I need career advice!
 

This is my shortened "Readers' Digest" version. ;)

My husband and I have lived here in Tennessee to finish school. (He is froom Nashville, Tenn, and I am from Charleston, SC.) I graduated back in '03 and he just graduated in May 05. We are ready to move 'back' to Charleston.

We have both applied to some 300 jobs down there who have all turned us down becauase we are out of state. We are willing to relocate, but they are not willing to hire someone who must relocate before they can start work.

So our only option seems to be to move without jobs - when rent is incredibly expensive down there! We have some savings but given Charleston's higher cost of living, they wouldn't last us long.

AND ON TOP of all of this, we were offered a great deal (not cheap but fair, considering it's brand new and an awesome location) to rent one of these condos! (cilck here) East Bridge Town Lofts, LLC. (and they're OK with our pets!)

We need all the advice we can get right now! HELP! :confused:

Do you think that either of you would have a hard time finding a job? Are you willing to do something that you don't necessarily(sp) like until you find that right job? With you being from Charleston worse case senario maybe family would help.

Yes, My parents both live in the city and are THRILLED that we are considering a move "home"! But they also are aware of our situation and are willing to help in any way they can and want the best for us, even if it means not moving yet.

It looks like my husband and I are going to be waiting tables for a couple of months until decent jobs come up. YES we are willing to do this because we both have excellent resumes and are baffled why we haven't been hired yet! ;) I have applied to some PERFECT jobs and have heard nothing back b/c of where I live. It's so sad. *sigh*

We think SURELY it's only a matter of time until we're "discovered"! :p

Just from my own experience, it's so easy to get stuck somewhere. If it were me, I would move to where I want to be then worry about the job.

I agree. Its hard to find a place that is descently priced where you can have pets, If that is where you want to be, I am sure that once you are there. You will get the jobs you want.

Good luck :thumbup:

That's what families are for.

Good Luck. Hopefully you will find the perfect job. The old saying goes it's easier to find a job when you have one. Maybe once you make the move you will have better luck.

That perfect job is out there for you both.

Hang in there and good luck.

I'm in HR and have one bit of advice for you... On your cover letter, put that you are moving to X as of X date and do not expect relcoation costs to be paid for by the company. Lastly, let them know that you are willing to pay the costs to get an interview now if need be... Obviously in different words, but that will help them understand! Plus...they might end up paying for you to come down for an interview anyway! Good luck.

Will do! Thanks! You guys are helping me feel a LOT better about this!

And my husband's degree is in Business Mg't and HR! That's the field he hopes to get a job in once we move. Any recommendations to help him get his foot in the door?

Everyone is saying the same thing that I would! Move home!! The jobs will happen!!!

What difference does it make if you wait tables in TN or SC until you get the jobs you want. And having been to both Johnson City and Charleston, I'd have to think that the tips are better in Charleston... he he

My experience is that people who want to and aren't afraid of work, always manage to find something!! Your work ethic will speak for itself and the next thing you know someone will be offering you a job in your field.

Also, just knowing that you can go over to mom's house for dinner/moral support (and knowing that she'll never let her grandson Sully want!) is something in itself. When I first got out of school and was living on peanuts, my main meal of the week was Sunday at Gma's house. God bless her, she would make enough to send me home with food for several meals through out the week. She taught me how to cook her southern classics, and I got to spend quality time with her that I would do anything to be able to get back again!!

BTW - I'm from Greenville, SC and Charleston is one of my favorite cities - ever! That's where my Jersey-boy-husband and I honeymooned and have always said we'd like to retire - ahhhh some day... :rolleyes:

Oh wow, so you're a native South Carolinian, how cool! Yes I am very proud of my hometown and cannot wait to move back. (Fyi: I lived in the Greenville area for nearly a year when I was 18....I went to North Greenville College. I loved the area but hated the school, and transferred back in 2001.) But I am very familiar with Greenville too!

And how about that AWESOME condo, huh?!!! I can't believe that we could live somewhere so nice in a month from now! Whew!

HOWEVER....I have a great job. I am a newswriter for the local paper here in Johnson City. I make good money here and so it will be hard to leave.....especially if I have to go back to waiting tables. But if it's for the best for both of our careers, I don't mind! My hubby waits tables here in town at Applebee's and so would just transfer down there (it's a sure thing).

But as for me, I'll be leaving my awesome career to go back to waiting tables....that is, hoping I would get hired somewhere down there! Eeck. Scary!

I couldn't be more excited, though. I had to tell you guys because I am sitting here at my desk at work oogling over "our new condo" (prospectively) and I can't tell anyone here at work until I'm sure! I will probably put in my notice middle of next week.

It just dawned on me that you are from Johnson City right now. My brother and his wife were prof at ETSU they are getting ready to move to Raleigh my brother got an awesome job. They are now in Jonesborough, my sister & her family live in Bristol, TN. My grandfather lives in Abingdon. Since you are not from Johnson City orginally you may not know these towns. But, my husband is from Richlands, VA and I'm orginally from Whitewood, VA my mom and some family still live there. My husbands family still lives in Richlands.

Anyway, good luck. Keep us posted.

Wow! Of course I know all of those places....I work for the newspaper! :p I cover the court beat and visit the Jonesborough courthouse twice a week! And just last week, I covered the Virginia Highlands Festival in Abingdon. We live here b/c my husband just graduated from ETSU. He really enjoyed ETSU's honors program and highly recommends it to anyone!

I moved to Johnson City when Eli and I got married, so I've lived here 18mo. now. I don't know every road, but I am comfortable here, finally. But...of course, I'm moving now ;)

If you guys both feel secure in moving and have the finances to do so (or family support for the time-being), then do it. That is very odd that they won't even look to hire you because you are out of state, but if that is indeed the only reason stopping them from hiring you, then a move would be beneficial to both of you! :)

Good luck!

Eli says we'll be eating ramen noodles and tuna mac a lot, but we can afford it. I mean, like Sherry Lynn said, there's always family to enjoy a good meal once a week right? Hehe.

I'm not sure if being out-of-state is the only reason.....but I swear I had every single last credential that their job listing wanted, and applied, and followed up and I didn't even receive a phone call in return.

I can't figure out any reason why they wouldn't have at least wanted to schedule an interview with me on at least a couple of these ideal jobs I've applied for, when I have a degree, experience and talent and a resume and portfolio to prove it!

This stuff is confusing. But we can do it! YT members are the best! You have no idea how much better I feel after talking to you about it!

Val:

If you have a great place to move into and family around, I say go for it. Great jobs will come to you, I have no doubt. Sometimes you just have to take the bulls by the balls :D

You know I had been living in DC for about 5 years and one day it just dawned on me - I have to live in Manhattan. So, the day after my 23rd birthday I packed up my best friends car and she drove me here. I found an apartment from DC but I had no job and only had a handful of friends here. It was the best thing I ever did. That was 12 years ago and I have to say I never would have had this much fun in Washington, DC. Take a chance, you know you guys can do it :p

If it wasn't for my son who is high functioning Autistic we would have already moved back up to maybe somewhere between Piney Flats and Abingdon. But, we live in the metro Atlanta area and the resources here are incredible. Not like in that area. The county we live in has the best special needs program in the state and it is in the public school system.

Anyway good luck to you & your husband on your job search.

If I was you, I would NOT hesitate to move back home! That new place looks GREAT and you have your parents as support! GO FOR IT! I am postive a great job will come along for both of you really quick! You are SUPER talented and I know finding a job will not be a problem. Good luck and keep us posted!

if thats where you want to be i say go for it!

Passionfruit I envy you. I always wanted to persue journalism You have my dream career. I think you should move Im sure you would find a job pronto. In any case i wish you well with your decision Im sure its a scary one not knowing about the job situation but i am sure it will work out.

Good Luck to you!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Val,

I recently moved to Chicago from Connecticut, and ran into the same problem UNTIL...I put a Chicago address on my resume and cover letter!!! I can't even tell you what a difference that made. My boyfriend was already living in Chicago when I was looking for a new job, so I just used his address. I went from two weeks of absolutely no calls or emails to getting seven interviews and landing my new job within 3 weeks of changing my address. A lot of times, recruiters filter by geographic area so you may not show up on their radar even though you're qualified for the job. Just food for thought! :)

Wow, why didn't I get this advice before? I applied to some AWESOME jobs and haven't heard a thing back from them! Darn! That just really really sucks!

I just read your response to my husband who wanted to bang his head against the wall if he had only thought to use my parents' local address on our resumes. Well we will from now on! THANK YOU!!!!

Hehe, you're very very welcome!!! :D Why not re-apply to the jobs you already applied to? They may not remember you by now and hey, the worst that can happen is that they don't call you back, right? Never hurts to try!

GOOD LUCK!!! :)

Wow! Nice place! I have faith in you and Eli. You have so much going for you! You will have no problem getting the jobs when you get there! I have no doubt! I say go for it!

Your young I would go for it! lily

Yay! You guys are getting me excited now!

Question: Any advice for apartment-hunting long distance?

My dad went to look at that EastBridge condo today and he said it was only so-so. (But he knows zero about renting.) So before we sign papers at EastBridge, I want to look around JUST to be sure!

How can I find the best place (or top two...I can go down there and decide) I just need to narrow it down a bit!

Val, What about getting your mom to get you a local number for a cell phone.... :mobile_ph

My parents travel a lot and I would worry about them when I couldn't reach them, so I added them to my Verizon plan (for just $9.99 a month). Because I got it here they have a local Jersey number. That way no one knows where you really are...

Most cell plans offer something similar, and the added bonus for me is that we can talk any time without using up minutes from the plan.