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Old 03-02-2008, 06:42 PM
 
Location: Fair Lawn, NJ
11 posts, read 36,081 times
Reputation: 11

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I'm moving back to the Bay Area with my wife and child after five years in New Jersey. We plan to make this move at end of June, when the school year ends. I am a senior Java programmer with an engineering degree and four years of experience (but more than ten years of IT experience) and my wife is a registered nurse. We're planning to rent in the Walnut Creek area, at least for the first year of our arrival. We've saved up for about six months of living expenses taking into account the current cost of living in the East Bay, and the cost of relocation, and assuming a monthly rent of a 2-bedroom for not more than $1400.

We have kept in touch with friends there from way back when we still lived there and we plan to tap them for job opportunities. But this assumes that the job market hasn't cooled too much. Are our assumptions about the cost of renting in our desired area realistic?

How is the job market like in the Bay Area right now for our respective professions? Have we made realistic enough preparations for this move? Are there any other neighborhoods in general vicinity of Walnut Creek that we should consider or avoid? High on our list is a good school system and safe streets.

I'd appreciate any tips and advice that you guys can offer.
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Old 03-02-2008, 06:51 PM
 
Location: Oakland, CA
1,554 posts, read 5,291,096 times
Reputation: 713
There's a Nursing shortage and out here RN's start at 50$ and hour with 5 figure bonus's, so you'll be ok. Not too sure about software engineers right now it's pretty saturated out here when it comes to computers.
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Old 03-02-2008, 06:57 PM
 
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota
3,941 posts, read 14,718,728 times
Reputation: 2287
Do CNAs make a high wage in the Bay Area too?
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Old 03-03-2008, 07:59 AM
 
215 posts, read 1,534,519 times
Reputation: 109
I recently heard San Diego had the best tech job market in California because the bay area is oversaturated with too many tech folks and jobs/companies are always leaving the bay area everyday due to cost of living, taxes, and housing. I will post a thread in the SD forum to find out...............

The latest big companies to start to leave the bay area was Charles Schwab, they are moving 4000+ tech folks from SF to Austin and Phoenix.................
AMD is also leaving the bay area for Austin by 2010..................
the movement continues.................

Last edited by RockhetHD; 03-03-2008 at 08:13 AM..
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Old 03-03-2008, 09:46 AM
 
9,527 posts, read 30,483,812 times
Reputation: 6440
Quote:
Originally Posted by RockhetHD View Post
I recently heard San Diego had the best tech job market in California because the bay area is oversaturated with too many tech folks and jobs/companies are always leaving the bay area everyday due to cost of living, taxes, and housing. I will post a thread in the SD forum to find out...............
I live in San Diego, and disagree. Also what AMD or Intel does is of little impact to a Java Developer. Silicon Valley is still the big leagues for software.
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Old 03-03-2008, 08:28 PM
 
25 posts, read 114,068 times
Reputation: 18
Default java

There are plenty of jobs for java programers in the city. The only thing is the companys are sometimes more particular about you fitting into the culture of the company than the experience you have. I was a recruiter in SF for the last year... I don't think you will have a problem if you don't mind commuting into the city which isn't bad from WC. Good Luck!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sponks View Post
I'm moving back to the Bay Area with my wife and child after five years in New Jersey. We plan to make this move at end of June, when the school year ends. I am a senior Java programmer with an engineering degree and four years of experience (but more than ten years of IT experience) and my wife is a registered nurse. We're planning to rent in the Walnut Creek area, at least for the first year of our arrival. We've saved up for about six months of living expenses taking into account the current cost of living in the East Bay, and the cost of relocation, and assuming a monthly rent of a 2-bedroom for not more than $1400.

We have kept in touch with friends there from way back when we still lived there and we plan to tap them for job opportunities. But this assumes that the job market hasn't cooled too much. Are our assumptions about the cost of renting in our desired area realistic?

How is the job market like in the Bay Area right now for our respective professions? Have we made realistic enough preparations for this move? Are there any other neighborhoods in general vicinity of Walnut Creek that we should consider or avoid? High on our list is a good school system and safe streets.

I'd appreciate any tips and advice that you guys can offer.
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Old 03-03-2008, 09:26 PM
 
Location: Fair Lawn, NJ
11 posts, read 36,081 times
Reputation: 11
Thanks, gccpsy. That's an encouraging response. What exactly do you mean by "fitting into the culture" of the company? Would this be an issue with someone like me coming from the East Coast?
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Old 03-03-2008, 10:16 PM
 
Location: Los Altos Hills, CA
36,660 posts, read 67,548,962 times
Reputation: 21244
Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyBanany View Post
Do CNAs make a high wage in the Bay Area too?
$20 an hour is not out of the question.
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Old 03-04-2008, 07:27 AM
 
14 posts, read 62,574 times
Reputation: 16
Quote:
Originally Posted by 18Montclair View Post
$20 an hour is not out of the question.
This is true only if you are lucky enough to get into a hospital. Nursing homes utilize CNAs the most and pay between $11-15/hr. If you don't mind traveling, home health also pays more.
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Old 03-04-2008, 11:15 AM
 
9,527 posts, read 30,483,812 times
Reputation: 6440
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sponks View Post
Thanks, gccpsy. That's an encouraging response. What exactly do you mean by "fitting into the culture" of the company? Would this be an issue with someone like me coming from the East Coast?
Flip flops and shorts, Lattes and bong hits.
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