How difficult would it be to get a job set up prior to moving to Seattle? for Questionland Seattle

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How difficult would it be to get a job set up prior to moving to Seattle?

I'd like to have a job set up in the city before I move there, that way I can start working immediately once I arrive. Is this an unrealistic idea? (looking for restaurant or bar work)

Zachariah Birdwell asked in Jobs & Education over 2 years ago | Report

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Lee

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Like freikja, I would encourage you to give it a shot, but I don't think it's very realistic to go about things this way. As she said, for entry level work, in-person interviews are basically the determining factor.

You might be willing to travel to Seattle for an interview, but are you willing to travel here for each of the sporadic interview invitations you are likely to get? If getting a job requires interviewing five times in the space of two months, are you able to do those interviews? If not, you are really drastically reducing your chances of getting an offer.

So no, it's not impossible, but in this job market, it strikes me as much more realistic to save up enough to move here first and then look for a job.

One thing you should not do, by the way, is underestimate the extent to which it sucks to look for a job right now. I got laid off from my old job in December, and it was hell finding a new one. And I still feel almost ridiculously lucky to have found a decent position. Few places are hiring, few people are leaving even the jobs they hate, and the people with whom I interviewed during my search all indicated the applicant pool was almost too large to deal with. I don't want to discourage you from trying, just encourage you to be sure you're up for the fight you're in for before making the leap.

Lee answered in Jobs & Education over 2 years ago | Report

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freikja

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Well, l'm going to say it'll be challenging, since you're not looking for a specialized job that requires a particular type of applicant. Here's the most recent unemployment chart in Washington State; as you can see, it's pretty high, and l heard not too long ago that this is expected to jump to 14% within some ridiculously short amount of time. This will obviously pose a challenge.

Having worked in the restaurant business for over ten years, l'll say that most restaurants are typically not interested in hiring someone they can't immediately interview in person, especially when the turnover rate is often both high, and sudden. Given the current state of things, they're also more likely to hire someone who is already local. Remember, employers have their pick of the litter right now, and when it comes to something like the restaurant industry -where employees are far more expendable- they're probably going to go for whatever is both fastest, and easiest. Also bear in mind that the interview process is much longer now, simply due to the number of applicants, and therefore, it may be hard to align your arrival with a callback to begin with.

All that said, l don't think it's entirely unrealistic, either, but l thought it better to point out some of the obstacles you might run into. l would strongly encourage you to go ahead and try anyway, because it's hard enough finding a job right now when you already live here, and the sooner you start, the better off you will be. Good luck, and l hope your transition is as smooth as possible.

freikja answered in Jobs & Education over 2 years ago | Report

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It's not an unrealistic idea. I just moved here a couple months ago and I had a job waiting for me, but, I have a history with my company and I was able to transfer. Looking for a new job is hard especially if you have no connections.

If you can, take a trip out here and start making connections and pounding the pavement. If you have a history with a large company that you wouldn't mind working for as a stop-gap until you find a great place to work, do it (employed people are always more employable). Don't waste any time looking for a job, meet as many people as possible and milk your connections.

Good Luck!

Kate Gargiulo answered in Jobs & Education over 2 years ago | Report

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Right now I'm not sure there ARE any jobs to be found in Seattle. A friend of mine just spent five months looking for a job before finally getting one. Where I work, we get three or four people per day who walk in off the street asking if we've got any job openings. Things are pretty bleak here.

Rhias Hall answered in Jobs & Education over 2 years ago | Report

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