New York... New Job?

As I bounced around the madhouse, my birthday party, I ran into my good friend Ben. We were chatting when he proposed that we move to New York City together. I agreed that it would be a ton of fun. Typical drunk chat, the night faded, however, the idea of moving to New York did not.

Since college, I have held various jobs, from construction management to geotechnical engineering. I have lived in Utah, Arizona, and Mexico and traveled to over a dozen countries. I had been applying for engineering jobs in Seattle, but the cubicle life frightened me. I didn't know what was next. The New York proposal was perfect timing.

I had every reason not to go. My family was furious, and my friends were confused. I was a West Coast dirtbag with no business in the Big City. I had no job and did not know a lick about New York. It was not an easy move, but if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Precisely how I wanted it.       

I began applying for jobs like mad when I arrived in New York. Ten, twenty, thirty applications a day. No response. For months, this went on, and I was anxious for the first time in years. Did I royally screw this one up? As my savings dried up, the situation became increasingly real. My first interview was for a “sales” position at a shady firm that required me to stand on the corner asking for “donations.” I can’t tell if it was, but it resembled a pyramid scheme. It was a couple of tough months before I landed a job. I would sell ski equipment for minimum wage in the world’s most expensive city.

My life was now spent in the ski world. After mastering the sales floor, I worked in the shop, tuning and repairing ski equipment. While finances were a struggle, work became something I looked forward to. I was happy, so I did my best to make ends meet. A year later, it was time to move on. Through the recommendation and help of a friend, I took a job at Big Snow, an indoor ski center in Jersey City.

 I am a ski lift mechanic, and the work has been a joy. Learning to keep the ski lift spinning, snowcat purring, and snowmaking blowing does not get dull. We even get to ski for free, which has been a blessing. The East Coast is no skier's mecca, but it is a fantastic place to learn park. The most intimidating ski sub-genre, park skiing, is not something I thought I would do. The steep learning curve requires serious nuts, but I will never forget the first rail I locked or 360 stomped. Thank you, New York.

Tough industry, tough city—everything moves much faster on the East Coast. You must rely on personal connections and stand up for yourself every step of the way. These are the struggles that foster growth. A new city brings new perspectives and ways to see yourself and approach life. I hope you, too, decide to make a big change in your life. Whether that is moving across the globe or across the neighborhood. Even quitting the job that makes you feel like beating your office printer with a bat. Where is your New York?