Think twice if you are considering moving to Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill area of N.C. (Dunn: 2013, insurance)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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I'm originally from Va Beach. Northern Virginia is completely different than the rest of Virginia. Richmond, two hours from here, is very friendly, about the same as Raleigh. I think alot of it has to do with people who are transient.. coming here to spice up there resume and get out. I have a lot of theories about why people behave the way they do here, but frankly I don't really care anymore, I just want out.
I've lived in both places (well DC area of MD rather than Northern VA) and didn't get the same vibe as you, except that was some time ago. I thought VA Beach was relatively filthy and filled with snarky people, most of who were transient like you said. There were some nice people of course, but by and large I got the impression it was mostly Navy passers-through that didn't care what happened to the area after they were through with it. Long-time residents were different of course but they didn't seem to be the norm. I thought folks in Maryland were no different than this area.
If you work in a technical profession in this area, you're going to meet a lot of snarky a-holes. Its the nature of the business.
If you work in a technical profession in this area, you're going to meet a lot of snarky a-holes. Its the nature of the business.
I've been in this area for 17 years in a technical position. Have yet to meet a snarky a-hole at work (PhD's included) or in my neighborhood or anywhere else for that matter.
I've been in this area for 17 years in a technical position. Have yet to meet a snarky a-hole at work (PhD's included) or in my neighborhood or anywhere else for that matter.
Interesting. Have you worked primarily at one company or worked at lots of different companies? I've worked places where the stress level and overall vibe were as different as night and day from others.
And as far as PhD's, I wouldn't assume education has anything to do with someone's likeability.
Interesting. Have you worked primarily at one company or worked at lots of different companies? I've worked places where the stress level and overall vibe were as different as night and day from others.
And as far as PhD's, I wouldn't assume education has anything to do with someone's likeability.
2 Companies in this area and opposite ends of the spectrum. Managed an engineering department at a contract manufacturer and for the past 14 years have been working at an OEM design center. Very High stress at the former, but at both places snarkiness would have been weeded out.
I mistook snarly to mean uppity, hence the PhD statement.
My career has been in technology and I really like the idea of working in medical / research / etc.
The thing I find frustrating is that the IT related jobs in the Triangle area, on top of the normal requirements for that particular tech job (java, databases, IT project management, whatever) always seem to say something like "must have 5 years in the medical industry". Creates this chicken and egg scenario. So, even if a person has worked at NASA, the door shuts on all of these jobs just because the person hasn't worked in the medical industry? That on top of the one-dimensionality of having jobs in almost entirely in one industry is kind of worrisome.
VASpaceMan - which type of IT work are you looking for? (Feel free to DM me if you are more comfortable) My husband and I just moved here a few months ago from Seattle, and he has had a very easy time finding a new company. (Multiple offers, actually) He is still being contacted by recruiters, in fact. There is a lot of negativity here on CD, and I'm sure for many, it comes with good reason. I would highly, highly recommend testing the waters before moving out here sans a job. But also want to mention it isn't all gloom and doom..
2 Companies in this area and opposite ends of the spectrum. Managed an engineering department at a contract manufacturer and for the past 14 years have been working at an OEM design center. Very High stress at the former, but at both places snarkiness would have been weeded out.
I mistook snarly to mean uppity, hence the PhD statement.
No offense meant at all but 2 companies in 17 years, the last 14 of them at a single one, is much longer than the average IT professional stays in a job and would not give you any clear sense of the level of snark as I'm describing it. The IT average for job turnover is something like 12-18 months in a job.
Snarky isn't uppity, it's more like wisenheimer-ism. Wise-arse attitude about everything, little consideration for others.
But its good that you got in a company with a lot of nice people and have been able to keep that going.
No offense meant at all but 2 companies in 17 years, the last 14 of them at a single one, is much longer than the average IT professional stays in a job and would not give you any clear sense of the level of snark as I'm describing it. The IT average for job turnover is something like 12-18 months in a job.
Snarky isn't uppity, it's more like wisenheimer-ism. Wise-arse attitude about everything, little consideration for others.
But its good that you got in a company with a lot of nice people and have been able to keep that going.
Are you talking IT as in network admin/support, or IT as in anything related to HW/SW engineering of IT products? I'm in IT product development. Most everyone that I work with has been here since before the tech crash of 2001. We don't see the attrition rate that you're talking about. That appears to be more in the support end of things. I don't deal with those folks at my company. They're too snotty and self centered. KIDDING. I don't deal with them so I have no clue how people in that arena play with each other.
I've never understood requiring a valid email address. Anyone can create them by the hundreds or thousands via gmail or any of the other web-based email providers.
Since most people are honorable, the bulk of members do not do so, and it affords the ownership of the forum at least sliver of belief that new members are "for real," as well as a means of communication with members.
1. Ask about the job market here; or
2. Ask where to live with no indication of whether or not they need to commute for work
That tends to cover most of the jobless who need jobs AND people who want to weigh a long commute vs a shorter one.
Most of the jobless (seeking, not retirees or independently wealthy) are easy to spot after you've been here awhile.
I don't imagine it would be too difficult to find part time work for a newly retired able bodied willing to do anything type would it? Anything. Walmart greeter cashier anything.
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