Leaving the employment frying pan of Arizona for the employment fire of California ... Does it make sense?
September 19, 2009 12:21 PM Subscribe
California's unemployment rate for August was 12.1%. I live in Arizona where it was 9.1%. Does it even make sense for me to apply for positions in California?
Although our rate is lower here, the number of advertised positions in my field is next to nothing while California (specifically the Bay Area, but also SoCal) has quite a few positions.
I have friends in both areas and could easily hop a Southwest flight for interviews. I'd very much like to stay on the West Coast (No offense to my beloved NYC and the East Coast). I know I'll be competing with all the unemployed there so my question(s) are: Do I apply and how do I make myself more attractive to employers there?
I'm highly mobile with no mortage/children/significant other tying me down.
Thanks.
Although our rate is lower here, the number of advertised positions in my field is next to nothing while California (specifically the Bay Area, but also SoCal) has quite a few positions.
I have friends in both areas and could easily hop a Southwest flight for interviews. I'd very much like to stay on the West Coast (No offense to my beloved NYC and the East Coast). I know I'll be competing with all the unemployed there so my question(s) are: Do I apply and how do I make myself more attractive to employers there?
I'm highly mobile with no mortage/children/significant other tying me down.
Thanks.
You don't need to find jobs for the entire population of California, you just need to find one job you like for yourself. If you can afford the expense of traveling, I'd say give it a go.
I would suggest asking a friend to use his or her address for your California resumes, and getting a prepaid cell phone with a California area code so that you don't give potential employers the impression that you want them to pay your relocation expenses.
posted by xingcat at 12:26 PM on September 19, 2009
I would suggest asking a friend to use his or her address for your California resumes, and getting a prepaid cell phone with a California area code so that you don't give potential employers the impression that you want them to pay your relocation expenses.
posted by xingcat at 12:26 PM on September 19, 2009
While CA jobless rate is 12.1%, the rate in the bay area is between 9.1-9.3% depending on the country.
While I know a few people who have lost jobs here, I have talked to more than half a dozen people who have moved to San Francisco and got jobs in the past couple months.
But the bay area is stupid expensive. Part of the reason the jobless rate is lower here is because people have to move pretty damn quick when they lose a job.
posted by Ookseer at 12:31 PM on September 19, 2009
While I know a few people who have lost jobs here, I have talked to more than half a dozen people who have moved to San Francisco and got jobs in the past couple months.
But the bay area is stupid expensive. Part of the reason the jobless rate is lower here is because people have to move pretty damn quick when they lose a job.
posted by Ookseer at 12:31 PM on September 19, 2009
Response by poster: Dfriedman: My field is government relations/regulatory affairs. I've got a pretty varied background and have also done PR/journalism and legislative work. I'll be looking forward to that sagacious morsel of wisdom now.
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 12:33 PM on September 19, 2009
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 12:33 PM on September 19, 2009
Look at it this way: That is a 87.9% employment rate.
In my opinion, bigger metro areas are always hit less hard by unemployment, just due to the sheer volume of jobs increasing your chances of finding the one that is perfect for you.
posted by shownomercy at 12:36 PM on September 19, 2009
In my opinion, bigger metro areas are always hit less hard by unemployment, just due to the sheer volume of jobs increasing your chances of finding the one that is perfect for you.
posted by shownomercy at 12:36 PM on September 19, 2009
I'm contemplating jumping from the low unemployment rate of Texas for moving back to CA. On the local San Diego news this morning they were saying big contributors to the rate are super high unemployment in the agriculture and construction sectors (and real estate and finance sectors). When you peel back the data to where you want to move and your field, it might be growing.
posted by birdherder at 12:51 PM on September 19, 2009
posted by birdherder at 12:51 PM on September 19, 2009
Unless you know the unemployment rate for precisely your desired position in your own field, employment rates are useless measures. Ignore them.
posted by rokusan at 1:21 PM on September 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by rokusan at 1:21 PM on September 19, 2009 [2 favorites]
I think birdherder explained it well. Also, the clusterfuck that is CA government means that a lot of state and local government workers have lost their jobs.
Anecdotally: I quit my godawful software job in L.A. last Tuesday. I have a second interview this week coming up, and two other places that want to interview me if that falls through.
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:08 PM on September 19, 2009
Anecdotally: I quit my godawful software job in L.A. last Tuesday. I have a second interview this week coming up, and two other places that want to interview me if that falls through.
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:08 PM on September 19, 2009
What rokusan said. It's almost always a bad idea to apply a general statistic for a population to your particular circumstances. If the market is strong for your skill set and you have the necessary contacts, go.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 5:23 PM on September 19, 2009
posted by obiwanwasabi at 5:23 PM on September 19, 2009
It takes about 15 minutes to complete an online application, so you risk almost nothing by applying.
posted by Houstonian at 4:13 AM on September 20, 2009
posted by Houstonian at 4:13 AM on September 20, 2009
Much of California's high unemployment rate affects the construction sector. The overall state-unemployment figure is also skewed by extremely high rates of unemployment in places like the Imperial Valley, where the unemployment rate is 25%.
Look at it this way: That is a 87.9% employment rate.
Unfortunately, there's no two ways about it, 12.1% unemployment is a very difficult environment in which to be looking for a job.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:49 AM on September 20, 2009
Look at it this way: That is a 87.9% employment rate.
Unfortunately, there's no two ways about it, 12.1% unemployment is a very difficult environment in which to be looking for a job.
posted by KokuRyu at 9:49 AM on September 20, 2009
As long as you don't give up the search in Arizona, I don't see that it can hurt to apply to jobs in the Bay Area. By increasing the pool of jobs your applying to, you will also increase your chances. Good luck...
posted by bananafish at 9:58 PM on September 20, 2009
posted by bananafish at 9:58 PM on September 20, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by dfriedman at 12:26 PM on September 19, 2009