (which can totally be done in your price range) and start floating your resume before you get here. I imagine you have an idea where you would like to work..I know Amazon hires from out of state so why not toss your hat in that ring. Always easier to get a job when you have one than when you don't!

Pick a neighborhood in Seattle that is vibrant, walkable to stores, pubs, gyms, restaurants, etc! Don't be reliant on a car. There are plenty of cool areas in Seattle that really are car dependent. I would stay away from those and focus on urban density...Ballard, Cap Hill, Phinney, Wallingford, Fremont, Queen Anne...etc!

Have you spent time in the city? Have you honed in on neighborhoods that you like the vibe of? What kind of lifestyle are you looking for? Commute is a big deal here and can be hell if you don't choose well so keep that in mind when looking where to live and where to work!

[Seb24]

Thank you very much for all feedback. I have a car that's paid off, I just feel (and I could be wrong) I have a better chance of finding a job locally than applying from out of state. Out of Ballard, Cap Hill, Phinney, Wallingford, Fremont, Queen Anne what area has the best cost/things to do balance?

[Blondebaerde]

Originally Posted by Seb24

71 views and no comments?

The question or a variant therein is asked several times/week, and answered thoroughly most of the time.

If you can get an audience with someone at one of the LOCAL agencies for tech (staffing firms), could probably give a better idea of employment prospects. They will have little time for you if your skills aren't exactly, precisely what they want, at that instant in time.

When I started, doing similar, many moons ago this place (Seattle metro) was a money-printing opportunity for most anyone in tech. These days, I strongly suspect you'd better have (very) specific skills and (exceptional) value-proposition, self-marketing abilities to stand out above a dozen or more equally qualified candidates.

...Unless you enjoy treating with non-Westerners touting asinine "temp jobs" in tech. I had no patience for that, some functions need to be (re) in-sourced.

[beautifulseattlehomes]

There are a lot of young single people as well as families in Ballard. Many apartments have been built so it has that whole high density urban thing going on and tons to do... ditto for Cap Hill which is a very happening in city urban neighborhood which feels much more like the city than Ballard but both are great places to live...the best way to get a feel for each area is to drive around to the various neighborhoods and see which one feels the best to you...of course cost will drive the process too. Capitol Hill has some newer buildings but also a lot of old 1920's brick buildings with lots of character and little to no parking...just depends on what you want. When I moved here 14 years ago I chose Ballard over Cap Hill because of the whole parking thing...seemed impossible to me then and is worse now.

And Blondebaerd is right...you have to be on top of your game to compete in the the tech field here...so having the skill set that is wanted in the here and now is crucial to hitting the ground running when you get here....perhaps use this time to bring anything and everything current that you can so that you have the greatest appeal to potential employers, temp or permanent.

[ilkhd2]

Chances to get hired locally are higher but not by large margin - nowadays Skype is what used by many employers for making interviews. Try to secure job as a temp/vendor/contractor and then, after completion, find permanent one.

[Seattle206723]

Originally Posted by Seb24

Hello,

I'm planning a move to Seattle in Spring 2014. The idea is to save enough money, relocate to Seattle, find a temporary job while looking for a permanent position. More about me: BS degree in Computer Science, 8 years experience in IT as system admin, no dept.

I would appreciate any sort of feedback and/or advice. As far as housing I would like to lease a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment or house. ($1000-1500 range) Any recommendation as far location?

Thanks,

Apply for King County and if you PM me I can get you a Reference. I know they have a few openings in that area.