So a week ago, I got back from San Francisco, where I have decided to figure things out now that I have graduated from b-school, unemployed. Because I am not from the West Coast and have never lived on the West Coast, I figured that it would be funner and more interesting to get some roommates rather than live alone. Getting random roommates off Craigslist might sound kind of risky, but apparently it is a pretty common practice out in the Bay Area. I mean, when you think about it, San Francisco is the ideal place for this to happen because 1) many people live in multi-bedroom Victorian-style homes 2) the people are generally nice and laid back and 3) Craigslist started in San Francisco. When I first heard of this idea, I thought it was an insane idea but my sister moved to SF several years ago and got random roommates and she hasn't been assaulted or attacked by a crazy roomie yet so that helped me gain acceptance of this practice.
The beginning of the process begins like this: You go on Craigslist and search under "rooms & shares" and go through the postings and idenfity the ones that match your interests. Then you send the poster an email telling them that you are interested in living with them, what date you are looking to move in, why you would make a great roommate and a little bit about your background. It sounds just like a cover letter for a job posting right?
If the poster likes what they read in your email, then they will contact you to set up an appointment to come in and see the place and to meet with all the roommates. When you go in to see the house/apartment, you are given a tour of the facilities, the room, the laundry, etc. Then generally you end up in some common area like the living room where most or all of the roommates are hanging out and then you begin the courtship process. Here you go into further detail about what you do for a living (my favorite question), why you are looking to move and what are your interests and hobbies. This is also a time when the prospective roommate (me) has the opportunity to ask the roommates their questions. Common questions usually relate to what their work-schedules are like and what sort of activities they do for fun. Unbeknownst to me, I thought as long as I show up and look and smell clean-cut, act friendly and enounciate my vowels, then I would have a great shot at being invited to become a roommate. This is going to sound cocky but I think I would make a great roommate. After all, I'm a Texan-New Yorker (a unique blend of laid back and edgy), I'm Asian (I won't leave alot of body hair behind), I cook alot (pancakes from scratch anyone?), and I am well-rounded and would be up for doing whatever (movies, museums, restaurants, concerts, camping, you name it). I'm also a very responsible and considerate housemate who always puts the toilet seat down thanks to my 5.5 years of experience living with my girlfriend (now ex-gf).
See? Don't I sound like I would be a fun addition to any household consisting of 1 other male and 2 females? Unfortunately, out of the 3 houses that met my requirements (the roommates were cool and the actual house was cool), I was NOT extended an offer to any of them. I was merely an alternate (2nd or 3rd choice) so if their top choice didn't take the offer, then I would get a call. So what the hell happened? Why didn't anyone want to live with me?
Well the problem is that the roommates don't know any of that stuff about me. They can't tell that I make some scrumptious pancakes from scratch just from looking at me. And there is no way anyone would guess that a guy would put down the toilet seat. What I learned is that when you go in and meet the roommates, you have to really sell yourself. You have to tell them why you would make a good fit to the house and what you could contribute. You have to also explain why them why you want to live with them over other households. Now this should all sound eerily familiar to any recent or current MBA student. It is just like the interview process for a frickin' job! Well at least now I know but unfortunately when I move to SF in a few weeks, my stuff will be going into storage instead of my future home as I have to go through the roommate interview process all over again in order to find a place to live.
I hope this isn't a bad omen or anything but if I can't even find a place to live, how am I going to find a job?
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