Author Topic: Should I move first, then find a job? Trying to change careers  (Read 1701 times)

retireatbirth

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Should I move first, then find a job? Trying to change careers
« on: February 19, 2018, 09:50:06 AM »
Hello,

I have been in my current job for almost 2 years and I hated it pretty much from day 1. It was also a relocation and I hate the city as well. I took it for the money. Financially, it has accelerated my net worth into a pretty good position around $330k (I'm mid 30s, single), but I am not happy. I have been looking for a new job in other cities for almost a year, but nothing has panned out. I have had a few final round interviews, but only once was I actually flown out to meet people. It's just been over video and I don't think I'm taken as serious as local candidates at all stages of the interview process.

Adding to that, I've decided I want to make a career change into software/data engineering. My background is data analysis so sorta relevant and I've acquired some certifications. I feel there's no way in hell an employer is going to consider a long distance career changer. This makes me think I should just move first, then find a job.

My plan would be to work some menial and temp jobs while looking for a full time position. Fortunately, I'm in a place where a 10% market return is approx. my yearly expenses so in an average year I come out with no stash damage even if I don't work. But, it slows down my FIRE timeline and obviously there's the potential of a bad year in the market.

Just wanted to get some thoughts on if I am being realistic and if it's okay to move before finding the job.

Miss Piggy

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Re: Should I move first, then find a job? Trying to change careers
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2018, 10:36:15 AM »
Is traveling to the interviews completely out of the question? With the transportability of cell phones, people have "out of area" numbers all the time, and nobody thinks much of it. Would they even have to know you're not local? I suppose there's the address question on the job application, but perhaps there's a workaround?

redbird

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Re: Should I move first, then find a job? Trying to change careers
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2018, 10:57:45 AM »
You can get a job from afar. You might not even have to travel for interviews. In 2016 DH and I were living in Georgia and he wanted to get a temporary (though he didn't tell them that) job. He got a job in the Maryland/DC area and they never met him in person until his first day on the job. The whole interview process was done over the phone. This was for a software/data analysis job.

mozar

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Re: Should I move first, then find a job? Trying to change careers
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2018, 02:47:43 PM »
I don't see how an employer would know where you live. When I was interviewing I would usually get an interview the next week and have a few days notice. No reason why I couldn't have booked an interview, then flown there if I wasn't local.

And why not semi-retire, take some time to really think about what kind of low stress jobs you might be interested in?

retireatbirth

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Re: Should I move first, then find a job? Trying to change careers
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2018, 03:21:51 PM »
I don't see how an employer would know where you live. When I was interviewing I would usually get an interview the next week and have a few days notice. No reason why I couldn't have booked an interview, then flown there if I wasn't local.

And why not semi-retire, take some time to really think about what kind of low stress jobs you might be interested in?

I currently work so it's obvious where I live. I can't just leave that off my resume.