Should I move from Houston to Dallas, or just leave Texas? (Austin: transporting, lease)

[mistermaggie]

I went to a psychiatric hospital last summer and early fall and quit my stable job in LA in the process. I was not able to find decent employment in Houston in the past year. In fact, I am now stocking shelves at Walmart because it was all I could find after a dry year. I tried the museums here multiple times, no luck. I was even ignored when I offered to volunteer. My Art History degree isn't going to help me get into oil, medicine, or heavy blue collar labor here either. I feel like Houston isn't a great city for me to find work and, having been forced into the lowest of the low retail labor, I am feeling more motivated than ever to improve my life.

I have the option to renew my lease, but due to the nature of my job I really want to keep my options open right now. I have no ties to Houston and just want to get a job more fitting of someone with a bachelor's degree and some office experience. I did a lot of rote data entry and other office work before I moved and I was looking for a role similar to the one I had before. I honestly am looking more or less for a "day job" and not a career at the moment, but still something slightly less sucky than my current lot.

I used to be transgender and I still haven't changed my name back. This has greatly impacted my job search and I hear Dallas has a slightly better record on LGBT issues than Houston, with more legal protections offered for gay, bi, and trans workers and tenants. Of course LA or even Austin would both be much better than Dallas but my best friend lives in the Big D and that is reason enough for me to consider it, not least the fact I feel like there is no moving forward in the city in which I currently live.

What are your two cents?

Thank you,
Mm

[SugLandDAd]

I offer this advice having worked at one point as part of the national management team for a very large personnel recruiting, temp labor and workforce management company, that was placing thousands of workers in jobs every day.

I would use your new motivation to work on making sure your head is right.......if a great many people have looked at you as a candidate, and are not offering jobs, nor taking you up on offers to volunteer, that probably means there is something about you that they see as an impediment to being a productive contributor.

While its still likley that in 2019 in Houston, you didn't get some jobs because of the interviewer's prejudices, its not likley that every person who had to make that decision to hire or not hire you did so based solely on your name, gender or identity issues.

Is it you? or the city that prevents you from finding more meaningful work? It could be either or both......Work on that first.

If moving to a new location makes it more likley that you can move past whatever is holding you back personally, great, give it a shot! Being near a best friend in Dallas might give you someone to lean on and offer you the kind of advice we need from best friends.

Moving to a new location and simply transporting your problems to another setting, hoping things will be different for this reason alone, is more of a gamble, than a plan to move forward.

[Westerner92]

If your best friend lives in Dallas, I say go for it. That kind of support is more important than any other factors. On your resume, just include your preferred name in parenthesis and account for your gap in employment with anything that shows self-improvement. Go for places that are known for being decent toward their employees. I have a trans friend who was out of mainstream life for a year, and he found a job at Trader Joe's that he loves. Costco is known for being great too.

[UnfairPark]

To be honest, SF, NY, LA or may be even Austin should work better for you compared to Houston or Dallas.

For someone creative and sensitive with interest in art and history, you should be better off in a city filled with art and cultural venues and events. You’ll find more work opportunities related to your interests and more likeminded people. As at this point you don’t have any ties or anything to loose, it’s a perfect time to move to a more suitable place. You can always find Walmart type retail jobs there to pay for basics until you find something more suitable.

If I were in your shoes, I would move to a scenic and serene place with a vibrant tourist scene for a while before making big decisions, Texas isn’t the best place to relax or regain mental peace.

[gus2]

Originally Posted by UnfairPark

To be honest, SF, NY, LA or may be even Austin should work better for you compared to Houston or Dallas.

For someone creative and sensitive with interest in art and history, you should be better off in a city filled with art and cultural venues and events. You’ll find more work opportunities related to your interests and more likeminded people. As at this point you don’t have any ties or anything to loose, it’s a perfect time to move to a more suitable place. You can always find Walmart type retail jobs there to pay for basics until you find something more suitable.

If I were in your shoes, I would move to a scenic and serene place with a vibrant tourist scene for a while before making big decisions, Texas isn’t the best place to relax or regain mental peace.

I think this is good advice, but those listed have high cost of living. Maybe google around for some other artsy places that are more affordable.

https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nat...merican-cities

[austinaggie]

I seriously doubt that Dallas is more LGBT friendly than Houston.

[supfromthesite]

Try California

[DabOnEm]

Originally Posted by austinaggie

I seriously doubt that Dallas is more LGBT friendly than Houston.

I've heard it is marginally better at best.