sart29

My son just finished an internship in DC and is now job-seeking. We know that in order to search in DC he really needs to be there (too long a commute from here in SoCal!)

Problem is, can't afford to live in DC with no job. Can stay for free for a couple months with an aunt in Salisbury MD, but then how to get into the city for interviews and such? He's only 22, so renting a car for the commute would cost almost as much as living in the city. (the aunt doesn't have an extra car to borrow.)

Anybody have any ideas for how to get him from Salisbury to the Metro? Or any other affordable option for where to live while job seeking?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated!!

Ljyoung

Hi sart29. I grew up on the eastern shore of Maryland but moved away some 20 years ago. Still visit family every summer - beautiful part of the country.
That said, I feel out of touch with where to suggest that your son try to set up camp for his commute into DC but I can say that I wouldn't attempt this day after day from Salisbury. I think he would go crazy. I want to say that it's probably a 2.5 hour drive ( w/out traffic). I don't know the cost of living in the Grasonville/Kent Island area, but I might look there. It's just on the other side of the bay bridge. Also, I know they offer some kind of a commuter card for the toll requirement for the bridge. I don't know if there is any sort of public transit from this area to hook up w/ the Metro. Sorry I can't be of more help.

bookhall

Baltimore might be his best bet. He should check craigslist (as well as the one for DC.) It's made for this of situation.

bardo1

sart,

There are thousands of young people here in DC in the exact same situation as your son.

NONE of them choose to live 3 hours away - it would make the job hunt near impossible.

What most interns or recent grads do is share housing - living with as many room-mates or housemates as required to meet their budget. Does he have savings or any resources to share a 2BR apt. with 3 or 4 others somewhere inside the Beltway just ONE month. It's likely that by then he will have found SOME kind of job at least until he finds that "perfect" job.

Try Craigslist here:
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/roo/

The Univ of MD is another option: it's right on the subway line and grad students and others are always looking for roommates.

bardo1

I just saw bookhall's post. That's not a bad option either. Baltimore housing is about half of what it cost to live in DC. He could take a commuter train (the Camdem Line or the Penn Line) into DC if he wanted to avoid driving in.

Shane

I live in Queen Anne's County, the closest Eastern Shore county to Washington. I commute 1 hour twenty minutes to my business near the White House- quite a haul. Salisbury is a over an hour from where I live. An occasional interview is practical if your son were to live in Salisbury. A daily commute is not practical.

sart29

Thanks for the info so far.

No, he would never attempt a daily commute from Salisbury - that's just too crazy. He's thinking of finding a job in Salisbury waiting tables or something and going into the city once a week or as often as he can get interviews.

He doesn't want to just be living off his savings while he looks for the perfect job, he wants to start living and working in a reasonable area while he hunts for the perfect job.

Is that possible? Or does he need to be fulltime jobhunting?

LN

When you son did the internship he undoubtedly met some people in DC. Couldn't he ask anyone's knowledge of apartment sharing, subletting, or others information of rooms available around town?

If the commute from SoCal is too long a perfect drive from Salisbury to Washington DC would be:

Total Est. Time: 2 hours, 29 minutes Total Est. Distance: 117.17 miles

And of course, nothing in DC traffic is ever perfect. As a Mom I'd say "Son, find some friends with a sofa you can camp on for a couple nights a week." or maybe

"check out "Craigs List" online for apartment sharing as so many young people do.

Most often a young intern learns of housing from friends. Hopefully he'll start inquiring.

PS The metro only goes out to Lanham.

bardo1

I think he would be MUCH more plugged in by staying in DC (even someone's sofa). His roommates, former co-workers, former supervisors (plan to lunch with these), new local freinds, store clerks, someone at a park/bar/cafe, neighbors, young adults still interning, etc. will provide invaluable networking that will be unavailable to him in Salisbury. In Dc it's all about networking. He could also do a lot more interviewing.

LN

Perhaps he might try headhunters?

They seem to work for many jobseekers.

moose21222

Bottom line Salisbury to DC is 2 1/2-3 hours and a 1/2 tank of gas $$$$. If you son is playing and trying to "find himself" your senerio will work fine. If he is serious about working in DC bite the bullet and sleep on someone couch that lives in the area.