where's a good place to relocate if you're in tech ?

[nyvrem]

besides the usual SF/NY/Boston/LA/Seattle being tech hubs/centers, where else would be a good place to relocate without a job in hand but with almost 8 years of tech experience in front/back end development?

just wondering that's all. 

i've been eyeing a move to Dallas area because... it's cheap i guess. and the weathers not too bad for me. 

oh, and decent schools for my kids.

[sanantone]

Austin has a lot of tech jobs. We have Apple, Google, Dell, Indeed, and some other major tech employers. San Antonio mainly has defense contractors who are looking for cybersecurity professionals with security clearances. However, I've heard that Dallas and Houston have higher tech salaries, and their costs of living are lower than Austin's.

Apple is expanding its Austin campus and is planning to hire thousands.

[burbuja0512]

I was also going to post Austin. Denver is growing too, but the prices are skyrocketing.

Personally, if I were open to relocation, I would try to find the job first and then relocate. You have to be careful in doing this since many employers will see your resume and throw it out if you aren't living in their area. Not that you want to hide the address, but don't make it promenent. And where you do include your address, write something like "In process of relocation to X city." Then, you fill in the name of the city where you're applying.

The reason that you do this is because many employers won't consider someone who wants to relocate because they think you'll ask for relocation expenses. So, if you DO want to request relocation $$$$, my strategy is not the right one. If you're just looking to move for a job and willing to pay for the move, you need to make it look like you're already headed there.

I've done this before so can confirm that it works.

[dfrecore]

I was also going to post Austin.   Denver is growing too, but the prices are skyrocketing.

Personally, if I were open to relocation, I would try to find the job first and then relocate.   You have to be careful in doing this since many employers will see your resume and throw it out if you aren't living in their area.    Not that you want to hide the address, but don't make it promenent.   And where you do include your address, write something like "In process of relocation to X city."   Then, you fill in the name of the city where you're applying.

The reason that you do this is because many employers won't consider someone who wants to relocate because they think you'll ask for relocation expenses.   So, if you DO want to request relocation $$$$, my strategy is not the right one.   If you're just looking to move for a job and willing to pay for the move, you need to make it look like you're already headed there.  

I've done this before so can confirm that it works.

I agree.  I can't imagine moving and HOPING to find a job, unless I was unemployed already.  I would line up the job first.

You're probably going to have to budget several trips there, you could go for an interview and then spend a couple of days house-hunting while you're there just to get a feel for where you'd want to live, how far it would be from work, housing prices, schools, etc.

And if you want relocation expenses, you're putting yourself at a disadvantage, so if you can afford the move without their help, you're much better off.

[MNomadic]

I would definitely consider landing a job, then moving, not vice versa. It really depends what specific sector of tech. For example, AWS has a lot of data centers in northern Virginia.

[jsd]

The city where the office that hires you next is a good place to start looking for housing

[bjcheung77]

The city where the office that hires you next is a good place to start looking for housing

This is what I agree with most, it matters what the cost of living/housing is where you are going to move...
I would research the quality of living and the standards of education in that state/area you're moving to...

[cookderosa]

We've moved a handful of times, but nothing was more stressful than moving across the country. Thank goodness we had a job lined up (my husband started a few months earlier) because the stress of moving under normal circumstances is crazy anyway. Another vote for get the job first.

[nyvrem]

probably the most challenging part - getting that job first while i'm based overseas.

won't make financial sense for me to fly half way around to world to go for an interview too ~

urgh.. better get my TESU BA CS done first too.

[alab21]

Austin has a lot of tech jobs. We have Apple, Google, Dell, Indeed, and some other major tech employers. San Antonio mainly has defense contractors who are looking for cybersecurity professionals with security clearances. However, I've heard that Dallas and Houston have higher tech salaries, and their costs of living are lower than Austin's.

Apple is expanding its Austin campus and is planning to hire thousands.

Dallas (DFW) area is still a strong tech area and yes, cost of living is lower. I’ve known people who moved from CA and from the east coast, sold their modest homes there and bought what most would consider a mansion here. Most live north of Dallas or north of mid cities area because most tech jobs are in north Dallas. Depends on how far you want to drive. We are spread out but have lots of highways. We calculate distance from work by minutes not miles because you could live closer to work but because of traffic, it could be nearly the same time as hopping on a freeway and going 10-20-30 miles home. Plano, Richardson, Frisco and north are $$$; Denton, Little Elm, Aubrey areas are less $$ due to distance, but still a reasonable commute to most jobs. I’d guess most spend a min of 30mins commuting to work here.

Not sure what you do now, but in most tech fields here, experience is very important. I’ve interviewed many people (for Oracle/Sybase DBA/Unix and General IT jobs) but never cared about a degree or noticed it, unless someone pointed it out. I interviewed a guy who apparently attended the Chinese version of MIT (a coworker pointed it out), but he couldn’t answer my tech questions, so he didn’t get a second interview. If the company requires the degree (usually someone above just likes the degree), it’ll get you past the initial HR/recruiter criteria to get the interview, but the skills need to be there, unless it’s entry level.


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