Now that's what I call, a linear equation
August 29, 2006 3:44 AM Subscribe
SingleMotherFilter: My friend's got a one year old girl, and single mom or not, she's going to provide for her -- even if it means moving to Seattle. She's not helpless: The baby's father will pay childcare expenses, and she's actually got a couple years of tech support gigs on her resume to go along with her long history of being a computer enthusiast. But neither of us know too much about actually arranging childcare or finding entry level tech jobs around Seattle. Any words of advice?
I second what Loto said. I guess it's been almost three years now, so things might have changed, but I had zero success finding a low-level tech job in Seattle, and in NYC they're all over the place. Not that I'm recommending NYC as a place to live cheaply, I'm just saying.
Anyway, I really hope you aren't implying that moving to Seattle is solely a means of getting closer to gainful employment, because if you are, then that's the part that needs to be rethought.
posted by bingo at 7:29 AM on August 29, 2006
Anyway, I really hope you aren't implying that moving to Seattle is solely a means of getting closer to gainful employment, because if you are, then that's the part that needs to be rethought.
posted by bingo at 7:29 AM on August 29, 2006
Pretty much what Loto and bingo said - Seattle may easily be one of the best cities in America in which to live, but the job market has been absolute shit - especially at the entry level - since the dot-com implosion.
posted by Ryvar at 7:38 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by Ryvar at 7:38 AM on August 29, 2006
Where does your friend live now?
posted by TG_Plackenfatz at 7:41 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by TG_Plackenfatz at 7:41 AM on August 29, 2006
The tech job market is better in Seattle than it was 2 years ago, but there are very few entry-level jobs, and a glut of community college graduates and disillusioned dot-com-dream-hopping baristas to fill them. Also, google cost of living calculator to get some idea of how much it costs to live here versus other cities.
posted by matildaben at 8:38 AM on August 29, 2006
posted by matildaben at 8:38 AM on August 29, 2006
as a Seattlite, I can say that the job market really does vary from month-to-month. I went three months between jobs, then had to choose between three that were offered at roughly the same time.
Ramping up to Christmas is a great time to get on as a temp/contract worker, but the insurance will suck. In fact, I don't know of any places that will hire someone as full-time right off the bat. My current place of employment has 20 openings of a technical nature in Bothell, WA. These aren't all tech support, and fewer are entry level, but feel free to pass the URL on. It's a great company and great benefits if/when you go full-time.
(otherwise, craigslist is always an option)
posted by hatsix at 10:36 AM on August 29, 2006
Ramping up to Christmas is a great time to get on as a temp/contract worker, but the insurance will suck. In fact, I don't know of any places that will hire someone as full-time right off the bat. My current place of employment has 20 openings of a technical nature in Bothell, WA. These aren't all tech support, and fewer are entry level, but feel free to pass the URL on. It's a great company and great benefits if/when you go full-time.
(otherwise, craigslist is always an option)
posted by hatsix at 10:36 AM on August 29, 2006
Response by poster: Seattle's interesting to her because she has a pretty good support infrastructure around here. It's hard moving somewhere you don't know anyone. She'd also like to move somewhere with a fairly good school system -- it'd be hard to get her to DC.
My friend is in small town Arizona right now.
posted by effugas at 12:37 PM on August 29, 2006
My friend is in small town Arizona right now.
posted by effugas at 12:37 PM on August 29, 2006
Family and friends are the most important part of getting by as a single parent. Depending on her family situation, grandparents, both hers and the fathers, can usually be counted on when everything else falls through. Also, depending on the age of the baby, she may have a hard time finding childcare that will watch a very young child, or be at the standard she wants. Family and friends can fill that gap.
I would also ask, what's the dad doing? Is he basically going to pay support and not be part of the child's life? Dad's can watch kids when possible just like anyone else.
Moving away from support systems for a job might seem like a short term fix, but being by yourself in a foreign city with no one to help you is very, very hard. In my experience, it's been better to stay in a city where I don't make as much money, but there are a lot of people to help me with my son. There's not as much money, but if you lose that high-paying job because the baby is continually sick and you have to miss work, you're not in a very good situation either.
posted by spslsausse at 1:43 PM on August 29, 2006 [1 favorite]
I would also ask, what's the dad doing? Is he basically going to pay support and not be part of the child's life? Dad's can watch kids when possible just like anyone else.
Moving away from support systems for a job might seem like a short term fix, but being by yourself in a foreign city with no one to help you is very, very hard. In my experience, it's been better to stay in a city where I don't make as much money, but there are a lot of people to help me with my son. There's not as much money, but if you lose that high-paying job because the baby is continually sick and you have to miss work, you're not in a very good situation either.
posted by spslsausse at 1:43 PM on August 29, 2006 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Loto at 5:41 AM on August 29, 2006