How to Relocate?

What’s best way to move to another part of the country? Do you try to secure a job there first, then move, or do you just move and hope to find something?

It might help to know that I’m a single guy just out of college, with absolutely nothing tying me down. I’m looking to move from the northeast to TX, with Austin being my preference.

I’ll be doing it all alone, just packing my car up and driving out.

Is it a waste of time to apply for jobs online when you’re not living in the area yet? I don’t have much related work experience to my degree (finance), mostly warehouse work. I don’t have any concrete career goals at the moment. I just know I don’t want to be a bum.

Any advice is appreciated.

well I myself would just packup and move, but I always make sure I have a chunk of money in the bank just in case.

I have a decent savings, so that’s not the issue. It just feels really weird to leave all my family and friends behind here, to go somewhere where I don’t even have a job lined up or the likelihood of even getting something decent.

What? Can’t stand the winters?

Pussy

I have a friend of mine who was a loan officer here in the DC area, but also worked in Texas as a loan officer as well. I forget what city and I’m not sure if it was a bank or a broker. If you want me to look into it for you just PM me and I’ll see if I can pull a few strings and get you a job down there that’s at least somewhat in your field. It would probably be commission, though. Let me know.

I would line up a job first.

[quote]JPCleary wrote:
I would line up a job first.[/quote]

x2

[quote]Kilosprinter2 wrote:
I have a decent savings, so that’s not the issue. It just feels really weird to leave all my family and friends behind here, to go somewhere where I don’t even have a job lined up or the likelihood of even getting something decent.[/quote]

DO IT!!!

If you can get a job lines up, that’s great and you should definitely try to get one ahead of time because it’ll make the transition easier. But, if you can’t do it ahead of time, just go. You have some savings to live on, get in the car and drive then work your ass off to find something as soon as you get there.

I’m speaking as someone who did just move and everybody told me that I was crazy at the time, but I’ve never regretted it. Every time I go back home to visit, I see people who wanted to leave the area but never did because they didn’t want to move away from their friends and family. It’s very sad, and they always ask me “How did you do it? How do you just leave?” then they look really sad and beaten down by life before I change the subject.

If you want to go then go, you go always go back if need be, just don’t be that person who spends the rest of their life wishing they’d have just taken the chance. You’re young, you don’t have anything or anyone to hold you back, so go!

Dude, line up a job. Being broke in a new location doesn’t help.

[quote]Kilosprinter2 wrote:
What’s best way to move to another part of the country? Do you try to secure a job there first, then move, or do you just move and hope to find something?

It might help to know that I’m a single guy just out of college, with absolutely nothing tying me down. I’m looking to move from the northeast to TX, with Austin being my preference.

I’ll be doing it all alone, just packing my car up and driving out.

Is it a waste of time to apply for jobs online when you’re not living in the area yet? I don’t have much related work experience to my degree (finance), mostly warehouse work. I don’t have any concrete career goals at the moment. I just know I don’t want to be a bum.

Any advice is appreciated.[/quote]

Have you ever visited Austin?? Do you want to work in finance? Do you want to live IN Austin…or surrounding areas(Round Rock,Pflugerville,etc.)?

I’ve never been to Austin, but I’ve heard a lot of good things about it. I don’t have to work in finance, but it is an option. I’m really pretty open to jobs that can lead to some sort of future career. Just not sales type positions.
I wouldn’t mind living in surrounding areas.

I just don’t want to end up taking some minimum wage job when I get there.

Why not take temporary employment or better yet a part-time job until you can find somthing you like? A part-time job in a small business will keep you sane while you hunt for and/or interview for that dream job… you will earn some cash; learn your surroundings; and most likely make some important contacts.

You can easily explain a year of temporary or part-time employment on your resume as a “relocation event”; very acceptable especially if you are young and just beginning your career.

Go for it! Dreams must be caught and thus require action…

Makes sense Ricochet, I’ll keep that mind. I can’t expect to land a dream job the day I get there. It should all be a learning experience.

[quote]MarvelGirl wrote:
Kilosprinter2 wrote:
I have a decent savings, so that’s not the issue. It just feels really weird to leave all my family and friends behind here, to go somewhere where I don’t even have a job lined up or the likelihood of even getting something decent.

DO IT!!!

If you can get a job lines up, that’s great and you should definitely try to get one ahead of time because it’ll make the transition easier. But, if you can’t do it ahead of time, just go. You have some savings to live on, get in the car and drive then work your ass off to find something as soon as you get there.

I’m speaking as someone who did just move and everybody told me that I was crazy at the time, but I’ve never regretted it. Every time I go back home to visit, I see people who wanted to leave the area but never did because they didn’t want to move away from their friends and family. It’s very sad, and they always ask me “How did you do it? How do you just leave?” then they look really sad and beaten down by life before I change the subject.

If you want to go then go, you go always go back if need be, just don’t be that person who spends the rest of their life wishing they’d have just taken the chance. You’re young, you don’t have anything or anyone to hold you back, so go![/quote]

I imagine it would be possible for me to live few years away from my hometown, but not coming back here to stay - impossible.

[quote]MarvelGirl wrote:
You’re young, you don’t have anything or anyone to hold you back, so go![/quote]

^^^^^
This.

Just go. If you’ve got no one to take care of but yourself, then you have to go and do it.

[quote]malonetd wrote:
MarvelGirl wrote:
You’re young, you don’t have anything or anyone to hold you back, so go!

^^^^^
This.

Just go. If you’ve got no one to take care of but yourself, then you have to go and do it.[/quote]
x3.

I had the opprotunity to move with a job when I was 23, I turned it down because I got re-comfortable with my life in Richmond (it’s where I was born and raised). Just got told that I’m being transfered to PA in Dec/Jan for a year. Couldn’t be more excited. Definitely at the point where I need to see what else is out there. Also helps that I already have a job lined up. So ya, def go. Like others said, just line up a part time job so you have some income to make your savings stretch out longer. Get involved in social/recreational sports clubs, amazing way to meet people.