Ok New Yorkers, help me out here!

[Ticklegrrrl]

Hey guys,

Ticklegrrrl here. As many of you have read I'm moving out to New York coming up here in about a month or so after a very pregnant friend has her baby (woohoo!). Well here's my dilemma, I've been trying to find a job, apartment etc and have been talking to people on other forums about it. All the New Yorkers keep telling me "don't come here!" and it's starting to really bum me out and annoy me. I checked the unemployment rate and it's almost exactly the same out there as it is here in Los Angeles so how bad can it be? I mean I am a realist but must these people be such a downer? I know that it's hard to find an apartment out there but my best friend and b/f live there and are willing to help me. I miss them and want to be near them since I'm unemployed right now (I was laid off) and I need a change. It's much easier to get around out there than it is here too. Anyway, is it really soooo bad out there right now or am I just talking to a bunch of jaded crabby New Yorkers who think they're situation is worse than everyone elses? I mean I'm from some tiny town, I'm no idiot here. Give me some good news and advice. Somebody cheer me up, come on it's christmas!



ticklegrrrl

 

[Ticklegrrrl]

oops

Oops, sorry out late last night guys. I meant that I'm NOT from some tiny town, I'm from LA!




ticklegrrrl

 

[venray]

TG e=mail me @ [email protected] I might have some work suggestions for you,


Ray

 

[Ticklegrrrl]

thanks!

Thanks Ray you rule! I'll email you as soon as I can (probably tomorrow since I'll be working on some job hunting then). Thanks guys, keep the advice coming!



Ticklegrrrl

 

[Myriads]

Do you mean you are moving to New York City or New York State? As different as LA and Cali.

Upstate IS in the dumper. We never recovered from the '90 Recession, it just kept on. Makes this one not seem bad at all 🙂 Just more of the same.

Myriads

 

[TicklingDuo]

If you're talking NYC, rather than NY state... another possibility may be to try southwestern Connecticut. You're just outside the city that way and may find other opportunities. Are you looking for a particular type of work? If so, that may make a difference in where you go too. I'm originally from upstate and pretty much everything but the healthcare industry is dead up there AFA opportunities. If you have any teaching background, CT is the place to be. Last I knew, they were offering huge bonuses to teachers to come to CT.

Ann

 

[qjakal]

Long Island...

Easy access to NYC, 2% unemployment, but a one bedroom apartment is between $800-$1000 in a private home, and around $1200 in a complex with amenities such as tennis court, gym, pool, etc.

Lot of beaches, one shore is rocky the other is sand, and there's bays, inlets and ocean available depending on your tastes.

Weather isn't quite as good as LA, we do get about 4 snowstorms a year on the average, but the ground NEVER shakes...lol!

If you're interested there's a ton of LIers on here for further info.

The same is generally true of White Plains and Westchester also, to the north of the city, but they don't have our beaches of course.

Good luck. I've lived all over the US (Dad was in the army...we moved...a LOT!) and I like Long Island the best overall. Q

 

[Shem the Penman]

I admit NYC isn't as good a proposition lately, especially if you're looking for a place to live -- Mayor Bloomberg, driven by the economic slump, the impact of 9/11, and the previous mayor's financial mismanagement, has had to jack taxes up a lot. The worst hit is property taxes, which are slated to go up nearly 20% -- which almost certainly will be passed on to renters. I'm not eager to see what my maintenance bill looks like next year. A fifty-cent increase to subway and bus fares is in the cards, too, as well as various cuts in city services. (Unfortunately, there's not much choice here -- by law, the mayor has to balance the city's budget every year, or a state board will take control of the city's finances away from him.)

If you want to live in the city, I have one piece of advice: unless you're a lot richer than me, forget Manhattan. You'll either have to put up with multiple roommates or settle for paying high rents for a broom closet. Brooklyn or Queens are much better values. I've lived in Queens for over six years now, and I've been happy with it, since it gives me the best of both worlds -- convenient to Manhattan when I want to go there, but without the crowding and expenses.

 

[TickleCrazy]

I don't know about general employment statistics, but I know a bunch of people who have lost white-collar jobs since 9/11 and haven't been able to bounce back. They weren't "dead wood" either, just reliable, capable people. It's really tough in NYC right now.

 

[Ticklegrrrl]

thanks

Thanks for the advice guys. I know that it's hard there now but it's crazy here too and if I can't get a job right away I'd rather be near my friends (plus long distance relationships suck, arrrgh). Shem I was actually thinking of Queens or Brooklyn. I love areas of both of them and my friends & b/f live in Astoria so I would like to be near to them. If you have any advice on places to look just tell me. My friends are going to help me search.



Ticklegrrrl

 

[fttickler]

You Know me from the channel here

🙁 Unfortunately all those scary stories are right sweetie. NY sucks for jobs. After 2 downsizes the last one from IBM I took anything that came along. In Other words RETAIL/ Yuck but it iss something


Adam

 

[ticklernyc]

Hi:

As a friend has said recession is good for
educaton.

If you can tolerate a low paying office job,
maybe you should look into working for a school,
college or university.

The pay is not that great but the atmosphere and
stress levels are very reasonable.

ticklernyc

 

[NYCity]

Sorry for the late response, ticklegrrrl, but I just saw this thread. As you can probably tell from my screen name, I love everything about this place. I agree with all of the things that other posters have said, including the cost, recession, etc, and the idea of living outside of Manhattan (I live in Brooklyn), but to me it is the greatest city in the world. While the aftermath of 9/11 is certainly a one-time event (at least we all pray it is) the expensive cost of living aspects of New York, have always been true here and they always will be. If you really want to be a New Yorker, don't let that stop you. I know you said you're currently unemployed, but I don't know what your field or financial situation is. If you'd like to talk more about it, please email me at [email protected]

As far as apartment hunting goes, especially in Brooklyn or Queens, best place to start to get an idea of what's available for what money is the Village Voice.

www.villagevoice.com

It come out once a week (on Tuesdays I believe) but it has minor updates on the other 6 days. You can't be a serious apartment hunter without it.

Hope this helps, and I hope you become a New Yorker. We need more tickish women here!!!