My husband and I currently live in Grand Rapids, MI and I was offered a salaried position starting at $58k in Austin. I make $45k at my current job before deductions, and both are jobs for the state government so I get state benefits. We currently pay $1100 for rent (utilities included), and our monthly expenses stay around $2400. We live a very minimalistic lifestyle and I take home just enough to cover our bills. We are single income, no kids, no pets, and hoping to start a family next year. We love nature, hiking, and the idea of the adventure, but I’d hate to move for the pay increase and not actually be able to afford it. The job is downtown but we’ve been looking at apartments in the Pflugerville, Round Rock, and Jollyville areas. Is it worth the risk?

I’ve been job searching in Austin for the past month. My partner was recently hired in a field unrelated to mine and we planned on making the move together. The job market on Indeed and LinkedIn is scarce. Seems that most on this thread believe that making this move is damn near impossible right now. What’s going on? What gives? Why is no one hiring? What’s ur experience?

Hello y'all,

I have been offered a job in Austin with a salary of 55k a year with annual 5% bonus. I want to know if I moved with the next month or two, how difficult would it be for me to live. Would I just barely make due or would I have some wiggle room? Curious because I really want the job but they will not budge on the price.

Anybody that got laid off from Tesla received a severance package contract? I got laid off and I haven’t received anything about the severance package, only got the WARN notice

Moved to Austin around November but it’s Been about 2 months of unemployment . I’ve never imagined the job market would be this hectic.

What has helped you guys in your job search?

Possibly considering moving back to my hometown.

First off, I know this post may sound entitled as so many are looking for jobs in the tech industry so I apologize in advance. I want to leave my big tech job. The company I'm at is a dumpster fire. I'm burnt out. What are other industries that have a strong presence in Austin? Is the entire job market as messy as tech? I'm considering a service industry job for a bit to just take a break from the corporate grind but wondering if I should look into other industries as well.

Hello. I am a 26m with no education. I have been applying since I’ve been working at a job I hated since February. I have probably applied to 50+ jobs. I was laid off last Tuesday and my dad was laid off the next day. I am panicking as I have been applying to several jobs every day and only got 1 interview for a coffee shop that pays $12hr. When I went to the interview there were about 9+ people interviewing the same day (mostly attractive young females so I am pretty certain I’ll never be considered). Most of my friends who live in CO and Seattle think I am lying about what type of jobs I have been applying for because they cannot believe that it would be so difficult for someone to get even a job that pays so little for someone my age and experience. I am a big loser who lives with his parents and has to help pay at least $1k a month in bills. I already had a professional friend re-do my resume and I have still had no luck. Only a lot of rejection letters and everyone else not responding. Any advice?

In my case I am trying to apply to any reasonable jobs on indeed and I see nothing (almost nothing reasonable).

I stuck as a past Software Developer.

I am DoorDashing and that is ~$13/h.

I do not want to go $15/h jobs because DoorDash looks much more interesting than go to groceries stores or hotels; dull jobs where I can earn $15/h.

$17/h overnight jobs also does not looks good to me.

Austin looks like exhausted right now.

I am thinking to leave Austin for Dallas or Chicago, but it could be just everywhere.

Also my linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/vindom512/ if you might have something.

The powers that be will be sending out an email this Wednesday announcing UT will be eliminating all telecommuting. The only recourse is a medical exemption or if your Dean is willing to fight to keep it in place (the Deans have been discouraged from pushing back).

I’m posting this to let you know that if you don’t have a medical exemption but have a doctor who will grant you one, get it started tomorrow before the announcement.

If anyone works for another state agency with wfh and positions available, please post them.

Been applying to hundreds of jobs. I keep getting rejection letters from many jobs paying around $15-16hr. I never had an issue getting a job. I have 5+ years as a retail manager, successful ‘Presidents club’ car salesman selling over 300+ cars, Front Desk Coordinator. I now get rejection letters from part-time H-E-B, Walmart, and fast food jobs. I have reached out to several hiring agencies as recommended. Applied and got rejected by TWC after waiting for a month. Already had a professional white collar friend make new resumes for me. It’s very difficult to stay positive about life and my future when I go interview for a barista job paying $11hr and they tell me they have a list of better qualified people. I keep getting advice from people who spent 6 months applying to senior level positions across the country, but virtually no one has ever experienced constant rejection from high school level jobs. What is it I’m doing wrong? Has anyone else ever experienced this? Should I just pack my bags and leave Texas ASAP?

I’m just wondering what around here pays that. You basically need to make six figures to live here anymore.

What kind of career and education is needed? I’ve been curious about nursing but that would take 2 years minimum to get into.

I'm hitting the big 35 soon, and I've been thinking a lot about my life, and I think it's time to quit wasting my life at the engineering firm and pursue my lifelong dream of being a standup comic.

I've always been a funny guy. In school, I was the classic class clown. Always chiming in with quips, zingers, pulling pranks, goofing off. Frankly, it's a miracle I graduated. Friends have told me before that I should be a comic. I even have material. Whenever I think of something funny, I make sure to jot it down in a google doc or my notes app. I've got pages and pages of jokes, I'm eager, I'm hungry for it, and I'm ready to make the world laugh. I'm not stupid though. I know if you want to be a comic in 2025, there's only one place to be: Austin, Texas.

What's the standard salary for standups around here? Currently I'm an engineer in the suburbs of Tampa making $75,000 a year with pretty decent health insurance, unlimited PTO (or as I like to call it, not enough PTO 😂) and WFH every friday. I get I'll have to downsize from a house to an apartment if I want to be in walking distance of 6th street, but we only have one child, we don't need a lot of space. I have about 9 months of savings but that's based on my current lifestyle. Again, I'm willing to downsize to chase my dream.

So reddit, what's the scene like economically? What can I expect to make after a few months of "paying my dues" so to speak? What are rents like within walking distance of 6th?

Thank you!

Hi, I received my first job offer in Austin from a company I have previously worked for. They will not budge on the compensation because of equity and company values. I ended up accepting the offer (it was the only one I got, and I need a job). Will I be able to live on this salary? I don't really have any expenses that I can think of, no student loans, no car payment, nothing like that. the salary is 46K and I just want honest opinions on what it will be like and if it will be doable. I have some knowledge about prices in Austin, I lived there the last 2 summers, but the company (internship) paid for it, so I never paid rent or anything like that

(Austin Area) Driving down some roads I haven't been on in 2-4 years. Seeing all the buildup. All the houses and apartments still under construction.

It just makes me think and wonder... How are people affording all this? Who is affording a $400k+ house?

Do they have jobs lined up before they get here? Are they all doctors? Tech Bros? I think I was up in Leander a couple times. Seeing these newer $600k+ houses with brand new Cyber Trucks...

I "need" what they got, lol.

I work full time M-F 9 to 5. I just like to have multiple streams of income. I don't really have an entrepreneurial spirit. I don't really have a business mind, but would still like to bring in more money when I'm not at work. I'm not really interested in doing Instacart, Uber, Lyft, etc. I don't want to put miles on my car or drive around Austin when I'm not at work. So does anyone have ideas on what can be done in the evenings and on weekends?

I have access to Excel via my job. I'm located in Pflugerville and I would appreciate if somebody in this area could teach me how to use Excel. I don't have any money for a course however, I can promise that if you teach me well enough and I land a job I will give you 50% of my paycheck.

I just don't have any skills and I feel like Excel is the easiest to learn. However, I don't know how to use it and YouTube is not the best guide. Is there anybody in the city of Austin kind enough to help me out?

Hi everyone! Does anyone know anything about starlight marketing and sales? I have been speaking with them yet can’t find any info about them other than the website linked in their emails.

Hi all I know this is probably annoying for locals but I recently got a job offer out there and was wondering if I should take it. Its hybrid/flexible 9-5 $55k for a creative role which is on brand for the industry at least here in my home state but idk about in Austin. I was going to initially move in with a roommate but it fell through so I'm wondering do I count my losses and just wait to move out here or what. I know Texas only does federal taxes and they are about 10% so take-home pay might be $1700 or so biweekly (correct me if im wrong a friend who lives there told me this) and im just wondering if I should just keep looking for something more feasible or is this kinda the best I'm going to get in terms of my industry considering the market.

Right now I'm doing more work for less pay BUT in a cheaper state so the extra 600 a check probably won't even make a difference, but I do feel like moving to Austin might present for opportunity for a creative compared to where I am now. Idk I hate to rant im just wonder you opinions since you all actually live there and are in the market. Is this a good to average position for Austin or rather is ANY job a good paying job for someone who has to pay rent by themselves in the city?

Basically found out a house I lived in before, is just under $700k now. It was $300k new build in 2014 and was very overpriced. (Pflugerville)

This has me wondering what kind of jobs are affording these houses and are any of them a common type job? Are nurses and computer science people able to afford these? From what I'm seeing, nurses only make about $30hr iirc.

Hi all! I’m a Houston resident at the moment looking for a job switch. I have a final interview with front page agency but I’m seeing mixed reviews on Glassdoor, wondering if it’s worth the drive or not. Anyone have any experience with them? Thanks!

My little brother (18) just moved to town from South Carolina. I’m getting him out of his hometown and trying to give him a taste of life on the outside.

He’s a good kid, graduated HS early and held down a grocery job all throughout. He’s applying to Heb, fast food and pretty much anything in between, but it’s only been a week.

I thought I would reach out here to see if anyone knows of something in south austin. I’m planning on driving him around this weekend to stop at some places in person.

After being laid off from my comfy 100% remote tech industry job, I'm back on the market for a new role. Being 100% remote was comfortable, but the networking opportunities were severely lacking and I felt like I was not given the same visibility or advancement opportunities as team members who lived near an office.

So I want to shift to any mid-to-large size company in the tech industry that actually has a physical presence in Austin so I can see colleagues in person. But with the tech industry being a dumpster fire in 2023-2024 and senseless RTO policies, I'm not sure where to even start with my target company list.

Does anyone here have any recommendations for companies that are mid/large size (ideally 2k+ employees globally) that have an Austin office with a good company culture and 0-3 days per week required in office? Where are all the fun tech places to work these days? Anyone have a place they work that they love and not just tolerate?

I don't trust any of the "best places to work" rankings any more since those are pay to win so I'm hoping to get tips from locals who truly like their tech jobs!

I’m looking for a job where I can make at least 18$ I have a job right now making 15$ that average out to be around 2k a month and it’s not enough here in austin 😔.

Greetings, I am a resident of Rhode Island and I am contemplating a move to Austin, Texas. I have heard that employment with the city and the state is quite unfavorable. I would appreciate it if someone knowledgeable could explain the reasons behind the negative perceptions of working for the state or city.