BootsnAll Travel Community

I am considering a long distance move next year from California to Seattle. I've been to Seattle several times and I loved it. Next year I'll be free to pretty much move where I'd like.

I'm debating taking a one month leave of absence from my current job next Spring and spending that time in Seattle job hunting. At first I thought I'd just GO, but I'm not sure if that is a wise idea.

I could just up and go, as I'd have the funds to support myself for at least 6 months. A temp agency is always an option until I found a perm job that I wanted. My thought is that if I were already there for good, I would be more available for immediate jobs.

Any pros/cons for either option? Obviously, I have plenty of time consider both sides, but I'd like to hear from anyone that has done one or the other.

Hi Justducky,

In 2002, I moved from New York to Florida - a bit different from Cali to Seattle (cost of living wise, well at that time, anyway)- but I didn't have a job when I did it.

I would think if you have some decent job skills and stable work history, you can always find "something". Unfortunately, my salary was cut in half moving from NY to Florida and took 5 years to get back to where it was. But it did force me to get off my a$$ and finish my college degree, so something good did come out of it for me. Obviously, it's a risk, but you could go anywhere and either not like it or they not like you, whether you are in your home state or somewhere different.

Also, in regards to the LOA idea - most companies want to see a local address to ensure that you will actually be a resident and actually available for a job, so I'm not sure that is the best idea.

Hope that makes sense. I say go for it.

I moved from California (to Michigan) to Texas without a job. It was a tight first year, as I went with next to no money. I spent it subbing and working in a bookstore. They are not fans of high wages here in Houston, unless you work for an oil or a chemical company. But now I've been here 4 years, got a job teaching, and am officially a functional adult.

So...go. If you have the funds to support yourself for 6 months, you'll very likely get a liveable job in that time.

I suggest that you spend time there in the rainy months before deciding. THAT seems to be the biggest problem for people who love Seattle and move there. The endless rain can really get to you, so keep that in mind. I have friends that live in Seattle and love it, but find the rain oppressive and depressing. Some are setting themselves up to do just the good weather months there.


Always look closely at the negatives before making a big move like quiting your job. There is a big difference in visiting somewhere and living there. Go job hunt in the worse possible time of the year there, so you get a taste of the worst.

Also keep in mind the state of the economy. If one does this ( moves without job) in boom times, it will be a very different experience than one doing it in a recession.

I have always worked free lance or for myself, so I have moved across country without a job. Sometimes it was easier than others.

Good luck!

We moved from Indiana to Portland immediately after returning from our honeymoon and didn't have jobs. We both found retail type jobs and then after a few months of that, found better jobs.

Later we came back from our RTW trip and drove around aimlessly until we found some place nice (Providence, RI) and settled down without jobs or a place to live. It all worked out.

You should start scoping jobs, etc. Depending on what your skills are, and job level is, you may get relo from a prospective employer. You never know!

I am pretty risk-adverse, so I wouldn't move without a job. But that is just me. I do think there is always SOMETHING you can do in the interim. As skobb said, you can move and work retail as you find something. You could work at Starbucks or Jamba Juice and even get benefits. I would go spend some time there during the rainy season... I am not sure where you are in central California (inland or coastside), but either way, the weather is WAY different. I love Seattle, but the grayness would depress me...it depresses me in SF.

I have moved from Massachusetts to California and back and then back again - so a total of 3 trips moving w/out a job. It really depends on your field and what you see for yourself. If you have a career then you would be wise to apply for a few months and see if you can find something, if you're just looking for any old job then just leave.

I can tell you that I only moved once with a job. The first 2 times i had no job lined up. I found one after a couple months and then i started my own business when i moved the 2nd time. The third time I had an idea of what i wanted to do and interviewed over the phone, got the job and moved. However keep in mind it was a commission only job (those are pretty easy to get) and i didn't make any money for the first 3 months! That was kind of tough. I lived off credit cards and then had to pay them off when I finally started making money. It wasn't ideal but it got me where i needed to be.

I think most of the time you have to just take the leap of faith and go. It's hard to get jobs while living in another area and if you have 6 months to back your adventure then you'll be good.

In 2002 I moved to Chicago after teaching in Japan for a few years. I had no job lined up, but quite a bit in savings, no debt, and a really good credit score. Yet I had some problems renting an apartment. Some management companies wouldn't let me sign a lease without a job, even though I was willing to pay 6 months (or more) up front. I finally found a landlord who wasn't so rigid, but I was really worried for a while. I always thought the good thing about the USA was being able to pack up and leave, to start over in a new city, to leave the past behind....I wonder if those days are over.