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Topic: Location vs Job; Is it possible to have it all?
| Author | Message |
| style chic | Posted – 7/19/2008 4:37:20 AM | show profile | email poster I live in Chicago and was laid off from a job that I loved a little over 4 months ago. Since then all though I am getting interviews for ok jobs (not great ones), not one job offer. I realize I am lucky to be getting interviews as I have many, many friends looking who are not even getting that far. On a whim I started sending my resume to other cities and am almost blown away with the amount of immediate response that I have been getting from my resume. The problem is that I don't want to leave Chicago. I lived in LA a few years after college so I feel I already did my exploring. My family is here, I have the most incredible deal on an apartment and I am about to become an aunt for the first time... Chicago is not the best market for what I did/want to do and had been incredibly fortunite thus far. However, even without the lay off, there is only so far I can go in this market. So to the question... Has anyone out there struggled with this same decision? How did you come to your conclusion? Any insight would really help me out a lot. I know many people will say interview and see what happens, but I want to have a clear plan before I start spending unemployment checks on astronomical plane tickets (I would have to get to the interview on my own dime). |
| Metro Writer | Posted – 7/19/2008 11:42:45 AM | show profile Don't fret. it's been only about four months since you were laid off. Hardly anyone gets a new job straight away. Many people in the media do relocate to where the job is. If you don't want to move, why send out resumes to employers in other cities? |
| Jen480 | Posted – 7/19/2008 11:58:36 AM | show profile I struggled w/ a similar situation living in Texas. The job where I worked had no opportunity for advancement, so I packed my things & left for New York City (been here for less than a month!). But the difference between your situation & mine is that I'm not done exploring. I've been wanting to move to NYC since I graduated college several years ago. Plus, frankly, I was sick of Texas, so everything seemed to point North for me. It sounds to me like you want to stay in Chicago, so my advice would be to wait out the crappy economy & do some freelancing in the meantime. And keep applying, of course! |
| foodlit | Posted – 7/19/2008 12:25:01 PM | show profile If you don't want to leave Chicago, I wouldn't waste anyone's time by interviewing if you don't seriously want to relocate. At least you know you're in demand, so down the road if you need to rethink and consider moving, then start interviewing. For now, focus on finding something local. I don't blame you, moving is a big decision. Some people don't hesitate to relocate, I don't know how they do it...I feel the same way about Boston as you do Chicago, family and friends are here. Good luck Pam |
| sheilamullan | Posted – 7/19/2008 1:14:15 PM | show profile | email poster just a thought Your response, I should say, should be governed by the following: do you OWN in Chicago; if so I would not move. If you do NOT own, I would move. Why you say? You said Chicago is not the BEST place for what you do. I'd take 1-2 years, become an expert away from Chicago in your specialty and then move back home for good. Right not, the job offers are not coming in YET in Chicago though is some interest in you. But there is a LOT of interest in the other cities (I don't know which ones those are.) Why not get a cheap fare and go to the best possibility? There are many different cities than L.A. with many different pros/cons even if you ultimately want to end up in Chicago. I'd say, go where the fish are biting, even if you have to pick up one or two airfares. (word to wise: airfares appear to be going up, as capacity being reduced starting Sept. So book NOW for Thanksgiving, Christmas etc.) Best of luck Sheila |
