Would like to relocate from Tampa (Pittsburgh, Duquesne: 2013, home, dorm)

[beachbum061]

Hello all. I have lived in Tampa for over 20 years and am looking to move to Pittsburgh within the next 2 years or so. I am from PA and went to Duquesne back in the mid 80's, always having a special place in my heart for Pittsburgh. I am sick of the south, sick of the heat and sick of the ridiculous lack of opportunities in this area. I am ready to come home. I know that Pittsburgh is not utopia but it has always been the place that I have dreamed about settling down in.
Ok, enough about that. My plan is to possibly secure a job with PNC in this area (I am currently in banking) and then hope to transfer to PNC in Pittsburgh. I guess what I would like to know is, does this sound like a reasonable plan? Does anyone work for PNC and how are they as a company to work for? Like I said, this is a 2- 3 year plan because I want to do this right. Any help would be great and suggestions would be appreciated. We would rent, possibly in the Shadyside or Southside areas. I have a B.S. in business and am working on my M.B.A. Any other major employers that I may look into? Thanks in advance for any advice. I enjoy reading the forum and am learning a lot.

[SteelCityRising]

Hello, and welcome (back) in advance to Pittsburgh!

My landlady, a Pittsburgh native, moved back here from St. Petersburg, FL, actually, a few years ago, and I do see FL license plates here on a regular basis, so you'll be in good company.

Unless PNC is doing some underhanded accounting (i.e. Enron) I don't foresee anything but continued growth and prosperity in its future. As you may have seen on this sub-forum PNC will soon begin construction on a new 40-story skyscraper just north of Market Square to serve as its new headquarters as it has been growing so rapidly it is running out of room in its other office towers Downtown. Methinks a 40-story office tower will require new banking, financial, accounting, etc. professionals to fill its offices and cubicles, so I firmly believe you may just have a good strategy.

With that being said, though, try to also not be TOO "tunnel-visioned" in regards to employment prospects. My dream when moving here was to live in a cheap neighborhood within walking distance of Downtown (I've found that), and I'd then secure a job with PNC, a company I've long admired, walk to work, and then run home for exercise. I've been applying myself fastidiously in an attempt to secure employment with PNC, but all I keep getting is the cold shoulder from them. I've been living here about eight months now, and I'm still working a menial job because of this initial Utopian dream that I'm now realizing won't be coming to fruition. I suggest you don't make the same mistake I did and permit yourself to consider a wide breadth of employers and options when coming here.

[hempfield mania]

My boss's wife is a VP in acquisitions at PNC. She likes it a lot. She has been traveling to FL quite a bit lately.

Sounds like your plan is a good one. BNY Mellon has a big presence here as well.

[beachbum061]

Thanks for the responses. I will keep reading the forum and will be posting with more questions as they come up.

[Michaelz88]

I you want got Pittsburgh - do that now! Life is changing very fast...

[bradjl2009]

Welcome back from a current Duquesne student in the class of 2013! The campus has changed a lot since then and has recently gotten rid of Des Places Hall to build a new 12 story tall dorm hall for upperclassmen since has gone up in the past decade. If you have enough experience in your field, I would say to try to find jobs locally in your field now and see if you can get an interview and eventually more instead of waiting a couple years. Good luck with moving back.

[Penguins Fan]

My brother is opposite of you. He hated the winters, the snow and the cold and moved to Tampa in 2002. he has faced numerous bumps in the road but he has a decent job now.

I like the warm weather and am tired of winter. I'm also 48, so that affects my viewpoint.

[beachbum061]

Thanks for the response Penguins fan. I moved to Tampa in 1989, i am now 43. I hate the cold too but after 22 years of mostly summer, life has gotten humdrum. There seems to be a glass ceiling down here that if you are making anywhere between $ 30,000 - $ 40,000, you are doing great for Florida. Whatever. I have weighed the pros and cons and I am still evaluating everything. The only thing i could come up with is that you can wear short sleeves in the winter. Big deal. Been there and done that for too long but this southern mentality of "they pay you in sunshine" does not cut it. i have to work so hard to make ends meet that i am lucky if I even get to the beach 1 - 2 times a year. Imagine if i could move to a real city and have the opportunity to take a real vacation and actually spend a week or so on the beach as a tourist. Isn't that ironic. But anyway, I love Pitt, love the Steelers, the Pens, love the downtown, love the food, love the neighborhoods and I could deal with the cold. I want to come home!

[30STM]

summers in Pitt are hot an sticky not much of a differance then FLA but you will have to deal with the grey days and snow and rain. Sure you want to go to Pitt? maybe you should check out some other states wit better climate options

[PA_Native71]

Hey welcome back and to tell you the truth I could never see myself living anywhere else but in Western PA, I'm getting myself back in school but it is Slipper Rock University but I do want to get to Pittsburgh to live and work, but there is plenty of opportunities in Pittsburgh now PNC is a great place to work but I would suggest if you got a job down there lined up with PNC I would do that and then move here and start getting to know the right people in HR and your supervisors and see if you can get talk to about your plans, some are going to think your nuts but who cares, just start writing those letters of intent and keep sending them and keep checking their job postings and if you can see if you can find a head hunter to help you out and definitely if a head honcho from PNC is going to be speaking somewhere down in Fla. go to it and start networking, and if anything there is other companies in Pittsburgh that can use your skills check into the accounting firms the big 4 firms and BDO Seidman all have offices in Fla. and Pittsburgh that may be an alternative for you plus there is all kinds of places that you can apply for a job at one of the Major sports teams, Mellon, Heinz Inc. the numerous hospitals, American Eagle Outfitters, 84 Lumber here is a link for some big companies Top Employers in Pittsburgh - Large Companies with a Pittsburgh Presence it is amazing who is there plus you also got Giant Eagle they are spread across several states now, and numerous Colleges and Universities( you already know), and lots of smaller businesses and upstarts and Tech companies in and around Pittsburgh, there is the different departments of the city government of Pittsburgh and Allegheny county too, and other smaller finance companies and banks, so you do have lots of options and possibilities including the new Consol Energy center, Heinz Field and PNC field is also possibilities, and there is a couple job networking sites you can try to and use your Facebook if you got one to it's advantage, and always consider a start up if it goes well it can payoff big for you too, but there is so many possibilities in Pittsburgh you just have to have a 360 vision to it all, plus there is a new Casino in Pittsburgh too The Rivers there is another possibility.
Good luck and hpe to see you soon.