Stuck in Ohio- but Moving to So Cal in 6 months! ADVICE (San Diego: salaries, zip codes)

[divagotstyle07]

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.

it seems software engineering is the main focus around SD. ?? what about LA or even NorCal?

[divagotstyle07]

Originally Posted by blauskies

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.

^^ this is what i'm focusing on. by no means would i sacrifice my career to a level i'm not comfortable with, and it's definitely about balance and finding a happy medium. a lot of factors need to go into the decision, but i think they're ALL more than attainable in a place I'd consider paradise

[divagotstyle07]

Originally Posted by 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.

definitely worth considering. I'm getting ready for my trip in 2 weeks now with resumes printed and whatnot. Any (mechanical) engineering companies in SD worth strolling into with a resume? I've googled them but maybe you guys know better than the googler!

[blauskies]

Originally Posted by divagotstyle07

it seems software engineering is the main focus around SD. ?? what about LA or even NorCal?

Software is big in the Bay Area and a lot of other places, problem is your not going to see people with a BSME working in software. It's a completely different animal more focused around a Computer Science degree. Aside from the math, there is very little that crosses over from a BSME degree and you won't have the right credentials.

[moved]

I haven't heard of anyone just "strolling into" an employer in years.

[taydigga]

It'll work out, just work hard and don't sweat the small stuff. Come back and let me know how it goes!

[futbol]

Originally Posted by divagotstyle07

it seems software engineering is the main focus around SD. ?? what about LA or even NorCal?

blauskies is right. Software is big in SoCal and in The Bay. There are opportunities in most metropolitan areas of California.

'Software' is a general term, though. There are many different specialties of software.

[oddstray]

Originally Posted by blauskies

Software is big in the Bay Area and a lot of other places, problem is your not going to see people with a BSME working in software. It's a completely different animal more focused around a Computer Science degree. Aside from the math, there is very little that crosses over from a BSME degree and you won't have the right credentials.

You might be surprised. There's some pretty gnarly math going on in ME - I wouldn't be surprised if ME's have their own set of computer utilities to handle that. And someone's got to create all that. My ex is a CE, and he's still getting royalties from selling a software utility he created to do a particular set of specifications/calculations.

[blauskies]

Originally Posted by oddstray

You might be surprised. There's some pretty gnarly math going on in ME - I wouldn't be surprised if ME's have their own set of computer utilities to handle that. And someone's got to create all that. My ex is a CE, and he's still getting royalties from selling a software utility he created to do a particular set of specifications/calculations.

No actually I wouldn't be surprised at all, as I work in the profession and never ever seen a ME hired to do software engineering, firmware or write code and you won't find it in the industry as being common and would be very rare. I worked for a lot of companies, big and small and never saw it but sure someplace there is someone probably doing it, but overall a ME could not "walk in" to a company right out of college and be hired as a software engineer anywhere of course let's say they had a total flip-flop after graduation and realized they picked the wrong field, got out and love writing iOs and/or Android apps and have a knack for it and climbed the ladder and built a lot of experience, then sure the possibility exists that a hiring manager or HR department will look past the degree and look at the experience, is it common, I would say no. The reverse of that, I have never seen a software engineer working as a ME.

Unfortunately having an Engineering degree doesn't guarantee you can land a job in any specific engineering field, it's way too broad and is filled with specialists who are subject matter experts in their respected field, anyone who does their homework on indeed.com can see what the requirements are for specific positions.

Point is, the OP should not be even thinking of Software with a BSME, there is plenty of opportunity out there for them as what they studied. California in general still has a lot of job opportunities, I would lean more towards the Bay Area and LA over San Diego, but there is some opps on the north side around Vista, Carlsbad, Poway and San Marcos, it's just that I personally did not find a lot of the employers there to be too desperate or interested in people not already in the area, even if you said "relocate at own expense", did not matter. I still see a lot of the same positions listed 6+ months later on Indeed or their website careers sections

[blauskies]

Originally Posted by divagotstyle07

Any (mechanical) engineering companies in SD worth strolling into

LinkedIn, open introductions start there.