Stuck in Ohio- but Moving to So Cal in 6 months! ADVICE (San Diego: spring break, home)

[Cardiff Kook]

blauskies, the first 2/3s of your post sounds like all of that is true in any metropolitan job market. not sure why that only pertains to San Diego?

[shmoov_groovzsd]

GMU,
You are correct, it does apply at just about any sizable multinational. The peer interviews or panel interviews is what we do via video conf because we are scattered in different locations.

There is a significant difference in application quality in SD vs some of our other sites for the same position. One of our largest clients here in SD has the same issue and has to outsource some engineering work and move internals from Europe or elsewhere for short term stays here. Some of it is convenience and then other part is lack of credible candidates in a world where positions and responsibilities change every 3-5 years to fill the void. Its awful to be honest for someone to lose their job in cellular and be out for a year or over.

So going back to another post, while hard work is valued, in tech engineering, its a business that requires workers to be on the cutting edge due to product releases from concept to completion. The engineering pace and competition are just far too competitive. Many of the guys I work with now on site are beat up from the pace.

I agree with blauskies and futbol with this. Engineering is just a different animal or should I say R&d overall.

[blauskies]

Originally Posted by GMUAlum08

blauskies, the first 2/3s of your post sounds like all of that is true in any metropolitan job market. not sure why that only pertains to San Diego?

I'm not saying it only pertains to San Diego, it's just that a lot of people who are not in the field understand how it works. While a Marketing major grad can probably get by working a dead end retail or restaurant job and make it look good on their resume, it does nothing for an engineering grad. This is why I always tell new grads I mentor or network with to try their hardest to get their foot in the door at the ground level if nothing substantial is offered to them, in reality my last employer cut back on interns and hiring of people period, due to the downturn. I have not seen a real improvement in this yet, so I would say entry level jobs are still harder to come by than they once were.

[blauskies]

Originally Posted by shmoov_groovzsd

GMU,
You are correct, it does apply at just about any sizable multinational. The peer interviews or panel interviews is what we do via video conf because we are scattered in different locations.

There is a significant difference in application quality in SD vs some of our other sites for the same position. One of our largest clients here in SD has the same issue and has to outsource some engineering work and move internals from Europe or elsewhere for short term stays here. Some of it is convenience and then other part is lack of credible candidates in a world where positions and responsibilities change every 3-5 years to fill the void. Its awful to be honest for someone to lose their job in cellular and be out for a year or over.

So going back to another post, while hard work is valued, in tech engineering, its a business that requires workers to be on the cutting edge due to product releases from concept to completion. The engineering pace and competition are just far too competitive. Many of the guys I work with now on site are beat up from the pace.

I agree with blauskies and futbol with this. Engineering is just a different animal or should I say R&d overall.

The pace and travel can take it's toll, I have worked with a few who have cracked and got out of the field because it was too much. Judging by the OP comments, it doesn't appear that they are going to pursue consumer electronics as there are other sectors of Engineering that offer a better work/life balance and stability.

I am not trying to stop anyone from realizing their dream, I just advise against moving someplace fresh out of school without a job lined up then hearing suggestions to work a dead end job till something better comes along.

[tonyinsd]

The alternative is that you **** away years of your life in a place you don't like, or in the original poster's case, hate. And then you've got a job and you have something to lose.

No. There's nothing you can do to buy back the years you **** away in a place you hate. There's no job, no amount of money that can buy that back.

The best time to take a risk is when you've got nothing to lose.

[JohnSoCal]

Originally Posted by tonyinsd

The alternative is that you **** away years of your life in a place you don't like, or in the original poster's case, hate. And then you've got a job and you have something to lose.

No. There's nothing you can do to buy back the years you **** away in a place you hate. There's no job, no amount of money that can buy that back.

The best time to take a risk is when you've got nothing to lose.

I agree 100%. It is insane to live in a place you dislike just because one is worried about a job. I have lived and worked in several places during my career as an engineer. I always picked my places to live because I wanted to live there, NOT because of work. Of course one has to be realistic about it but moving to San Diego is very realistic as are many other nice areas.

[earlyretirement]

Originally Posted by blauskies

I am not trying to stop anyone from realizing their dream, I just advise against moving someplace fresh out of school without a job lined up then hearing suggestions to work a dead end job till something better comes along.

Exactly. I don't think anyone is saying to stay in a city you don't like indefinitely. However, in life you can't always get what you want right away. Patience is a virtue and sometimes you have to look at what you NEED vs. what you WANT.

That's the only point I'm making and I think others like blauskies as well. No one is saying you have to stay in some city you don't like forever but sometimes the first few years out of college will shape the rest of your career and life. I agree it would be insane to live for a long period of time or indefinitely in a city you don't like. But there is a difference between cutting your teeth in a city where you can easily find a good job (or already may have a solid job offer) and getting experience and moving in a few short years and staying there forever.

You just have to look at the risk/reward payoffs.

I've found in life sometimes you have to do what you need to do not just want you want to do. In my experience, being patient and smart and projecting a few years out into the future really pays off.

Sometimes you shouldn't just think about what you want now but also how that decision will shape the next few years. We live in such an "I want it NOW" society. All some people are saying is just think a bit about the future. If you're still ok with moving after thinking about those things and comfortable with it then make the move.

Nothing is impossible and I believe in thinking positive. I'm all for going into a situation with both eyes open and understanding all sides of a decision. Just do some due diligence. Go back and do searches on this board (they span for years). See how many of the many people that asked questions about moving here without a job lined up, without a spouse that already has a job, and doesn't know anyone already here. How many of them have come back to the board and said it was a total success? I'm not including anyone that is moving here with a spouse that already has a job, anyone that is going to live with a family member/significant other rent free, or someone that has a lot of working experience under their belt. Also, I'm not including people that are retired or getting some pension or ongoing source of cash flow each month. I'm speaking about people with little/no work experience and competing in the job market with other people.

Again, not impossible but just go back and see how many you can find that made it a successful move. It's just depressing for me to go to places and hear about people with a college degree working in retail or restaurants alongside people with not even a high school diploma. For example, the other night I was eating at Urban Plates in Carmel Valley and I heard two of the employees joking with one another. One of the girls was joking with one of the guys there that was younger and she said "at least I have a college degree". And the younger kid joked and said that was sad and he hopes when he has a college degree he isn't working as a cashier in a restaurant. (The girl mentioned that several of the employees there at Urban Plates had a college degree). It's not uncommon to walk into any restaurant or retail store like the Gap and see many of the employees with a Bachelor's degree. That reflects what the economy and job market is here. Sad.

[JohnSoCal]

Originally Posted by earlyretirement

...Gap and see many of the employees with a Bachelor's degree. That reflects what the economy and job market is here. Sad.

It also is a reflection of what their degree is. Just having a college degree does not ensure getting a job in their field is there is no demand for it. I have never seen people with engineering degrees working in service jobs unless they actually wanted to.

[earlyretirement]

Originally Posted by JohnSoCal

It also is a reflection of what their degree is. Just having a college degree does not ensure getting a job in their field is there is no demand for it. I have never seen people with engineering degrees working in service jobs unless they actually wanted to.

I absolutely agree with this. There are a LOT of worthless degrees out there. I've also not heard of anyone with an engineering degree working retail but I have met someone that had a Master's degree still working in retail here in San Diego in between trying to find something.

Still depressing to think about.

[divagotstyle07]

Originally Posted by Radical347

Except, there's no guarantee that living somewhere crappy will make you rich and famous or even provide you with better experience and/or allow you to move somewhere better in a few years. Is it more likely? Yes, but unless it's guaranteed, and I do mean guaranteed (not preceded with "all but"), you could very well have sacrificed the holy grail only to shoot yourself in the foot.

Also, if you're miserable "time flies quickly" isn't much consolation (or even true) in my opinion.

Say she moves to San Diego, tries for a couple of months to get a job, doesn't, has to move back to Ohio. I don't see how that's possibly worse than not trying out SD at all.

I couldn't agree more. no harm in trying, if you plan it out well and keep finances in mind...which I'm doing.