Job competition in Boston? (Harvard: to rent, schools, universities)

[regina george]

Obviously this is going to vary by industry, but overall, do employers have a preference for Boston area college graduates over non-local graduates? A friend and I are considering moving to Boston (she's from NY; I've lived all over the country) and I am concerned about this since there are so many prestigious universities in the Boston area.

[Cart24]

Boston is definitely competitive because the access to Human Capital is unmatched anywhere in the country. With that being said though depending on your Industry you will get a fair shot at a position if you have solid work experience and went to a reputable school.

Personally my wife and I both went to school in Toronto (I graduated from UofT) and we had no problem finding jobs here. I work along with graduates from Harvard, BU, BC, Northeastern and also many other schools around the country and even world (one of my co-workers went to Hong Kong University)

Also keep in mind that Boston has held up economically better than most major cities in the country throughout the recession, so despite the competition you have a better chance of finding a position here than many other major cities throughout the country.

[regina george]

Awesome. Thank you for your response! I'm graduating from a well known state university in the midwest and then working in PR/Communications. I'm willing to work in any industry so that should help somewhat.

[LeavingMA]

It is really difficult in the Boston area because you have lots of graduates every year and not enough jobs. Also, many companies have also relocated out of MA because of the very expensive business atmosphere in this state. Add all that to the fact that MA is a high density place so you can get to Boston from many different parts of the state and even people in RI and NH commute to metro Boston area for work. I also found that many people I know that worked in and around Boston didn't get paid that well when they were recent graduates.

With the economy the way it is you have nothing to lose because it will tough getting a job anywhere.

[smarty]

I would say... no preference... especially with companies that want to pay people less.

Many come from out of state but did not stay because of cost of living. The pay seems higher than midwest. but you may still be paying 50+% of your income to rent then add utilities and transportation. By the time you pay for food, there is nothing left.