Moving to Charlotte, how do I find a job from NY
October 2, 2015 10:44 AM   Subscribe

I live in the Hudson Valley in NY. After breaking up with my Fiance’ and girlfriend of 8 years, I decided that I needed a change. I am planning on moving down to Charlotte where my brother lives. I am trying to figure out how to find a job in one state while living in another details inside

I live in the Hudson Valley in NY. After breaking up with my Fiance’ and girlfriend of 8 years, I decided that I needed a change. I am planning on moving down to Charlotte where my brother lives. I hate the winter here and am burned out at my job. It doesn’t help that everything here reminds me of her.

I am having trouble with the practical aspects and logistics of this. I would like to be out of this area sooner than later. I can’t leave right away because I have loose ends that need to be tied up. I would also need to give notice at work. I just don’t want to hang around here through the winter. I am also anxious to start my new life.

I am a Retail Manger of a “small” (5 million gross) family business. The Retail Department is about a million. I make 50k before bonuses (and additional 5k). I have no degrees, just a high school diploma. I am in my mid 30s. I have a great track record and tons of experience.

I know that the cost of living is less – generally – but my research seems to indicate that I’ll need to make at least 45k to live a comparable lifestyle. I have tried looking on all the job sites, and I can’t find much in the way of jobs. Does anyone know how much 55k would translate to there?

I can stay at my Brothers for a bit (rent free) until I get on my feet. He wanted me to quit and move down there and start looking from down there. I don’t have much in the way of bills and I do have about 25k saved, but I am a little hesitant to quit and move down there and not find something and have my savings dwindle. That brings me to my next point….

How do you look for a job out of state? I do hiring for my store and usually skip past out of state resumes. I thought about putting my Brother’s address on my resume, but this seems kind of dishonest. I also plan on having my current job on my resume as a current job (looks more attractive that I am employed?). Obviously that would be incongruent to have me living in NC and working in NY. Will this hamstring me?

Should I move and then search? I obviously can put in the cover letter that I am moving down there. The other thing is.. how do I interview? I can’t fly or drive 12 hours every time someone wants to interview.

In addition to all of this, I’d like to give my current job notice (as much as possible), but I don’t know how quickly a new employer is going to want me to start. Seems hard to figure out packing and moving etc when I don’t know when I’ll be moving.

Anyone have any experience with having their resume professionally done? Is it worth it for this type of job

Any input would be appreciated.
posted by kbbbo to Work & Money (8 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
As an alternative, could you possibly take vacation time to go down there and try to line up interviews during that period (listing brother's address, and saying you're in the process of moving in your cover letter)? Ultimately, I think it will be best to quit and look down there, if that doesn't work.
posted by three_red_balloons at 10:52 AM on October 2, 2015


I don't think using your brother's address is entirely dishonest; this will be your address in the near future and you are going to move there. If I were in your shoes, I would also get a google voice number with the area code for that location and forward it to your (cell, landline, whatever).

For interviews, try to either 1) have them all on the same day (ie, maybe a Friday). I would also consider being proactive (ie, apply to other places, as in send a cover letter/resume) even if they don't have jobs listed. Tell them you will be in town on [date of interview.]

IME, almost every employer will wait at least a few weeks for things to be finished at the other job, but I don't know your industry.

Professional resume writing doesn't seem worthwhile to me (as in, do they know your specific industry?), but YMMV. Good luck.
posted by Wolfster at 10:53 AM on October 2, 2015


Put your brother's address on your resume-- a lot of companies will trash your resume before even reading your cover letter if you don't have a local address.

I moved cross-country with two weeks notice this time last year-- memail me if you would like any ideas, even though I'm in a completely different industry.
posted by a fiendish thingy at 11:10 AM on October 2, 2015 [1 favorite]


Start packing now. Throw things away or ship them to your brother's house. Live in just a barebones necessities place. Then, once you get an offer, it will be much easier to get out of there.
posted by CathyG at 11:30 AM on October 2, 2015


I don't think it's dishonest to use your brother's address but I think your success at job searching will depend a bit on what you're after. Given that your background is in retail, I would really suggest that you close up shop as soon as possible and go down there. You might need something that will tide you over as you look for the right job and you've only got about 6 weeks until we're in holiday season, which means most hiring slows down except for seasonal work. Seems to me that in both circumstances (good retail management jobs and temporary stopgap seasonal retails), they're not going to want to phone interview then set up an in-person interview, then wait for you to transition. They're more likely to want you to come by right away and talk in person. The more available you are, then better. I also think you'll want to get down there an start making personal networking connections.
posted by vunder at 11:41 AM on October 2, 2015 [2 favorites]


I thought about putting my Brother’s address on my resume, but this seems kind of dishonest.

This is the 21st century, your resume is a marketing brochure, not your Permanent Record. They're not using the resume to prove you exist, or come find you and offer you the job. Also don't put a street address at all (again, 21st century, phones and email exist and so do stalkers, scammers, and weirdos), put the city if you must. Get a burner phone number in the Charlotte area code.

The thing about retail is that it's extremely portable, but it doesn't hire at a distance much (retail never pays relocation, and they won't wait for you). I think your brother's idea is actually the right one for the kind of work you're looking for, but by all means go down there for a vacation and try to snag something as a first try.

When they ask, and they will, because your last job is in New York, your answer is "I have family here. I'll be living with my brother until I get settled." This obfuscates whether you are already living there, and if they say "can you start tomorrow" you can say "I can! But I do need to go back in the next couple of weeks and get my stuff."
posted by Lyn Never at 12:08 PM on October 2, 2015 [4 favorites]


I moved to Charlotte four and a half years ago without a job, and it all worked out okay. I'm not in retail, but I still love it here and think you would be just fine taking the risk of moving here then job searching. Charlotte is still growing a lot and plenty of new retail is popping up everywhere, especially in south Charlotte.
posted by Katie8709 at 2:28 PM on October 2, 2015


Dude: give notice, pack, and get down there.
posted by jessca84 at 8:00 PM on October 2, 2015


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