Looking for advice (23, m, San Diego - IT Field) (San Francisco: job market, neighborhoods)

[BSerra23]

Hey everyone.

I'm looking for some advice and hopefully some of you out there have some similar experiences.

I'm a 23 yr old guy currently living in San Diego. I moved here from NYC last year after I finished college.

I've got about a year of experience working as desktop/IT support in the biotech field here in SD (La Jolla specifically). However, a few weeks ago I was fired from a new job at a science research institute. I won't bore everyone with all the details, but basically they were monitoring my internet traffic and found some comments I made to a friend they didn't like. Seriously shady.

Anyway, since getting fired I've been wondering if this is an opportunity for me to explore other options. As I mentioned before, I've got some experience working in IT specifically biotech out here. I've got my degree in CIS, and some other computer experience under my belt. Despite SD being one of the better tech hubs in the US, I'm wondering if I could do better in SF/bay.

My jobs here have been paying about $17-$20 an hour, or about $40k a year. Its very expensive to live here too, and since I wouldn't live in the city of SF, a few grand more a year could go a long way for me.

I've never been north of LA as I grew up on the east coast in northern Virginia and went to college in NYC. I'm planning a road trip in 2 weeks to check a lot out.

In addition to the job market, after a year in San Diego I'm starting to miss some things. I left NY because it was cold 7 months a year, always raining/snowing, and basically unlivable for me. I figured SD would be my heaven, and as much as I still thank god for every 70 degree day and 60 degree night…I am starting to miss the seasons and diversity. Its about to be June but this year has been such a shock to my system that I feel like fall should be starting…the lack of change kinda messes with my head.

I'm wondering if Northern California would be a better fit for me. Being by the beach and the coast down here is awesome, but sometimes the dry desert areas and lack of trees/greenery gets a bit depressing. I know I took this all for granted on the east coast when I was younger, but I'm just learning that I really do love nature and the outdoors. As perfect as the weather is here, the lack of rain and greenery is starting to take a toll.

Also, after a year I'm really starting to miss the benefits of a great city. Theres no great food here, not enough concerts, and the culture is certainly lacking. I'm a very liberal guy so that aspect of SF doesn't scare me.

Outside of the city of San Francisco, are there any areas with particularly nice climates, nature, and scenery? Maybe some that are more affordable? Btw, I live to play golf so any areas that are better as far as courses/climate? Has anyone else moved from the east coast (virginia/ny) and found a spot in NorCal that feels like home?

I really appreciate any help or suggestions you guys have.

-Ben

[5thgenSF]

the bay area has a lot of beautiful scenery and weather! and you'd make at least double the salary there, if not triple. i've lived in northern and southern california, back and forth through the years. the north is better but i am biased as that is "home". plenty of good golfing there too.

[mayorhaggar]

Submit your resume to some Bay Area tech firms and see what happens, hiring is supposed to be very rampant but I don't know if that applies to everyone or just new comp sci grads from Stanford. The salary should pretty definitely be higher than 40k in SF or Silicon Valley but it can depend on the company. Just keep in mind that tech firm hours can be crazy, and rents are skyrocketing in SF and SV because of the tech boom so your money won't go as far. I'd recommend Oakland or you might like living in Silicon Valley since the weather is pretty temperate and seasonal, I dunno if you'd like the suburban lifestyle there though. Oakland is denser and older and has some cool (and safe) areas with cheap rent, and it's 20 minutes from downtown SF on BART.

[5thgenSF]

Originally Posted by mayorhaggar

Submit your resume to some Bay Area tech firms and see what happens, hiring is supposed to be very rampant but I don't know if that applies to everyone or just new comp sci grads from Stanford. The salary should pretty definitely be higher than 40k in SF or Silicon Valley but it can depend on the company. Just keep in mind that tech firm hours can be crazy, and rents are skyrocketing in SF and SV because of the tech boom so your money won't go as far. I'd recommend Oakland or you might like living in Silicon Valley since the weather is pretty temperate and seasonal, I dunno if you'd like the suburban lifestyle there though. Oakland is denser and older and has some cool (and safe) areas with cheap rent, and it's 20 minutes from downtown SF on BART.

i'd like to know about these cheap/safe places in oakland. i moved from san jose in 2001 and am trying to get back somewhere around there. not necessarily in silicon hell, but usually the salaries are the only decent ones around. unless you want to live on the freeway half the day. i've always thought oakland was awful, but from reading threads in here, maybe it isn't so bad after all.

[mayorhaggar]

Article about tech hiring in SV:

Revenge of the Nerds: Tech Firms Scour College Campuses for Talent - WSJ.com

Originally Posted by 5thgenSF

i'd like to know about these cheap/safe places in oakland. i moved from san jose in 2001 and am trying to get back somewhere around there. not necessarily in silicon hell, but usually the salaries are the only decent ones around. unless you want to live on the freeway half the day. i've always thought oakland was awful, but from reading threads in here, maybe it isn't so bad after all.

The area around Lake Merritt--mainly Grand Lake which is north of the lake--is maybe the best in terms of combining cheapness, a convenient location, and stuff to do. That said, rents in Oakland are going up too so it's not as cheap as it used to be. Piedmont Ave is maybe next in line, then the Temescal, then Rockridge. There are other neighborhoods in Oakland that are nice or pretty affordable but not as conveniently located, or are more suburban. Somewhere like Rockridge is still kind of expensive but it's way cheaper than somewhere similar in Berkeley or SF. You can also get way more for your money if you go further from SF in the East Bay to places like Walnut Creek but then you're really getting suburban.