Relocating to Roanoke: Any advice? Especially for Employment?

[VT Hokie 2007]

As someone else mentioned, I would consider looking into employment in Blacksburg or Christiansburg. You said you have a college degree and you work primarily with computers, so there should be a number of job openings to be filled in the Blacksburg/Christiansburg area, home of Virginia Tech.

Also, check out Virginia Tech's website, www.vt.edu and click on careers and start scrolling the pages for staff job openings. VT's 4help system for assisting people with computer problems is probably always looking for qualified staff. It's a good job and really important.

[VT Hokie 2007]

Wow, I just searched VT's job postings and there's all kinds of stuff for computer guys! DEFINITELY check out vt.edu and search their career postings.

You said you were thinking about going back for your masters--well, employees get tuition discounts.

[VT Hokie 2007]

WOW! On page 7 of 11 of the Virginia Tech job postings, there's an IT job that pays between $47,000 and $95,000 (Senior Systems Administrator), requiring similar skills to yours and there's one that STARTS at $37,000 that requires exactly the skills you posssess (Systems and Application Analyst). I had no idea VT paid so well! Seriously, Blacksburg is dirt cheap to live in.

[GradVT06]

Having lived in Williamsburg for 9 years, Blacksburg for 3, and Roanoke for 2, try to stay away. Or at least limit your time here. Blacksburg and Christiansburg are ok, but I'm gettin the heck outa Roanoke in a few weeks. It's horrible. It really is. Except VT/Blacksburg, western VA is worthless and is a horrible place to live in.

[barni]

I hope you are safely tucked in to Roanoke now. Personally, I can't think of a better, prettier place to live on the east. "Redneck" is a term that some have used in their blogs and I wonder if they really know the meaning. It came about because of farmers in the unprotected sun working the fields. I realize that the word 'work' is offensive to some that would choose to complain rather than do something constructive. If you hate Roanoke or the area, don't even bother to get unpacked. We don't want negative people. We don't want people to not like our area. So go away and look for Utopia and let us all know where you find it.

If you are serious about finding work, there are many, many ways to find a good, well paying job. Mary Kay Ash started her now worldwide job with borrowed money. She went to 5 banks that laughed at her and refused her loan. Now that the co. is doing several billion annually don't you think that any and all of those 5 banks would like to have been a little nicer to her so that her money would have been with them.
The Carilion scene is getting brighter and brighter and you could possibly work for them....they are hiring and paying well.
Quit fussing and become a happier person.