Perry Said:

Need thoughts on moving to New York City?

We Answered:

Big jump for the two of you. May I make a suggestion? Why don't you take 2 days off a Thurs and a Fri and have the weekend to "tour" NYC. It is impossible to describe what you will be experiencing since we do not know how "small of a town" you currently come from. To a lot of people, NYC is OVERWHELMING in terms of crime, poverty, crowds, and rudeness. It is one thing to visit and shop but it is a totally different ball game to LIVE there. Are you planning any children in the near future? That is another consideration for you if you are--do you really want your children brought up in NYC? Can you afford private schools?

May I offer you another alternative-- check out New Jersey areas close to NYC to live, your wife could find a good job there- the pay is much higher than Ohio and only YOU would have to commute to the city- which from new jersey is not that bad. The housing market is cheaper than NYC and the overall aesthetics are better. You may also want to Mapquest further north areas like Connecticut- they have a direct train into NYC every day, better living conditions and again, you are close enough to go into the city on weekends or she can meet you in the city anytime---just a suggestion-I live 2 hours from NYC- I go to the city at the most, 1-2 x a year-- and that's enough for me.

Money wise- my daughter was just offered in May a job at NYU as a starting nurse for $62,000. She thought that was great-- she got a better offer in Phila- less crime, better housing, closer to home, and not a terrorist hit list city-- she is making MORE than that in Phila--- just a suggestion- and it's only 1 1/2 hrs from NYC.

Brad Said:

I am an attorney in New York City who cannot find a good job. Can anyone help me?

We Answered:

Okay, take a deep breath. I'm in the same boat so I have an idea of how you feel. The last thing you need to hear after a few years of trying is "cheer up, change your attitude". There is a reason the rate of alcoholism, drug abuse, and suicide is high among lawyers. It's not the golden goose that society seems to think it is.

As you probably know now, you need training and it's hard to come by as a lawyer outside very big firms and public service law (DA, PD, Legal Aid, govt) and those jobs aren't very easy to get.
Without training you are stuck as a temp and will never get any experience, no medical, no retirement, no security. I work as a temp and I'm working now but, yeah, every year I'm out of work for a few months. And then when you work, you are not allowed to make vacation plans unless you want to lose your job. You cann't make weekend plans until 10 PM on Friday!

If you went to school out of state you probably paid full fare and owe a couple of hundred grand. I went to a top school out of state too and I've been told during interviews that I would have been better off going to a third or fourth tier law school locally than going to a top school out of state. Law is that local. And our license is only good in one state and it takes months to get a license out of state. As one of the answers pointed out, you need a network and a crappy local school probably has a great local network while a top out of state school doesn't.

Okay, so those are the bad things! LEts move on to the constructive. You need experience and you are not going to get it as a temp. Of all the places where you can get it (DA, PD, Big firms) you will not get hired unless you are in your 2nd year of school AND in the top ten of your class AND on Law Review AND you're local to NY AND you have some connection with the firm. I'm not telling you something you don't know.

If you don't mind going bankrupt I suggest a legal aid job. In New York legal aid may pay enough to cover rent and two hundred grand in student loans with some money for food. It's a crappy job and everybody knows it but you will get some experience that you can THEN use to get a job in a firm a year down the road. it's a tough road but you'll be in a better place a year from now.

If I think of anything I'll update. I feel for you. No one understands or prepares you for the New York City legal market.

Jerome Said:

How in the world do people financially survive in New York City??

We Answered:

I am a teacher and my husband is also in a profession that doesn't pay well.

We do okay. We own a house. Our kids go to really good public schools. We go to the theater. We go out to eat. We enjoy the City!

You have to learn to be flexible about things like where you live, and how you entertain yourself.

When we were younger, we ate out a lot, but at really cheap places. We lived with other people for years. We lived in what were then off parts of the City.

In the long run, it was worth it.

I remember looking at people older than me, and wondering how they made it all work for them. I never thought that would be me when I got to be their age. Well, it HAS all worked out in the long run.

So, don't think that teachers can't live here in NYC. You just have to be flexible and learn the cheap ways to have fun!

ADD:

Oh, and to the person who suggested working in "private schools that pay more", forget it. Public schools pay far more than private here in NYC. I should know. I have worked for the public school system for 20 years!

Tonya Said:

i need advice from new york city teachers?

We Answered:

The Department of Education has a website.
www.schools.nyc.gov
This site will give you all of the information you need to know about applying to the New York City school system.
Since you have a secondary degree, you will have to choose a discipline( are of study) in which to teach.You need to read all of the information on licensing.
The starting salary is about $45.000
Check the website.

Earl Said:

If I want to get a teaching job (first time teacher) in New York City public schools....?

We Answered:

NYC School System pays the same starting salary, so putting down the two degrees does not hinder your employment. It may not be your resume stopping you but your credit history, parking tickets and other similar black marks. NYC does an extremely deep background check and yes even parking tickets are held against you. If you really want a city teacher's job then apply in the minority districts where the need is greatest.

Veronica Said:

Why does City College University of New York (CUNY) have lecturer jobs that only require a bachelor's degree?

We Answered:

Maybe the job posting, and the article below, are connected...