Looking to start over. I want to get a job in another state, but how do I go about this the right way. ?

Question

I am weighting my options. I'm still young, with no kids, and not attached to anything here, but my mom... So, has anyone every just jumped up and moved, is what I am trying to ask, and do you regret doing it.

Answer 1

Yes.  I've moved from Mid-west to the East Coast.  It was a lot of fun.

My suggestions:  

Do some research on the different areas that you are interested in, and have a clear idea of it's how much it's going to cost.  You need to take into account your moving expenses as well as your initial move-in expenses.  You also need to consider the differences in your daily living expenses.  One thing that was a bit of a hardship for me, was that every holiday I either had to drive like 16 hours to see family or spend a couple hundred dollars flying home.

Answer 2

I did that 16 years ago. I grew up in Hawaii and still love it there, but in my late 20's I was ready for a change and wanted to further my career so I decided to move to the mainland. I picked a town in an area I was interested in (Albuquerque, NM) and decided to check it out.

The first thing I did was write to the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and they sent me all kinds of information, maps, etc. so I could learn about the city and state. It looked like a place I'd like, so I decided to check it out.

I knew I'd need to find a job quickly once I was there, so I went to the Honolulu library and got a copy of the Albuquerque yellow pages. I made a list of the companies at which I was interested in applying and mailed a resume and letter of introduction to each one. (Nowadays this is easier. No need to go to the library, just find them on the internet...)

Several of the companies called me and expressed an interest in interviewing me for a job, so I went on a week-long trip to Albuquerque for the job interviews. While I was there I also had plenty of time for driving around and checking out the city and surrounding areas. I decided I really liked it and made up my mind to move there.  While driving around I stopped in at an apartment complex that looked nice and paid a deposit for a one bedroom apartment so it would be ready for me to move in when I arrived for good.

When I returned home I gave a month notice at my place of employment and began preparing for my move. During this month I received a job offer from one of the companies I'd interviewed with and arranged to begin work there soon after I arrived.  So...I was all set.

As I said, this was 16 years ago and I've never once regretted doing it. Moving by yourself to a brand new place is a great adventure. Since then I've lived in two other states; Kentucky, and my current residence Colorado, due to job transfers. I like all three, and I've made hundreds of friends and seen and done all kinds of things that I would not have if I'd stayed home in Hawaii.

So my summary of this lengthy answer is "go for it!" and don't look back.

Answer 3

I know someone (close to me) who moved far away from home for work. He wanted to 'start fresh' and forget about the problems back home. It's been a few years now, and I don't believe he's ever been happy. He's now talking about moving back home.