Would you move without having a job lined-up?

[Ava]

That's what I am planning to do in three months.

But now I am starting to seriously question that decision.

For background, I live in CT and I am sitting for the CPA exam in Florida.
Since I work full-time and the exam is sucking the life out of me, I haven't been looking at jobs in Florida too much. I've sent my resume here and there to a job opening, but all I get is radio silence.
I think it's because of being in CT and applying for entry-level jobs. The companies probably don't want the hassle of dealing with a long-distance candidate looking for a job as a staff accountant. I don't blame them.

But what if I pack everything, spend all my money, show up in Florida and I can't find a job? The idea of being unemployed and penniless scares me a lot. What would I do? I would get a retail job but that won't support me. I won't have medical insurance. I keep telling myself it shouldn't be too difficult to find a job with the CPA exam parts passed, but who knows.

I've looked at CPA jobs here in CT and everything is located either in Hartford or  Stamford. Mostly Hartford. I don't like Hartford at all. The commute from my home would be hell, and I don't want to move to that city.
Stamford is a solid 90 minute commute and the cost of living in that area is not something I can afford, even with a raise. Indeed shows 300 jobs for entry-level CPA for Florida and only 74 for CT.

When I passed my first CPA part my manager mentioned he could talk to HR about me and see if they could place me in a position to get the necessary experience within the company. He said he couldn't guarantee anything but he could ask. He never mentioned it again and I didn't follow up on that. Now they have an internal auditor position open on the jobs website. It's one pay grade above my position and would mean approximately 12k more a year. Unless one of the managers has a CPA license, that job would not count as experience I need. So I don't know if it's an opportunity or not.
My current employer is located in a city near the water with some -not many-affordable little cities within a 30 minute ride which are located near the beach. New Haven has good public transportation, the beach, parks, good restaurants and a reasonably good cultural life due to Yale University being there. I would love to live near the beach.
The other good thing about my employer is that they really promote and help you build your 401k. They use Fidelity and it's really easy to find out information and talk to them about retirement and investing. They put 7 percent of my salary in my 401k, and they give me 3 percent of my salary as a bonus every March. Since I've been with them, I started saving and investing and it's going great. I never thought I could have as much as I have now. Moving without a job would mean temporarily setting aside all that.

The two things I dislike most about CT is the awful winter weather and the perception I have of a small state with not too many good job opportunities. Taxes are high, there's talk of bringing back tolls, and the state seems to be going under. Hartford is facing possible bankruptcy right now. There's not much to do here, it's mostly small towns and I find it very boring.

I am so confused that I talked to my doctor about feeling this way. He suggested going to a  psychiatric nurse practitioner so I can have someone to talk to about all this. But the two he recommended only have hours M F 9 to 4, when I'm at work. I'm going to keep looking if there is one with a better schedule.

[Pants]

ava you've been talking about this for years - do it!!! Seriously, jump girl.

[zibazinski]

It's Miami and you're bi-lingual. What's the problem?

[zibazinski]

Look at banks and smaller accounting firms.

[zibazinski]

Take a vacation to Miami and interview/job search.

[Anne_in_VA]

When I was being downsized at a previous employer, I went for several interviews in south Fl from VA. They didn't work out, but the impression I got was that there are a lot of jobs available especially if you're bilingual, which I believe you are.  

If I were in your shoes, I'd take a vacation to the areas you are interested in and do a job search while you're there.  You should also see if you can work with a headhunter to line up some interviews while you're down there.  

Part of the reason I stayed in VA after moving from CT was weather!  I hated the cold, nasty weather six months of the year in CT.

Good luck!

[Deleted]

I like the idea of vacationing in FL and job-hunting.  In the old days, you sent in your resume and added in the cover letter, "I'll be in the area the week of --- and would welcome the opportunity for an in-person meeting".  That would be enough for them to realize that it wouldn't cost much to bring you in for an interview.  Not sure how you do this with on-line applications.

[resolution]

You have been dissatisfied with where you live and dreaming of Florida for too many years to give up out of fear.  Save up enough to live on for a year in the new location and just move. If you don't find something self sustaining before the money runs out then you can always try to reinstate with your current employer.

Does your employer have any remote/telecommute positions that can be done on a temporary basis while you move and get settled? When i did my move across the country, my employer agreed to a six month trial of a telecommute position. Eight years later, I am still telecommuting, but you can do better than me and actually go find a local job when you get there instead of getting too comfortable in the telecommute job.

[Rob Base 2.0]

I told u so 😀

[Shooby]

You need to just go.  However, I would do it but i would have a plan.  I would have several months of living expenses saved before making such a move.  Is there some reason you cannot line up a job before you leave?  Or is trying to find a job too difficult with the distance?  Even if you take A job to get yourself in the door somewhere and get started you don't have to stay there.  Just get something and get your body there.  Then when you settle in , you can really evaluate where you want to live and then look for the job you want.

[NancysSummerSip]

Are you kidding? You are bilingual. You can literally do anything you want down here. OK, so you may not get the CPA job of your dreams right off the bat. Move, dammit. You can still work, support yourself and keep looking for that perfect job.

I am leaving my current place of employment at the end of July without a perfect plan in place. Yes, I can afford to be out of work for awhile. Yes, I am married and all my bills are paid and I don't owe a thing to anyone. I get paid well and my benefits are good at my current job. But I hate it. I just plain hate it. I no longer want to go to a place I cannot stand and do a job I do not enjoy. I am good at the job, but not good for the job, if that makes sense.

Sometimes, you have to take that big flying leap into the space of faith and believe that you will land reasonably well on your feet. For years, I have lived in fear that I would not. I know so many people who died without taking any risks or chances in life. Some never got the chance, and some never tried. I don't want to be one of those people any more. You shouldn't be either.

Come on down, and let me know when you arrive. Miami is about 75 minutes south of me.

[suesinfl]

Go for it. As other's have said, you may not find the perfect job at first. But by being in the location, you will be able to figure out the best location/type of job you want.
With your education (excluding the CPA license) and being bi-lingual, you should have no problem finding employment.

[Ava]

Well, I particularly wanted to hear from people from that area and the consensus seems to be that it's a good area to job-hunt. I am fully bilingual, by the way, and I hope that helps.
I have a friend who has family in the area and when I called her and said I'm having doubt she said the same thing; just go. She vacations there often and is fascinated with Miami. She would move there in a heartbeat but she doesn't live in the US and only gets a tourist visa.

The only advice I don't understand, which I have also received in RL is; go there on vacation and job hunt. I don't see the point since I am saving for the move. A vacation there, between food, airfare, transportation, etc. would easily set me back 1k or more for two weeks. And the job hunting is done online nowadays.
For the few jobs I've already applied I tell them that I will be moving to the area this summer, probably in August and that I don't need relocation assistance. So far nothing, not even an email saying they've received my application.

I've tried to contact a recruiter but no luck so far.

I have 10k saved in a savings account but moving expenses would be high because I have to rent out my condo and the management company would take the first month of rent. So basically I would have to pay mortgage for the condo, rent in Miami, plus security. I could take money out of my Roth IRA but I don't want to. That would be a worst case scenario.

[Ava]

May 28, 2017 6:55:37 GMT -5 Anne_in_VA said:

When I was being downsized at a previous employer, I went for several interviews in south Fl from VA. They didn't work out, but the impression I got was that there are a lot of jobs available especially if you're bilingual, which I believe you are.  

If I were in your shoes, I'd take a vacation to the areas you are interested in and do a job search while you're there.  You should also see if you can work with a headhunter to line up some interviews while you're down there.  

Part of the reason I stayed in VA after moving from CT was weather!  I hated the cold, nasty weather six months of the year in CT.

Good luck!

The winter weather here in CT is very though. It dampens my spirit, lasts forever and it becomes very dangerous. Sometimes the roads and streets are not properly cleaned after or during periods of snow, but you are still expected to show up at work. My commute right now is 30 miles and it's no walk in the part when it snows.

[suesinfl]

Ava, can you use one of your friends' families addresses to say that you have a place to stay and the you will be moving to the area in a specific time frame? When I was hell bent on moving last year, I did have more invites for interviews when I provided the information that I had a place to stay. It lets the employer know that you don't need a relocation package and your plans are set

[stillmovingforward]

My son faced the same issue when he wanted to relocate to a major city right out of college so don't think its just you. It is most likely because you are in another state and 1) its a hassle to interview you and 2) the company might be afraid of being asked for relocation assistance.

Try opening up a P.O. Box in Florida or use a friend/family (doesn't your mother live there?) address as your's.  Phone numbers don't mean anything anymore.  I have a local guy who's phone number reads as Mississippi!

[zibazinski]

May 28, 2017 17:01:57 GMT -5 stillmovingforward said:

My son faced the same issue when he wanted to relocate to a major city right out of college so don't think its just you. It is most likely because you are in another state and 1) its a hassle to interview you and 2) the company might be afraid of being asked for relocation assistance.

Try opening up a P.O. Box in Florida or use a friend/family (doesn't your mother live there?) address as your's.  Phone numbers don't mean anything anymore.  I have a local guy who's phone number reads as Mississippi!

Also don't worry about having an out of state phone number. Lots of people do. But yes to the Florida address.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

The State of Connecticut might have funding issues, but, don't kid yourself, Florida does, too. The large population of retired and senior citizens hurts the state budget. State funded nursing home care is NOT cheap. So don't move because you think Florida is in a better position financially.

[ZaireinHD]

keep looking for work and actually get the job with a start date. it could be possible no job offers in Florida are happening right now because you are not starting right now, when companies are looking for someone to start working right now or within the next two weeks.

[ZaireinHD]

I find it interesting how it is mentioned that being bilingual you are practically guaranteed a job in Florida and yet you have no offers. so I'll change my thinking and maybe no offers because you have to look outside of your specific field you want to work in. now the question is will these other fields of work pay enough? as mentioned before, that is a concern. it would be temporary working in another field until the Finance / Accounting jobs make you an offer. but it is unknown how long that could take?

[suesinfl]

May 29, 2017 4:57:27 GMT -5 ZaireinHD said:

I find it interesting how it is mentioned that being bilingual you are practically guaranteed a job in Florida and yet you have no offers. so I'll change my thinking and maybe no offers because you have to look outside of your specific field you want to work in. now the question is will these other fields of work pay enough? as mentioned before, that is a concern. it would be temporary working in another field until the Finance / Accounting jobs make you an offer. but it is unknown how long that could take?

Z I'm not sure where you are located, but if you haven't been to south FL, I can see where being bi-lingual is a good thing would be hard to understand. There are some areas, not slum areas, but normal business areas, that there is no one and I do mean no one who speaks/understands English.

I also think that Ava has had no offers, because she stated that she only half heartedly put in a couple of applications for her field. So she has not been actively perusing  the job market, which is hard to do when you live many states away. Heck, it's hard when you live 100 miles away, at least for me last year.

[zibazinski]

Absolutely you need to be bi-lingual and that language needs to be Spanish. Just about everywhere nowadays but especially in states with a huge Spanish speaking population. I see jobs advertised that say bi-lingual applicants preferred and they don't mean Greek. They stopped saying required because that was deemed discriminatory but it's easy to get around that. Preferred is a buzz word for you better speak Spanish or you're not getting hired.

[zibazinski]

I have a friend coming down to stay with me while she job searches. I told her to line up some interviews and check Craigslist because small companies use them a lot before she comes. She'll need to buy a ticket and rent a car but her room and board will be on me! It's doable if you're really motivated. She's unemployed so she's motivated. You still seem on the fence.

[Ava]

I have someone who lives there whose address I could use for job search. The problem I see is that if I get a call, they may want to set up an interview the following week, which has happened to me here in CT. People call for an interview and ask you if you can do it next Wednesday. I am not going to leave work, pay for airfare, etc, for just an interview that may lead nowhere. It's not really an easy situation. If I were closer, within driving distance, I wouldn't mind.
 
I could ask for a Skype interview, but then they know I'm not there. Many employers don't like that. They want people who are available. My manager didn't want to interview a guy who lived in Massachusetts, which is not that far from here. He said it wasn't fair to the guy to make him drive all the way to CT just for an interview. The only reason he was finally interviewed was because he had a friend working for us who kept insisting.

I'm not on the fence. I would love to move.
The problems I'm facing is that, first of all, I am currently studying for the third part of the CPA. Between that and a full-time job, long commute, and taking care of my home (cleaning, paying bills, grocery shopping, etc.) I don't have time to do a proper job search.
When I got my current job I remember considering my job search a part-time gig, half jokingly.
That's what I did every day after work, job search for a set two hours every day.
Right now, I don't have the time or energy for that. I need to concentrate on the exam. I don't know about other people who've taken it, but for me it's difficult.
It takes all my attention and free time to study. I was scheduled to take the third part next Tuesday, and I had to change my appointment to July because I'm not ready yet.

And the other thing is that when you live long-time in a place, you develop bonds and relationships, even if you don't like the place itself. You get comfortable in your workplace, manager, coworkers, neighbors, you have a doctor you see regularly, you know the local shops, etc. It's not easy to leave all behind. You have medical insurance and a 401k that's growing steadily. A move like that is very disrupting.

[Shooby]

May 28, 2017 11:09:44 GMT -5 Ava said:

Well, I particularly wanted to hear from people from that area and the consensus seems to be that it's a good area to job-hunt. I am fully bilingual, by the way, and I hope that helps.
I have a friend who has family in the area and when I called her and said I'm having doubt she said the same thing; just go. She vacations there often and is fascinated with Miami. She would move there in a heartbeat but she doesn't live in the US and only gets a tourist visa.

The only advice I don't understand, which I have also received in RL is; go there on vacation and job hunt. I don't see the point since I am saving for the move. A vacation there, between food, airfare, transportation, etc. would easily set me back 1k or more for two weeks. And the job hunting is done online nowadays.
For the few jobs I've already applied I tell them that I will be moving to the area this summer, probably in August and that I don't need relocation assistance. So far nothing, not even an email saying they've received my application.

I've tried to contact a recruiter but no luck so far.

I have 10k saved in a savings account but moving expenses would be high because I have to rent out my condo and the management company would take the first month of rent. So basically I would have to pay mortgage for the condo, rent in Miami, plus security. I could take money out of my Roth IRA but I don't want to. That would be a worst case scenario.

  I am not one to jump on everyone's bandwagon and tell people 'just do it, what a great idea, etc' unless based on what you said it makes sense to ME if i were in a similar situation.  However, in your case, it sounds like you are very motivated to make this move.  You have savings and education to be employable and the savings to tide you over.  So, i really think you just need to jump.  
  As to the vacation for interviews, that isn't a bad idea.  Having the assurance of going to a job is certainly worth whatever you would spend to travel down there for interviews.  However, getting a job now isn't what it used to be. It now often takes several interviews, meeting with HR, physicals, drug tests, and on and on.  I work some extra casual jobs and it literally was 3 months from the day i interviewed until all of my paper work was completed.  So, doing the vacation/job interview approach really might not be worth it.
 In life, you can't always figure out all of the details in advance.  Sometimes you just have to live your life and go for it.

[gooddecisions]

If it were me and I was that desperate to move, I would need to have at least a year's worth of living expenses saved up.

i really think you need to focus on the exam, keep saving (go for any jobs that pay more at your current company) and pull the trigger after you are done studying and can catch your breath. Good luck!

[yogiii]

I think you should at least wait until you have passed the exam in July.  Just get yourself down there before it snows, so have a goal in mind like Nov/Dec.

[zibazinski]

Oh, I thought you were done with the exam.

[Opti]

Indeed shows 300 jobs for entry-level CPA for Florida and only 74 for CT.

Since Florida is a much larger state, I'd expect a significant difference. Looking at Population numbers, the Florida number should be higher actually, around 400 if it was proportional to population. (I found 2010 figures, so things may have changed.) I'm not sure if that 300 helps you given you are worried about commutes and cost of living.

Since you are so unhappy where you are you should continue with your plans but be realistic and decide your fallback plans. Employers usually are looking to hire for positions they have now, not several months in the future. Also, in general July and August are horrible months for interviews as its the biggest time for people to take vacations. I know $1K would be a huge chunk of your money to check things out, but $1K is a smaller loss than $10K. A well-timed vacation in the right spot might give you a real look at the job front in FL which might make you adjust your plans. A vacation in September after kids are back in school would be good timing. Employers might be reluctant to bite until you pass the exam.

I hope it works out for you in the end.

[Miss Tequila]

May 27, 2017 23:06:12 GMT -5 Ava said:

That's what I am planning to do in three months.

But now I am starting to seriously question that decision.

For background, I live in CT and I am sitting for the CPA exam in Florida.
Since I work full-time and the exam is sucking the life out of me, I haven't been looking at jobs in Florida too much. I've sent my resume here and there to a job opening, but all I get is radio silence.
I think it's because of being in CT and applying for entry-level jobs. The companies probably don't want the hassle of dealing with a long-distance candidate looking for a job as a staff accountant. I don't blame them.

But what if I pack everything, spend all my money, show up in Florida and I can't find a job? The idea of being unemployed and penniless scares me a lot. What would I do? I would get a retail job but that won't support me. I won't have medical insurance. I keep telling myself it shouldn't be too difficult to find a job with the CPA exam parts passed, but who knows.

I've looked at CPA jobs here in CT and everything is located either in Hartford or  Stamford. Mostly Hartford. I don't like Hartford at all. The commute from my home would be hell, and I don't want to move to that city.
Stamford is a solid 90 minute commute and the cost of living in that area is not something I can afford, even with a raise. Indeed shows 300 jobs for entry-level CPA for Florida and only 74 for CT.

When I passed my first CPA part my manager mentioned he could talk to HR about me and see if they could place me in a position to get the necessary experience within the company. He said he couldn't guarantee anything but he could ask. He never mentioned it again and I didn't follow up on that. Now they have an internal auditor position open on the jobs website. It's one pay grade above my position and would mean approximately 12k more a year. Unless one of the managers has a CPA license, that job would not count as experience I need. So I don't know if it's an opportunity or not.
My current employer is located in a city near the water with some -not many-affordable little cities within a 30 minute ride which are located near the beach. New Haven has good public transportation, the beach, parks, good restaurants and a reasonably good cultural life due to Yale University being there. I would love to live near the beach.
The other good thing about my employer is that they really promote and help you build your 401k. They use Fidelity and it's really easy to find out information and talk to them about retirement and investing. They put 7 percent of my salary in my 401k, and they give me 3 percent of my salary as a bonus every March. Since I've been with them, I started saving and investing and it's going great. I never thought I could have as much as I have now. Moving without a job would mean temporarily setting aside all that.

The two things I dislike most about CT is the awful winter weather and the perception I have of a small state with not too many good job opportunities. Taxes are high, there's talk of bringing back tolls, and the state seems to be going under. Hartford is facing possible bankruptcy right now. There's not much to do here, it's mostly small towns and I find it very boring.

I am so confused that I talked to my doctor about feeling this way. He suggested going to a  psychiatric nurse practitioner so I can have someone to talk to about all this. But the two he recommended only have hours M F 9 to 4, when I'm at work. I'm going to keep looking if there is one with a better schedule.

Totally unrelated to your question but your comment about taxes made me laugh.  Aren't you the one that continually posts how other countries that offer things like free healthcare, free college, etc are much better than the us?  How do you think those things are funded??

But no I would not move without a job lined up.