I want a job in Charlottesville so we can move there! (Richmond: apartments, buying a home)

[Cowboy74]

Well, I have tried everything I can think of. I have networked, I have revised my resume based on several inputs, I have applied in volume...and this has been here in Austin for a year and a half+ and on the East Coast (Charlottesville and NOVA) and have had no offers. I have a degree in Business Management, 10 years experience as an Analyst with the Department of Defense, and lots of other life experience. I am at what I can say is probably the end of my rope, and more frustrated than I can describe. My wife is the sole provider and we are sort of stuck. We want to move to be closer to family and friends back in the D.C./NoVA area, and Charlottesville is the unreachable star at this point. I am pleading for constructive thoughts. I have asked numerous people on where to focus my energies in Charlottesville for a employment and have gotten very little input. UVA is a big employer, but even this monster is short on hiring...is this plan possible or do I remove this from the possible and look North (I hate the D.C. metro area by the way).

Signed...I don't wanna sound desperate, but I am starting to feel that way.

[highway29south]

Oh, I hear ya! We have been trying to move to either Roanoke or Charlottesville for years now. My husband is the one looking for a job. He has a Master's Degree and 20 years of experience. He also does seminars nationally and has owned his own business. He also teaches college on a part time basis. He is well known by the Pittsburgh media as the go to expert in his field. You think he could get a job in Virginia? Ha! No one even answers his applications most of the time.

I'm sorry you are experiencing the same thing. The only advice I can offer is to forget UVA. We were told that unless you know someone there personally, they won't even look at you.

I'm a native of Va and I'd love to move back home. I don't like saying it, but I'm wondering if it's ever going to happen for us. We've tried everything and no job.

All I can say is, I hope you have a better experience than we have.

[Cowboy74]

highway29south...ugh, sorry to hear things are tough for everybody, thought it was just me I know times are tough, just hits home the more I read or post to forums like this. Positive thoughts, and keeping plugging away and your feet are sure to hit land soon.

[TN Lily]

Cowboy 74, there are other cities that would put you close to Charlottesville. Among the possibilities are Richmond, Staunton, Waynesboro, Harrisonburg, Winchester, Fredericksburg & Roanoke. I think of Fredericksburg as part of Northern VA.

Getting a job is tough. Getting a job with a state agency or state school is even tougher. Right now it may be nearly impossible.

Unless you have a skill or background that puts you in high demand, I would recommend that you look at employers other that state agencies or university/colleges. Plus if you make it through all the requirements it can easily take the better part of a year to get hired with the state.

Many of the employers want online applications. Many do not even bother to acknowledge receipt of the application.

You need to be checking out company websites and checking job postings. Periodically check out the jobs at Dominion Resources. The websites of the various local chambers of commerce may give you leads on companies to check out. Most have their job openings online.

Good luck. Don't give up. I know it is discouraging, but in this economy it will take a whole lot of persistence.

[TN Lily]

Rosetta Stone is in Harrisonburg. If you go to its website, there is a link at the bottom for careers. Follow it through to get to job postings. There may be something there for you to apply for. This is one example. Dig around and find other companies and check out their web postings on the company's website.

Harrisonburg is a one-hour drive from C-ville.

My family's experience has been that sites like monster.com were of no value.

[VaNative]

Originally Posted by TN Lily

Getting a job is tough. Getting a job with a state agency or state school is even tougher. Right now it may be nearly impossible.

Unless you have a skill or background that puts you in high demand, I would recommend that you look at employers other that state agencies or university/colleges. Plus if you make it through all the requirements it can easily take the better part of a year to get hired with the state.

Yes...you have to know someone to get on at UVa. I worked there for 3.5 years before moving to Florida. The biggest problem with Charlottesville is/was there are basically only two types of jobs: working for UVa or working retail. A lot of the major employers are long gone (GE Fanuc, Michie, Morton, Comdial) and it's a shame. Maybe things have opened up more since I left but don't expect too much. Also...the cost of living is very high in relation to the types of jobs available to most people.

[alice_61]

Virginia has asked all the universities to plan for a possible 5-15% cuts in state appropriations. They are doing very little hiring at Virginia Tech. I expect about the same at UVA.

Maybe there would be more possibilities in the Richmond area.

[TN Lily]

VaNative is correct in my opinion about the cost of living in Charlottesville. Apartments are very expensive. I have assumed that the UVA student population keeps apartment rents up. Buying a home can be very expensive.

My limited exposure to the Charlottesville City government (& Albemarle County for that matter) as a non-resident has left me with feeling that they can be "difficult" to deal with.

[VaNative]

Originally Posted by alice_61

Virginia has asked all the universities to plan for a possible 5-15% cuts in state appropriations. They are doing very little hiring at Virginia Tech. I expect about the same at UVA.

Makes sense.

Originally Posted by TN Lily

VaNative is correct in my opinion about the cost of living in Charlottesville. Apartments are very expensive. I have assumed that the UVA student population keeps apartment rents up. Buying a home can be very expensive.

My limited exposure to the Charlottesville City government (& Albemarle County for that matter) as a non-resident has left me with feeling that they can be "difficult" to deal with.

The local cost of living is mainly due to the money in Albemarle County and the salaries of the professors at UVa. It's really hard to find anything affordable there.

Indeed...the local government is extremely hard to work with...just ask my father.

[Nebat]

Richmond might work for you. It's about a hour and a half from NOVA without traffic so you could visit family. It is an hour east of Charlottesville too so you could still check out C-ville whenever you wanted. Richmond despite it's reputation has a strong corporate base and several colleges and universities. The biggest being Virginia Commonwealth University. But I have no idea if anyone is hiring, just thought you might not have chrcked out this area as a possibility. Good luck!