Relocation Advice Thread

[Man in Space]

I am looking to relocate in mid-to-late 2022. For reference, I’m in the Cleveland area right now. Depending on job availability and cost of living, I am considering the following areas in decreasing order of preference:

- Alaska (Anchorage > Fairbanks > Kodiak > Ketchikan)
- NYC (most emphatically not Manhattan)
- Las Vegas
- Somewhere in central or Southern California

(The latter two options are on the table in large part because I have family there, but are dispreferred in favor of the former two.)

The problem is I’m 30 and, aside from college, I’ve always lived with my family. Anybody have any ideas/advice on how to go about this? Anybody live in either of these areas and have any guidance specific to those locales?

I would be bringing a dog with me, if that changes anything.

[Moose-tache]

What is your career? Shouldn't you get the job first, and that will determine the location?

[Man in Space]

What is your career? Shouldn't you get the job first, and that will determine the location?

My career is irrelevant to these considerations as medical concerns (among other things) may dictate that I need to find employment in a different field sooner rather than later.

[alynnidalar]

Alaska and NYC are pretty dramatically different places to live! Both also have a fairly high cost of living.

I know you said you might have to switch careers, but regardless, wherever you live, you’ll have to have some kind of plan for supporting yourself. I don’t know what kind of jobs you do now or could do in the future, but searching for appropriate jobs in a particular location seems like a reasonable place to start? I mean for example, a place like Ketchikan is not going to have a lot of options.

The other priority is going to be a place to live. Infamously expensive in NYC, so keep that in mind. I’d consider what priorities I have for a home and start searching for what’s out there. Assuming you plan to rent, a site like Apartments.com isn’t a bad place to start (NYC, land of a billion roommates, probably has some city-specific sites for rental ads too)

Have you been to all of these locations before? If not, I would strongly recommend taking a trip to visit them before ever considering living in a place. If that is categorically impossible (and even if it isn’t!) then look for extensive information from people who’ve lived there, both ones who liked it and those who didn’t. There’s probably a subreddit or local social media you can find for any place you might consider living. Flip through their news. Google “I hate living in X” or “things I wish I knew before moving to X”. Your goal should be a realistic picture of life in a place, all the good things and bad ones together.

In particular, Alaska is a brutal place in winter. I’ve visited in the summer and loved it, but days where the sun never rises and -50F (plus windchill) weather is way too much for me to handle. Ketchikan and Kodiak are probably better in those regards but considering how expensive food (especially fresh produce) is in Anchorage even in summer, I can’t imagine the cost of living in even more remote places.

[zompist]

NYC and Alaska are so different that it's hard to guess what you're aiming for.

If you like city living, consider adding Chicago to your list. Lots of things to do, much more liveable and cheaper than NYC.

If you like wilderness, I can't really offer advice, except be aware that amenities may be much more scattered than you're used to. (E.g. my brother lives in rural New Hampshire, and everything is an hour's drive away.)

Definitely try to get a job first, if feasible. Not only does that allow you to do things like eat and pay rent, but it determines what neighborhoods are viable.

[Moose-tache]

Outside of movies and television, I don't think anyone has just shown up in a new city with no job, no apartment, and no plan in at least fifty years. Unless they're fleeing a civil war somewhere. If you want a change of scenery, start looking for jobs. Without knowing what you do for a living, it's hard to give useful advice on how to accomplish that. For example, in education I could absolutely give you some helpful information, but construction, not so much.

[Man in Space]

Outside of movies and television, I don't think anyone has just shown up in a new city with no job, no apartment, and no plan in at least fifty years. Unless they're fleeing a civil war somewhere. If you want a change of scenery, start looking for jobs.

I have attempted to do this, but the recruiter told me I need to be in the area before they’ll do anything.

[Raphael]

So you can't move without getting a job in your target place first, and you can't get a job in your target place without moving first. Hm. I can sympathize, but I'm afraid I can't really give you any useful advice.

[alynnidalar]

Outside of movies and television, I don't think anyone has just shown up in a new city with no job, no apartment, and no plan in at least fifty years. Unless they're fleeing a civil war somewhere. If you want a change of scenery, start looking for jobs.

I have attempted to do this, but the recruiter told me I need to be in the area before they’ll do anything.

That might be the policy of that specific recruiter, but not all employers are that way. If you're clear that you're planning to move soon (and, ideally, can provide a timeline for when you plan to move, even if this timeline is made up) and especially if you're willing to show up for an in-person interview, that makes you a more attractive candidate. Of course people already in a place have a bit of an advantage, but that doesn't mean you should give up!

Alternately/additionally, start looking for work explicitly listed as remote.

[Man in Space]

Update: No success on these fronts. What I might do is try to find an extended stay hotel and then try to find a recruiter who’s doing immediate placement (the one I was talking to said they were more towards that than anything else), and then find an apartment or a rental once in established and know a budget.

Looking at possibly exiting my current place of employ at the end of April or sometime in May.