Job Market in Pittsburgh

[BrianTH]

My sense of the job situation

The good: sectors associated with hospitals and universities; high tech development and manufacturing; business and professional services (financial, legal, etc.)

The not-so-good: low tech manufacturing; construction; transportation

Mixed bag: other services, like restaurants, retail, education (it really depends on where in the region you are talking)

[guylocke]

Pitt, CMU, Carlow, Chatham, Point Park, Robert Morris, LaRoche, CCAC,

Don't forget Duquesne University! I should be insulted it was left off this list!!!!!

[bboy36win]

Originally Posted by velcro21

There are always a variety of IT jobs in the Pittsburgh area. Everything from networking, to programming to help desk.

Hopefully this applies to I.T. Project Management positions, as well.

[Humanoid]

I am wanting to move to Pittsburgh and my husband has a degree in Comp Sci...I want to make sure he'll have decent job possibilities.

This is not the way you'll find out, the people posting aren't in the industry. There are two issues your husband could have 1.) The number of jobs are limited, 2.) He'll be competing with CMU graduates. If he has a degree from a highly ranked CS department 2.) won't be an issue but otherwise it will.

It doesn't make much sense to move to an area like Pittsburgh unless there is already an income source.

[johnnytang24]

Originally Posted by Humanoid

This is not the way you'll find out, the people posting aren't in the industry. There are two issues your husband could have 1.) The number of jobs are limited, 2.) He'll be competing with CMU graduates. If he has a degree from a highly ranked CS department 2.) won't be an issue but otherwise it will.

It doesn't make much sense to move to an area like Pittsburgh unless there is already an income source.

Number 2 will always be an issue. At least at CMU, they always look for their own first, from which there are plenty. Doesn't matter what level your skills, the person hiring has a friend that has a friend that is qualified for the job.

[Pittgal]

My hubby was in the industry having the same IT job for 12 years. Started looking for the same position at a different company and here we are in Seattle. Not much in the IT field in the burgh. We are hoping that when we come back Google will be an option. It wasn't there when we left and we told recently they prefer experience. Good Luck to you!

[velcro21]

Sorry about forgetting Duquesne....
It does show that we have a lot of good Universities in a pretty small area.

[Humanoid]

Doesn't matter what level your skills, the person hiring has a friend that has a friend that is qualified for the job.

But thats the issue of personal connections and being in the area not degrees. I also don't think people care about "hiring their own" the vast majority of CS students at CMU aren't even from Pittsburgh. Regardless, my point was merely that CMU has one of the #1 ranked CS departments and that alone causes a problem for people from lesser ranked schools. I think what you mentioned is 3.) though, from my experience most good jobs in Pittsburgh are found by personal connections to the area and not from blindly applying to jobs.

It does show that we have a lot of good Universities in a pretty small area.

I would not call most the universities in the area "Good".

[rd620]

Originally Posted by peanut33

When you say "tech" does that include things like software engineering or just IT? I ask because I am wanting to move to Pittsburgh and my husband has a degree in Comp Sci...I want to make sure he'll have decent job possibilities.

Hi Peanut33,
I am a software engineer and have never had a problem finding a good job in the area. As others pointed out it is always best to find it first before moving but I think your husband will have little problem.

[Mac44]

Check out the Pittsburgh Technology Council at Home - Pittsburgh Tech Council. They have a listing of job openings.