Moving/Finding work

Hello there. I have just sat down and read the questions you have asked, and some wonderful feedback and advice you have been provided. Living simply and realizing that being just out of college, you will have to work your way up....anywhere (but there are fewer options on an island) is sensible.

As has been stated, I would strongly recommend a PMV. I am the fellow who continues posting for PMV'ers that I do rent a room inexpensively that is central more or less on the island, and has very easy access to most realtors whom you might want to make appointments with to discuss establishing a career.

If you are willing to wait some tables and be an assistant to a broker (a common practice) or real estate manager, I'm sure you could do well, but patience is a virtue worth having.

Besides the PMV room, I do have an efficiency apartment that one could afford working a few shifts per week in a decent restaurant. The lease will most likely be open come this next winter. If you were to do a PMV, go home and really think about what there is here, what you want and how you want to live, in six months there would be a place to live after you have done your thinking. It would also provide you some time to follow up on your initial contacts with people (cannot be underestimated).

Just some more food for thought to add to a lot of information already. HC is an excellent resource about this island, the challenges and the rewards. I would take quite seriously all of the advice she has given you.

If you decide you are serious and interested still, and would like a 'room with a view....sort of', just drop me a note and we will work something out that will not break the bank.

Best wishes in all you do, congratulations on your degree, and at some point, you will put it to work for you I am sure,

Warm regards,

Dan

I was reading another post where someone mentioned that they did not advise moving to the VI if you do not have a job lined up. We will obviously look around for jobs during our PMV. We are also willing to take temporary positions and actualy expect that we will have to. I have expirience waiting in fine dinning establishments and my girlfriend is a certified life gaurd. Actually I have expirience in Life Gaurding too, but my certification ran out. I know we will need to have a significant savings to make the move. We don't need a lot. (Food, Water, Housing, and transportation) Do you think we could get by for any amount of time in jobs outside of our career choices. I am just worried that it would take time to find myself a job in property management. Since I currently don't have and first hand experience. Just an education and a reading list as long as this forum thread. I guess I am just looking for a little reassurance that the VI aren't just a place for people with lots of money to retire. We are about as young as possible and definitly do not have unlimited funds. We still have significant time to think this through, but so far we like this idea. Thankyou everyone on this board for taking the time to help people like us.

sand86,

The USVI is not full of rich retirees. If you are flexible, willing to work, don't have a lot of preconceived notions about how things "should" be and can accept the idiosyncrasies of island life you'll be fine.

There are plenty of service industry jobs that will pay the bills, especially since there are two of you and you are willing to live modestly. Finding a job in property management will be more a matter who you know so you'll have to build a network of contacts on island first. There is work in resorts, in stores, and in restaurants and bars and these jobs will pay your bills and help you build your network.

It is very difficult to arrange jobs in the service industry unless you are here, in person. Perhaps the post you are referring to that advises lining a job up before moving is referring to professionals like doctors and lawyers. If you require a professional salary to live comfortably, have kids and a house full of belongings you're bringing etc., then it's advisable to have a job lined up before coming. If you do not expect to land your first island job in a "profession" then you will likely have to wait to get a job until after you've moved because employers in the fields in which you'll likely be looking for a job have too many negative experiences dealing with potential employees who are not on island.

yeah it is just the two of us and we dont mind living modestly. We also don't plan on having children. Thankyou for your advice