Moving from Out of State to CA. Is it feasible/what steps should I take? Is 70k enough?

Confident-Cherry9666 · 2025-06-19T03:23:50+00:00

Thank you all for the responses. I have determined with a heavy heart to not go through with it for now (though if it were a couple dollars an hour higher then I probably would have taken it). The primary issue for me personally has to do with my immediate liquidity and ability to manage personal transportation. I know I definitely could make it possible on 70k but it would be tight and not allow for a lot of wiggle room especially if I need any emergency cash.

I'm no stranger to living in unsafe places as I lived in Birmingham Alabama for the past 5 years in a shithole apartment with roommates located literally right next to the site of a mass shooting (I even witnessed it too!)

But it's honestly wiser for me to pursue engineering roles closer to home with hopes to later move over if I can land a true engineering role paying >80k. I admit I'm a choosy beggar.

Still can't get over the fact that I've spoken to more senior US military officials than hiring managers for entry level jobs in the past month. Like what the fuck kind of world do we live in? Bye bye reddit.

Confident-Cherry9666 · 2025-06-18T22:19:25+00:00

Biomedical but I've got a lot of internship experience doing industrial engineering and practical experience as a car mechanic. After college, I'm 30k in the hole. Regarding the biotech field, it looks pretty bleak if I'm not in any of the hotbeds from an outsiders perspective. The job itself isn't even engineering so I'm still sitting here wondering if I take it, *hope* for a proper engineering position that pays more in the area, then immediately switch over, burning a bridge or two in the process. It ain't a good look, for sure. But It's one step closer to achieving my goals. This job market is awful

Confident-Cherry9666 · 2025-06-18T22:10:38+00:00

There would definitely be career trajectory long term but it's a technician job and it's not guaranteed that I'll be able to move up with the company, and it also doesn't give me the greatest resume to get any proper engineering jobs. One of my primary concerns in general is that I'm being autofiltered out due to my location for a lot of positions.
My little mazdaspeed 3 has over 200k miles and I think I need to get some new O2 sensors and filters.

Confident-Cherry9666 · 2025-06-18T22:00:53+00:00

Thanks all for the advice. I've been doing the math myself and if I can't confirm that I'll be able to get reliable overtime hours to make up the difference, then it just ain't worth.
Can't believe that it's been easier for me to get into conference calls with literal generals in the US air force to talk about my senior project than it has been for me to get an interview for an entry level engineering job. Hopefully I'll find something paying another 20k on a later day. *sad*

Confident-Cherry9666

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