Stuck in Ohio- but Moving to So Cal in 6 months! ADVICE (San Diego: calculation, utilities)

[blauskies]

Originally Posted by tonyinsd

This article is relevant to this thread.

Top five regrets of the dying

Regret number one and regret number five are the ones that apply the most.

It will surely be updated for Gen X and Y's in the future.

1)Wish I did not spend so much time on the internet.

2)Wish I would have not played games so much.

3)Wish I did not use my credit card so much to live large and be in debt and had to work hard to pay it off.

4)Wish I bought tons of stock in Apple when it was $10-15 share in 2001.

5)Wish I had the choice to not work so hard but my Boss told me "your going to have to do it" because there is a line of H1B holders outside the door waiting for your job.

Times have changed unfortunately, our instant gratification and throw away society is only making it more difficult to live life at a slower pace, that is if you choose to enter the rat race.

Blue pill or Red Pill

[blauskies]

Originally Posted by futbol

Happened to me in ~2002. I got laid off when my company shut down its San Diego design center.

Found a job almost immediately in Santa Clara, and for a while had two paychecks. Personally, it was difficult living away from family and commuting back to SD every two or three weeks. Financially, it was a very good move. After about 16 months I came back to work in SD.

Getting laid off is generally a bad thing to go through, but for some people it is really good. I know people who are very timid of taking risks and they get comfortable in their jobs. Being forced to make a drastic change can actually help them make tough decisions. I remember a story about a technical writer who had his salary double after being laid off. He actually found a better job.

I have been laid off too, once with 3 months of severance basically 3 months of pay with a bonus tossed in and got a job a week later, it's just part of the industry I work in. I know a lot of people in Engineering in different sectors that have been as well, there are a few lucky ones that never got the pink slip but they are few and far between. I totally agree with you on people becoming complacent and not wanting to make a change, 15 or 20 years with the same company, they talked about leaving but were never on the chopping block. I heard the saying once, HR Manager goes to me, look at your glass half full, oh and another "when one door closes another opens". Either way you may often not be treated well when your cut and it's often a blind-sided situation and signed agreements which are basically gag orders to get your severance.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Blauskies and futbol,

You guys make great points. I am wondering if this applies for the OP in the kind of mechanical engineering she was looking for.

I have met and interviewed many talented SW engineers from outside the area that were the opposite when it came to dollars and cents. There is no way I could compete with Silly Valley on salaries and expectations. I think those two factors were key when all was said and done.
The only ones willing too make the move were not married or had kids. It was way easier for them to be mobile. When it came to more seasoned engineers, the move was fear too complicated and ultimately to come here, they would have needed a min 20k+ increase in pay.
As a decision maker we would have to complete with Q, who in some instances can meet those salary demands of SF or Seattle guys with in demand skills.
And many of those guys, trust me, for as much as they would have liked to get the best of both worlds, would rather get the money and oppt for upward mobility vs great weather and being somewhat isolated in SD career wise based on where they were. No question.

[futbol]

I had a dream job offer in the works about 6+ weeks ago in Silicon Valley (at NASA Ames), but I calculated that it would take a minimum of $15k/year extra to live up there, and would more like $20k you calculated. It was one reason I had to decline, although family reasons were primary.

Anyone able to become a mechanical engineer should be able to cross train as a software engineer. I've known several people who got their original engineer education in another field (even biotech), but now work in software.

[blauskies]

Originally Posted by shmoov_groovzsd

Blauskies and futbol,

You guys make great points. I am wondering if this applies for the OP in the kind of mechanical engineering she was looking for.

I have met and interviewed many talented SW engineers from outside the area that were the opposite when it came to dollars and cents. There is no way I could compete with Silly Valley on salaries and expectations. I think those two factors were key when all was said and done.
The only ones willing too make the move were not married or had kids. It was way easier for them to be mobile. When it came to more seasoned engineers, the move was fear too complicated and ultimately to come here, they would have needed a min 20k+ increase in pay.
As a decision maker we would have to complete with Q, who in some instances can meet those salary demands of SF or Seattle guys with in demand skills.
And many of those guys, trust me, for as much as they would have liked to get the best of both worlds, would rather get the money and oppt for upward mobility vs great weather. No question.

I agree it's way easier for a single person to do it, if they are comfortable leaving family and friends. Like I said within my network I knew of many that wouldn't move on a lot of factors, the ones that were married even more so difficult wife didn't want to do it, married with kids, even worse for some.

Bay Area COL even with a nice bump in pay can be a deal breaker, San Diego is a little more affordable but when you weigh it all out telling the wife that SF 2K sq ft 3/2/2 home you had on a 1/2 acre of land will be out of reach and this is the best you can get, the look comes and then it's a compromise for both to make or just pass on.

The trick is finding a good job where you like to live, a so called happy medium which for many is not always easy to obtain. You can see people who have the best of both worlds and others who struggle their entire life trying to get a 1/3rd of it if that.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

Originally Posted by futbol

I had a dream job offer in the works about 6+ weeks ago in Silicon Valley (at NASA Ames), but I calculated that it would take a minimum of $15k/year extra to live up there, and would more like $20k you calculated. It was one reason I had to decline, although family reasons were primary.

Anyone able to become a mechanical engineer should be able to cross train as a software engineer. I've known several people who got their original engineer education in another field (even biotech), but now work in software.

Yup. This is invaluable IMHO. There are plenty of guys that I have that crossed over from HW in mobile to SW, but not so much anymore. Back when feature phones were more prominent and mechanical, this was not uncommon to see.
I have not see as much it these days though. Not saying its not there, but I have seen less. Might be because of various factors between hw and sw implementation but even then the nuts and bolts are basically the same just reconfigured for powering those blasted gigantic displays and power consumption lol

[blauskies]

Originally Posted by futbol

I had a dream job offer in the works about 6+ weeks ago in Silicon Valley (at NASA Ames), but I calculated that it would take a minimum of $15k/year extra to live up there, and would more like $20k you calculated. It was one reason I had to decline, although family reasons were primary.

Anyone able to become a mechanical engineer should be able to cross train as a software engineer. I've known several people who got their original engineer education in another field (even biotech), but now work in software.

Housing is the main reason many bail on the Bay as a destination. Can't even live in Santa Cruz or Scotts Valley for any less and do the rollercoaster daily commute on 17.

I have not seen that in my experience, hiring managers are pretty taut on credentials based on education. Mechanical to Software and vice versa is a bit of a stretch, I would say Electrical to Software or Firmware is common. For a Mechanical, you can cross train and learn how to program or write code or PLC programming which is often common and good for your CV.

It's even harder to go from some sectors to others say automotive to medical, medical is quite strict to all the regulations and rarely do you see job listings saying "no medical device experience necessary", it's the direct opposite.

[e30is]

Originally Posted by blauskies

It's even harder to go from some sectors to others say automotive to medical, medical is quite strict to all the regulations and rarely do you see job listings saying "no medical device experience necessary", it's the direct opposite.

Had an ex-gf who is in the medical field. Advertising is not what the medical field is about when they want to hire new doctors, nurses etc. and their duration in school will take much longer than 4 years, esp w/ med school/pre-med, etc. If you're trying to be, say a surgeon, you'll be there for 8 yrs or something like that and then you have to ring up a hospital to see who they want.

[earlyretirement]

I think there are a LOT of excellent points on this thread and all of them should be considered. I thought the list Tony mentioned was good and several of the things I totally agreed with. But I think you have to balance them out and consider the other side as well.

Personally I'm glad I worked so hard earlier in life. All my friends and family thought I was crazy at the time. But I'm glad I sacrificed and worked hard earlier in life and lived in less desirable cities.

It's a GREAT feeling now being able to spend so much time with my kids on a daily basis and essentially being able to be semi-retired (fully retired if I wanted) while I'm still younger. It would have never been possible if I moved to San Diego right out of college. I think you have to consider the other side as well.

[divagotstyle07]

Originally Posted by taydigga

As a person also from the midwest who moved to LA at 19 and have now been here 14 years...YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE IT!

ahhh!! yay!! Everyone who has been to CA tells me I will! i'm glad you love it too!!