Trying to move to San Fran

[Illuminated]

Hey everyone, so my current situation is as follows; I got laid off 2 weeks ago from an artisanal bread bakery outside of Philadelphia. There is no other bakery like it in Pa or Jersey. I have always thought about living on the west coast and making a living out there. Now I feel like is the time I have to do that. I don't want to not do it and live thinking of the "what if's"

So I've been looking on craigslist for bread bakeries out in the San Francisco Bay area. I found a couple and emailed my resume. I hope they contact me and decide to hire me...

Once I land a job, I'm gonna look for a place to live, preferably a room share. My parents are gonna help me with rent until I establish myself and build a monetary cushion.

If there is anyone that lives out there right now, can you guys keep a lookout for any bread bakeries (or any bakery that is not a chain) that is hiring, or not hiring even? If anyone wants to help me out, please message me and I'll give you guys my info (name/number/email) so then you can give to the owners of the bakeries.

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[obeygiant]

Hey everyone, so my current situation is as follows; I got laid off 2 weeks ago from an artisanal bread bakery outside of Philadelphia. There is no other bakery like it in Pa or Jersey. I have always thought about living on the west coast and making a living out there. Now I feel like is the time I have to do that. I don't want to not do it and live thinking of the "what if's"

So I've been looking on craigslist for bread bakeries out in the San Francisco Bay area. I found a couple and emailed my resume. I hope they contact me and decide to hire me...

Once I land a job, I'm gonna look for a place to live, preferably a room share. My parents are gonna help me with rent until I establish myself and build a monetary cushion.

If there is anyone that lives out there right now, can you guys keep a lookout for any bread bakeries (or any bakery that is not a chain) that is hiring, or not hiring even? If anyone wants to help me out, please message me and I'll give you guys my info (name/number/email) so then you can give to the owners of the bakeries.

Any help would be much appreciated!

IMO the rent in SF is way overpriced for the little benefits it offers. You can still live close if you try some place like Mill Valley or San Rafael which have better weather and nicer accommodations.

 

[Illuminated]

IMO the rent in SF is way overpriced for the little benefits it offers. You can still live close if you try some place like Mill Valley or San Rafael which have better weather and nicer accommodations.

Right now, my focus is on finding a job. Once I land a job, I'll start focusing strong on housing.

 

[puma1552]

Good luck on getting a callback for presumably an hourly bakery job while you're on the other side of the country. I've sent 75 resumes out for a job around where I live and have only had two interviews/callbacks, both of which were through connections.

Good luck, if that's what you want, go for it...but you may have to find a way to move out there first.

 

[obeygiant]

Right now, my focus is on finding a job. Once I land a job, I'll start focusing strong on housing.

Okay, to me, there is no way you'll be able to afford the rent in the most expensive cities in the country as an entry level baker. If you're so in love with the left coast, try somewhere like Mendocino, or Santa Cuz or San Diego, maybe even Portland, Oregon.

 

[ucfgrad93]

Okay, to me, there is no way you'll be able to afford the rent in the most expensive cities in the country as an entry level baker. If you're so in love with the left coast, try somewhere like Mendocino, or Santa Cuz or San Diego, maybe even Portland, Oregon.

Agreed. San Fran is a beautiful city but extremely expensive.

 

[renewed]

I've never understood how people can afford to live in places like SF. I mean how does the average person even survive? Housing is ridiculously expensive for one thing and unless hourly people are getting paid $25-30 at entry level I don't see how it's done.

 

[puma1552]

San Diego isn't expensive?

 

[Illuminated]

Okay, to me, there is no way you'll be able to afford the rent in the most expensive cities in the country as an entry level baker. If you're so in love with the left coast, try somewhere like Mendocino, or Santa Cuz or San Diego, maybe even Portland, Oregon.

My parents are willing to help me with rent until I establish myself. I'll slowly ween myself off their money. I feel this is a good plan, at least for me.

 

[leekohler]

My parents are willing to help me with rent until I establish myself. I'll slowly ween myself off their money. I feel this is a good plan, at least for me.

A friend of mine moved out there and did pretty much what you plan to do. In order to afford to live there, you will have to live with roommates. I would save some money, find a place to live and then worry about the job when you get there. That's what I did when I moved here to Chicago. It worked out just fine.

 

[aaronchow]

Good luck. I posted a job opening for my work, and I received 200 resumes with 1 day, and it was only an entry level admin job.

And you may have better luck living outside the SF. The rent here is so expensive.

 

[atrain85]

ACME Bakery in Berkeley, CA is one of the best bread bakeries in America. I'd try to do an internship with them just to "get your feet in the door." That would be a sweet place to work. Tartine in SF is a great bakery, but they do more pastries.

 

[vitzr]

I don't know anything about the business you are in.

However I am very up to date with the cost of living in San Francisco.

Astronomical is a word that comes to mind.

I _really_ enjoy San Francisco. A lot.

But I wouldn't suggest living there to my worst enemies to coin a phrase.

It's simply obscenely priced, overrated, and well... you get the idea.

And I'm a native Californian... I will always live here, but never SF.

I go there frequently for the theater, the arts, the culture, the fine restaurants, all kinds of reasons. But I would never live there.

 

[acidfast7]

It doesn't seem like that big of a deal.

Just rent a room in a house (or with roommates). Cap your rental outlay at 1000/mo (should be good for a room.) Try to do a short term lease (1 to 3 months) and start looking once you're there.

Sure, if you want 3-br place it's pricey, but a room should be affordable, even on less than 20/hr.

Good luck.

 

[CalBoy]

IMO the rent in SF is way overpriced for the little benefits it offers. You can still live close if you try some place like Mill Valley or San Rafael which have better weather and nicer accommodations.

Except that any commute to a bakery would probably add on at least $300 per month, and both of those places hardly have the rental discount to counterweigh that, unless by some miracle his job is at one of the few bakeries nearby.

Okay, to me, there is no way you'll be able to afford the rent in the most expensive cities in the country as an entry level baker. If you're so in love with the left coast, try somewhere like Mendocino, or Santa Cuz or San Diego, maybe even Portland, Oregon.

Never checked out rental rates in Santa Cruz or San Diego huh?

Mendocino might have cheaper rent, but it's also hours from anywhere and usually not exactly what someone bothers to travel 3,000 miles for (we can ignore that its unemployment rate is higher and that there aren't going to be as many bakeries).

I've never understood how people can afford to live in places like SF. I mean how does the average person even survive? Housing is ridiculously expensive for one thing and unless hourly people are getting paid $25-30 at entry level I don't see how it's done.

Two societies, really. Although with minimum wage nearly $10 (and then tips since the hospitality and restaurant industries are huge) and some subsidized healthcare, with a roommate to share rent with makes things more affordable.

You also have to keep in mind that average is a relative term; half the city's population has a BA or above.

 

[rick snagwell]

im in san diego...i live in a 2bed house on the beach. 30 ft from water. i pay 2250$ for rent. worth every penny.

 

[wirawee]

Someone already mentioned Acme. That's definitely one to try out. There is a bakery right near my house called Panorama Bakery (you can find them on the web).

Semifreddi's is definitely my favorite bread out here. So good!

Bakers of Paris is also one to try out.

Good luck on your adventure!

 

[obeygiant]