I'm not entirely sure why I typed all this out...perhaps it'll help me to make a decision if I try to explain everything to someone else. Thoughts, comments, suggestions and the like are all greatly appreciated. 
Prequel:
Life-to-date, I've followed my family around - my parents were divorced about 18mo back, and I moved north with my mother & the kids..helped them out, etc. They're settled in over in Maine now. I'm ready to do my own thing. I'm currently renting from my uncle, I help him out with work around the house, computer work, etc...talk with him about stuff (the whole family/emotional situation here isn't exactly awesome..he's also looking for another job, and occasionally really needs someone to talk to)...so I'm glad I've been able to help him out, and that he's been able to help me out with an excellent deal on rent -- but it's time for me start living my own life...
/Prequel
As some of you may know, I'm thinking about moving to Arizona for several reasons:
There are a few challenges - I don't personally know anyone there, it's rather far away, and I'm not sure I could afford to visit before I moved (flight + a week's car rental comes to over 700 bucks). And oh, yeah...I've never been there before. My parents have, though, and they loved it.
[indent]So, here's my current situation.[/indent]
I'm renting a room from my uncle now - I love my family...but I really need to move out. Housing is too expensive up here...eh, or my paycheck is too small...either way, I can't afford it with my current employers.
[indent]Speaking of employers...[/indent]
I recently went through a hiring process with a local police department - it was down to only two of us at the end, and the conditional offer was given to the other applicant. The Chief did say that they were very impressed with my performance through the testing, oral boards, etc., but the other individual was chosen due to prior military experience. I was given an offer to go through this city's field training program, which is an awesome opportunity - they're modifying our mutual aid agreement so I can have full authority & medical/liability coverage when I'm working in this town...but as I'm not actually employed there, I won't get paid. That's an excellent offer...I'm the first to ever receive it. However, no money? Major downside...
This Chief is willing to give me a reference 'without reservation' for any agency I apply for. I can also provide a Lieutenant from New Hampshire Police Standards and Training as a reference -- after I 'fix' my vision (Arizona's uncorrected requirements are significantly stiffer than New Hampshire's), I shouldn't have much difficulty securing a full-time position. Key word being 'shouldn't'...
[indent]So, no immediate help here. Possible help in the future, though...other options?[/indent]
Maine! Affordable housing, and jobs are available - but I have no interest in moving to there...which is a rather major downside. I've applied for jobs here in NH, one in CT, one in FL and several in AZ, and AZ is the only place that has provided favorable responses so far. I have also decided I don't want to move back to FL (family issues - long story). Utilizing a simple process of elimination, it's easy to see where this is going.
[indent]Yep. No go on Maine, no go on FL, and NH isn't too hot either. Next?[/indent]
Sometimes, things just have a way of working out if you're in the right place...example, my mother moved out to Maine - found a job and a place to live in about a week - after trying for a long time to make it work in NH, she decided to move. It worked out beautifully for her. I've been back in NH for about 18 months - doesn't look like my full-time employer is going to do anything about my substandard salary, even though I recently received an excellent annual review, my hourly wage is over 30% less than what one of our (unfortunately not hiring at this time) competitors pays for an almost identical position. I don't have much of a future here at all. My police department has me scheduled every fourth weekend, so I don't have much going on with that either...and at $10/hr (one weekend a month), it doesn't help a whole lot financially.
[indent]And now, [/indent]
...here we go, back to Arizona again. I'm tempted to contact a temp agency and move out there and work for them while looking for full-time employment; I'm not sure if I'll be able to find a job without a physical face-to-face interview...which is difficult being 2750 miles away.
I briefly thought about selling off whatever I don't need, packing the truck and just heading out, and finding a job when I get there. However, that's a bit risky for me - seeing how I'd need a place to live, and I'd have to explain to a prospective employer why I left a steady job/etc and moved across the country without having anything lined up ahead of time. So, that's probably out.
So...I guess I've almost made my decision...but I'm not really sure how it's all going to work out. Do I spend the money to visit beforehand, or do I just do my best to find a job, then move to a place I've never been? It is tempting to just 'do it'...but logic says it may be risky. It looks like an awesome place to live...but - again - I've never been there myself.
But hey, life's an adventure, right?
Cliffs for the lazy and/or apathetic:
I don't know what to do.
Prequel:
Life-to-date, I've followed my family around - my parents were divorced about 18mo back, and I moved north with my mother & the kids..helped them out, etc. They're settled in over in Maine now. I'm ready to do my own thing. I'm currently renting from my uncle, I help him out with work around the house, computer work, etc...talk with him about stuff (the whole family/emotional situation here isn't exactly awesome..he's also looking for another job, and occasionally really needs someone to talk to)...so I'm glad I've been able to help him out, and that he's been able to help me out with an excellent deal on rent -- but it's time for me start living my own life...
/Prequel
As some of you may know, I'm thinking about moving to Arizona for several reasons:
- It's completely different. Sometimes different is good.
- Cost of living is comparable to (appears to be lower than) here
- The pay scale is higher
- There are more people over there
- Awesome 4wheeling
- Major airsoft activity
- No ****ing road salt! The thought of near-immortal vehicles is alluring...:awesome:
- More job opportunities - I have retail banking experience...there are tons of banks hiring out that way. Would be an excellent 'treading water' job while I get Lasik & figure out which department I want to work for.
- More job opportunities 2.0 - multiple police departments are hiring, and several have mounted units, which is what I want to do.
- It would give me an opportunity to take a road trip from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast - possibly a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
There are a few challenges - I don't personally know anyone there, it's rather far away, and I'm not sure I could afford to visit before I moved (flight + a week's car rental comes to over 700 bucks). And oh, yeah...I've never been there before. My parents have, though, and they loved it.
[indent]So, here's my current situation.[/indent]
I'm renting a room from my uncle now - I love my family...but I really need to move out. Housing is too expensive up here...eh, or my paycheck is too small...either way, I can't afford it with my current employers.
[indent]Speaking of employers...[/indent]
I recently went through a hiring process with a local police department - it was down to only two of us at the end, and the conditional offer was given to the other applicant. The Chief did say that they were very impressed with my performance through the testing, oral boards, etc., but the other individual was chosen due to prior military experience. I was given an offer to go through this city's field training program, which is an awesome opportunity - they're modifying our mutual aid agreement so I can have full authority & medical/liability coverage when I'm working in this town...but as I'm not actually employed there, I won't get paid. That's an excellent offer...I'm the first to ever receive it. However, no money? Major downside...
This Chief is willing to give me a reference 'without reservation' for any agency I apply for. I can also provide a Lieutenant from New Hampshire Police Standards and Training as a reference -- after I 'fix' my vision (Arizona's uncorrected requirements are significantly stiffer than New Hampshire's), I shouldn't have much difficulty securing a full-time position. Key word being 'shouldn't'...
[indent]So, no immediate help here. Possible help in the future, though...other options?[/indent]
Maine! Affordable housing, and jobs are available - but I have no interest in moving to there...which is a rather major downside. I've applied for jobs here in NH, one in CT, one in FL and several in AZ, and AZ is the only place that has provided favorable responses so far. I have also decided I don't want to move back to FL (family issues - long story). Utilizing a simple process of elimination, it's easy to see where this is going.
[indent]Yep. No go on Maine, no go on FL, and NH isn't too hot either. Next?[/indent]
Sometimes, things just have a way of working out if you're in the right place...example, my mother moved out to Maine - found a job and a place to live in about a week - after trying for a long time to make it work in NH, she decided to move. It worked out beautifully for her. I've been back in NH for about 18 months - doesn't look like my full-time employer is going to do anything about my substandard salary, even though I recently received an excellent annual review, my hourly wage is over 30% less than what one of our (unfortunately not hiring at this time) competitors pays for an almost identical position. I don't have much of a future here at all. My police department has me scheduled every fourth weekend, so I don't have much going on with that either...and at $10/hr (one weekend a month), it doesn't help a whole lot financially.
[indent]And now, [/indent]
...here we go, back to Arizona again. I'm tempted to contact a temp agency and move out there and work for them while looking for full-time employment; I'm not sure if I'll be able to find a job without a physical face-to-face interview...which is difficult being 2750 miles away.
I briefly thought about selling off whatever I don't need, packing the truck and just heading out, and finding a job when I get there. However, that's a bit risky for me - seeing how I'd need a place to live, and I'd have to explain to a prospective employer why I left a steady job/etc and moved across the country without having anything lined up ahead of time. So, that's probably out.
So...I guess I've almost made my decision...but I'm not really sure how it's all going to work out. Do I spend the money to visit beforehand, or do I just do my best to find a job, then move to a place I've never been? It is tempting to just 'do it'...but logic says it may be risky. It looks like an awesome place to live...but - again - I've never been there myself.
But hey, life's an adventure, right?
Cliffs for the lazy and/or apathetic:
I don't know what to do.
woot!
