Where would be a great place to relocate to?

[Murky]

Hey CFC quick question. Where would be a good place to relocate and find work if you're a software engineer like me?

I'm a freethinker so I don't follow any particular religion
My politics are left of center, vote mostly democrat
I don't have a lot of money at the moment

 

[Crezth]

rural alabama

 

[ComradeDavo]

Scandinavia.

 

[Borachio]

England, ofc.

 

[ComradeDavo]

England, ofc.

No jobs here.

 

[Zelig]

Hey CFC quick question. Where would be a good place to relocate and find work if you're a software engineer like me?

India or Eastern Europe.

 

[Antilogic]

Are software engineering jobs still concentrated along the West Coast?

 

[Borachio]

No jobs here.

Well, there are some jobs. It depends, I suppose, on how experienced a job seeker is. And the area. But for an English speaker looking for an easy transition to another country, England is a fairly obvious, benign kind of choice.

And if you've got no money, chances are you'd fit in nicely.

 

[downtown]

That's such a broad question, and a lot depends on the specific kind of work you do.

If cost is a major factor, living near one of the industrial cities in the Midwest could be a nice fit...Milwaukee, Twin Cities, Indianapolis, Columbus, Pittsburgh, etc. If nothing else, you could always work remotely, enjoy blue-ish politics and a low cost of living.

 

[ComradeDavo]

And if you've got no money, chances are you'd fit in nicely.

 

[Mango Elephant]

The Research Triangle.

 

[Murky]

That's such a broad question, and a lot depends on the specific kind of work you do.

If cost is a major factor, living near one of the industrial cities in the Midwest could be a nice fit...Milwaukee, Twin Cities, Indianapolis, Columbus, Pittsburgh, etc. If nothing else, you could always work remotely, enjoy blue-ish politics and a low cost of living.

Thanks DT. I've thought about the Twin Cities before.

I've done a variety of software engineering and other inventive/creative type of work. Started out in telecommunications then I branched out into other things. I've done work in manufacturing, finance, non-profits and higher education.

 

[Antilogic]

I wouldn't recommend much of the South, but the Research Triangle in North Carolina as well as the city of Atlanta aren't too bad if you are looking for warmer weather. If politics is a concern, these areas are still tinged red but shifting more blue (rural Georgia isn't, but Atlanta is pretty blue).

Good thing about Atlanta is that it has a pretty lively town life and tons of great restaurants--Atlanta is a great place to set up shop, it's not quite San Francisco, New York City, or Boston, etc., but still good. Prices aren't quite as steep, but you will need a car to get around because MARTA isn't up to snuff. It's basically the one gem in the otherwise hellish part of the country.

Are you concerned about raising a family? Schools for kids, and stuff like that?

 

[Murky]

I wouldn't recommend much of the South, but the Research Triangle in North Carolina as well as the city of Atlanta aren't too bad if you are looking for warmer weather. If politics is a concern, these areas are still tinged red but shifting more blue (rural Georgia isn't, but Atlanta is pretty blue).

Good thing about Atlanta is that it has a pretty lively town life and tons of great restaurants--Atlanta is a great place to set up shop, it's not quite San Francisco, New York City, or Boston, etc., but still good. Prices aren't quite as steep, but you will need a car to get around because MARTA isn't up to snuff. It's basically the one gem in the otherwise hellish part of the country.

Are you concerned about raising a family? Schools for kids, and stuff like that?

Having single women around would be nice but I haven't thought of having kids.

 

[Ajidica]

I've thought about the Twin Cities before.

As a place to live, the Twin Cities are awsome. They are large enough to have everything you need, and Chicago is only a 8-hour bus ride away.
Considering the size of the Twin Cities the cost of living isn't outrageous and the suburbs are close enough travel isn't a huge issue (unless you chose to be stupid and work in the Cities but live out in Hudson or Rochester where you get an hour commute). Traffic isn't that bad either.

Furthermore, a lot of money has gone into preserving the enviroment, along with arts and culture. The best bit is that the Mississippi doesn't smell like a clogged public restroom during the summer!

Public schools, for the most part, are pretty decent. Unless if you live in a poor neighborhood (like North Minneapolis) of course. Even then, the schools are for the most part better than what you would find in the poor areas of other large cities.

Our public transit system is decent and we have been expanding the light rail system but you will need a car for the winter months. If you live in a sufficiently urban area you can get around with only a bike (we have a lot of bike paths and busses are fitted with bike racks) during the summer.

So yeah, the Twin Cities (and Minnesota in general) gets my seal of approval.

 

[peter grimes]

For software stuff you can't beat Seattle, Boston, San Francisco, New York City - not necessarily in that order.

You might spend some time pursuing industry contacts in those areas and see what they say, evaluate, and go from there.

I might be able to supply a few contacts for the nyc and Boston area for brain picking. But I know there are people on this forum who are pro's, they can offer much better advice.

Myself, I'd consider Minneapolis or Portland (either one).

 

[Formaldehyde]

For software stuff you can't beat Seattle, Boston, San Francisco, New York City - not necessarily in that order.

Pretty much this if you take SF to mean the greater bay area. There isn't all that much in the city itself compared to other areas. But you can find software development jobs just about anywhere.

If you really want a change of pace, I'd definitely recommend NYC. It is the center of the world, and it is the best of things as well as the worst of things.


Link to video.

 

[LamaGT]

I'd go after my heart, and my heart is in San Francisco

I've never been there though, but I just like it

 

[NBAfan]

DFW area, it's one of the biggest tech areas outside of SF bay area I think. It's also a cheep big city. You can't forget about it if you don't have a car though.

 

[duckstab]

Well, um, Austin springs to mind.

Lots of technology, and software engineers are in short supply. You have no idea how hard it is to find candidates.

It's the most liberal city in Texas, probably one of the most liberal in the US outside of the coasts. GOP state legislators often refer derisively to us as the "People's Republic of Travis County". So you do have to contend with the fact that you're in a deep red state. The good news is that the other major cities in Texas are moving our way politically.

As for being inexpensive, well, it's pricier than it used to be. Depends on how much space you need and how close to downtown you want to be.