Is it really hard for an outsider to find a job in VA (Roanoke: appointed, job market)

[marilynnp]

Hi all,

I was reading another thread a while back, and it mentioned that if you were just moving to VA that it was really hard to find a job, because they see that you are not from VA- and they would give the job to someone else from the area. Is that true, in every part of Virginia? I am particuliar looking to move to Roanoke, and my line of work is Accounts payable & Receivable, and my husbands line of work is Billing and collections, in the medical field. I'm just afraid of looking to get things in order, traveling over there to check out the location, liking it, then worrying that we can not find jobs.... Please respond if this isn't the case, or hey even if it is the case. I just don't want to make that big of a move and be disappointed. I live in Connecticut now...

Thanks for any insite you might have!

[Jerry_Williams]

In Virginia, I only have experiences of Lynchburg and yes, outsiders do have plenty of problems. I think Roanoke is better, but I have also heard similar stories.
I am certain posters will pop-up and say that they never had any problems at all. That is probably true in their case.
Overall I would recommend you and your husband to FIRST land at least one job, and THEN move.

[badger74]

Have at least one job or 12 months worth of cash to live on. All decent jobs have 10 applicants and most will be locals who will get preference.

[Rhett_Butler]

Yeah, land the job first.... I'm not necessarily buying the "They won't hire outsiders" rap. It's just common sense that it's easier to hire someone local all else being equal....

[Jerry_Williams]

Originally Posted by VAFury

Yeah, land the job first.... I'm not necessarily buying the "They won't hire outsiders" rap. It's just common sense that it's easier to hire someone local all else being equal....

Can you please explain in better detail? I pretty much ruined my career moving to Va. Just because an employer knows an applicant’s father or his childhood neighbor does not make the applicant better qualified...or am I missing the point?

[badger74]

It's called networking and it is how many jobs get filled here. If you know somebody's family you might have a better idea about his background and that they are likely to stay in the area. Even Wall Street jobs that pay high six figures get filled this way as often as not.
Most of my good jobs have come through friends of friends--not the want ads. The only job I have had to apply for in the last 30 years was Starbucks on Boonsboro Rd. And they hired me mostly because I was from Seattle and knew something about coffee and Starbucks.

[Jerry_Williams]

Yeah, but it is a tad extreme around here.
About the same time I moved to central Virginia an old childhood friend moved to Paris. His girlfriend got a job there and he wanted to be with her. Now, France is some-what infamous for having a very un-flexible job market. My friend told everybody he would give it 4 months. In 3 months he had a very well paid job as a software developer, and he did not even speak French at the time!!! After 4 months in central Virginia I had landed a part-time job paying a whopping $7.50 an hour. Of course, each of our stories could just be extremes. I personally do not think tat is the case. I think this is how central Virginia works. After 5 years in Lynchburg it is to my understanding that people operate in an almost tribal mind sate were family connections and place of birth is ranked higher then competence or education. Were I work today I have seen people routinely put out of state applications to the side with the comment “they are not from around here”.
Now, since that is how it works complaining does little good. Virginia is for Lovers

[Rhett_Butler]

Originally Posted by Jerry_Williams

Can you please explain in better detail? I pretty much ruined my career moving to Va. Just because an employer knows an applicant’s father or his childhood neighbor does not make the applicant better qualified...or am I missing the point?

No, all I'm saying is that all else being equal it makes perfect sense to hire the local person instead of someone from out of state... I'm not making any claims of nepotism or preferrential treatment, just saying between two similarly qualified individuals, the local one will get the job because it's less hassle. That just makes sense.

[Jerry_Williams]

Originally Posted by VAFury

No, all I'm saying is that all else being equal it makes perfect sense to hire the local person instead of someone from out of state... I'm not making any claims of nepotism or preferrential treatment, just saying between two similarly qualified individuals, the local one will get the job because it's less hassle. That just makes sense.

I have lived in other places were this was not as obvious as here in Virginia.

[Rhett_Butler]

Think about it..... You're a company and you have two candidates who are more or less equal in qualifications. One lives in town and one lives 1000 miles away. Common sense really dictates that you take the local. Less hassle for all involved and less chance of complications.

Seems straightforward to me..