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Old 04-08-2010, 03:51 PM
 
8,518 posts, read 15,604,592 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LovinDecatur View Post
JMHO...DC was the worst place that I ever lived; choose Atlanta.
Can you explain why?
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Old 04-08-2010, 04:01 PM
 
311 posts, read 841,991 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DennyCrane View Post
GaBison2007,


Maybe I should just start applying to both cities and pick whoever offers me the best job. If I got an Atlanta job with a DC salary, that would be nice.
HA yeah would definently be great and possibly your best option.

another point I'd like to mention...DC's unemployment rate in March was 11.9...in January we were at 12%...virtually unchanged...here is a breakdown of some the industries that lost jobs and specific numbers for DC
District of Columbia Jobless Rate 11.9 Percent - Releases - Department of Employment Services

I see CNN, MSNBC, Yahoo News etc have constant news stories about the DC job market and how we seem virtually unaffected by the recession. They don't take into account how government jobs have prospered while other sectors in the city have been hit hard. If you want to work for the government/law or have the experience and connections...this is your town...if not and this is for EVERYONE considering DC, don't expect a yellow brick road to fortune when you arrive.
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Old 04-08-2010, 07:14 PM
 
Location: St Simons Island, GA
23,365 posts, read 43,832,144 times
Reputation: 16578
Quote:
Originally Posted by DennyCrane View Post
Can you explain why?
It's not to say that the whole place is a total write-off; it's a great place to visit. But IME the general populace is brusque, rude and self-absorbed...it's one of the most career-driven cities I've known; people there wanted to talk about little else.
Who are you? What can you do for me? Use and discard.
I've made no secret of my dislike of Washington, DC on this forum.
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Old 04-08-2010, 07:35 PM
 
Location: Atlanta
7,731 posts, read 14,306,643 times
Reputation: 2774
Quote:
Originally Posted by LovinDecatur View Post
It's not to say that the whole place is a total write-off; it's a great place to visit. But IME the general populace is brusque, rude and self-absorbed...it's one of the most career-driven cities I've known; people there wanted to talk about little else.
Who are you? What can you do for me? Use and discard.
I've made no secret of my dislike of Washington, DC on this forum.
I totally concur. This exactly mirrors my experiences there, on many occasions - both business oriented and personally.

Way too many self-important A+ types for me.
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Old 04-08-2010, 08:47 PM
 
205 posts, read 691,277 times
Reputation: 68
Wow, I must be in the minority. I lived in NOVA from age 22 - 28, and really loved it. I found it very easy to meet people, did not think everyone was rude, and there was a ton for me, as a single person to do.

By the time I moved to GA/Atlanta I was already engaged, so wasn't in the single mindset, but the friends that I do have that are single say they have a hard time meeting people. I might be a few isolated incidences, but doesn't sound like my experience in NOVA at all.

That said, I really like both places. If I had to move back to NOVA tomorrow I would be ok with it (as long as the salary was matching the increase in cost of living). However, if I got to stay in Atlanta I would be happy too, as I have been here almost a decade.

I don't know how many single 30-somethings you will find living in Dunwoody, but it definitely is a convenient location to many points.

Did you post this on the NOVA, Virginia forum? I wonder how those responses are going.
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Old 04-08-2010, 11:34 PM
 
Location: Arkansas
2,383 posts, read 6,046,485 times
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I think both are great choices! I have lived in Atlanta (Marietta) and lived outside of the DC area and I can tell you that in my honest opinion you can't go wrong with either city. Yes, DC has the high cost of living but that is 'usually' countered in your pay in DC. Atlanta is affordable and also has a lot to offer as far as culture is concerned. I truly think that you can't go wrong with either one and you're lucky that those are your choices! It could be much worse!
Good luck!
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Old 04-08-2010, 11:44 PM
 
Location: SF Bay Area
165 posts, read 482,929 times
Reputation: 108
Quote:
Originally Posted by DennyCrane View Post
I'm trying to decide whether to move to DC or Atlanta. If I moved to DC, I would most likely end up living in NOVA, probably in the Reston area. If I moved to Atlanta, I'd be in the Dunwoody area. I've been weighing the pros and cons of each city and need help deciding.

DC:

Pros:
- Lots of IT jobs
- Lots of culture
- Close to family
- Nice summers, except for the humidity
- More cultured and educated population

Cons:
- HIGH cost of living
- Horrible traffic
- Unfriendly people
- Most IT jobs require security clearance
- Competitive atmosphere
- Humid summers and occasional snow (this past winter was abnormal)

Atlanta:

Pros:
- Low cost of living
- Southern hospitality
- Lots of big employers

Cons:
- Not as many IT jobs as DC
- Horrible traffic
- Brutally hot, humid summers
- More rain
- Farther from family
- Surrounded by Georgia

So if you were a single 30something Type B person who doesn't have kids, works in IT, and would prefer to be close to family, which would you recommend? I'm having a really hard time because even though DC seems like it would be better for my career, the cost of living there TERRIFIES me and I'm not sure my salary would make up for it. On the other hand, I'm worried I'll struggle professionally in Atlanta and will really hate the weather.

Here's the other wrinkle. My job will be ending soon. While it would be ideal to have a job lined up before moving, I doubt I'll be able to land one in time. Since I'll have to look for a new job no matter where I go or I stay in my current location, I figure I might as well move to the city I want to live in. That way, I can at least have a local address to put on my resume.
Just wondering... how is more rain a con? It's not like we flood every year or have nearly as many cloudy days as Seattle.
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Old 04-09-2010, 11:50 AM
 
8,518 posts, read 15,604,592 times
Reputation: 7711
Quote:
Originally Posted by GaBison2007 View Post
If you want to work for the government/law or have the experience and connections...this is your town...if not and this is for EVERYONE considering DC, don't expect a yellow brick road to fortune when you arrive.
I'm certainly not expecting employers to be beating down my door to hire me. But it still seems like I'm seeing more IT jobs that match my skills in DC than I do in Atlanta, even after I filter out the ones that require security clearance.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LovinDecatur View Post
But IME the general populace is brusque, rude and self-absorbed...it's one of the most career-driven cities I've known; people there wanted to talk about little else.
Who are you? What can you do for me? Use and discard.
You'll find Type A people in most big cities. Sure, some cities like DC may have a higher concentration. But I've worked with those types of people and know how to deal with them. While I'm not a Type A myself, my career is important to me and perhaps being around other career-oriented people isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lilycharm View Post
Wow, I must be in the minority. I lived in NOVA from age 22 - 28, and really loved it. I found it very easy to meet people, did not think everyone was rude, and there was a ton for me, as a single person to do.

By the time I moved to GA/Atlanta I was already engaged, so wasn't in the single mindset, but the friends that I do have that are single say they have a hard time meeting people. I might be a few isolated incidences, but doesn't sound like my experience in NOVA at all.
This is one concern I have. I'm not someone who has an easy time meeting people and making friends. So being in a city that makes it even harder is something I'd like to avoid.

Quote:
Originally Posted by dvcgal View Post
Yes, DC has the high cost of living but that is 'usually' countered in your pay in DC.
Unfortunately, I'm not quite seeing this. DC pays more in my field, but it's not proportionate. Rents in DC seem to be double what they are in Atlanta.

Quote:
Originally Posted by nyte3k View Post
Just wondering... how is more rain a con? It's not like we flood every year or have nearly as many cloudy days as Seattle.
No, but I like lots of sunny days. Rain can be depressing, especially if it's endless. And no, California is not an option. I ruled that out for a number of reasons.
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Old 04-09-2010, 01:32 PM
 
Location: Mableton, GA USA (NW Atlanta suburb, 4 miles OTP)
11,334 posts, read 25,998,406 times
Reputation: 3990
Quote:
Originally Posted by DennyCrane View Post
No, but I like lots of sunny days. Rain can be depressing, especially if it's endless. And no, California is not an option. I ruled that out for a number of reasons.
Atlanta rains are often popup thunderstorms which appear out of nowhere, dump a ton of water, and then disappear. I think there are a lot of intense but short rain events here and fairly few long drizzly periods.
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Old 04-09-2010, 01:33 PM
 
2,685 posts, read 6,028,760 times
Reputation: 952
Agree. While Atlanta receives more rain (in inches) per year then Seattle it comes quickly and then the sun often comes back out.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rcsteiner View Post
Atlanta rains are often popup thunderstorms which appear out of nowhere, dump a ton of water, and then disappear. I think there are a lot of intense but short rain events here and fairly few long drizzly periods.
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