Moving cities

[Meataball23]

I grew up in jersey and now live and work in nyc. I love it. I have a great place in the upper east and have a decent gig in finance in the business district in lower manhattan. I have great friends in the city and my family is just across the river in jersey.

Problem is I work for Merrill and we were bought by Bank of America. BOA just offered me my job (with a small bonus) in Charlotte. They said that they can guarantee job stability in NC but they cannot in NYC.

Can I really turn this down? We're at 10% unemployment and I would be just another guy in line trying to interview for gigs in 2010, but on the other hand Id be starting over totally alone in a southern city.

On the one hand I feel like Fez and want to death grip whats comfortable to me, and try to make it work here. On the other, more masculine hand, I feel Mr. B's advice would be to improvise and take the money and new city and make the best of it.

Do I take the deal, or do I stick with what I know in NYC and interview like a fiend?

[Annie Waits]

I grew up in jersey and now live and work in nyc. I love it. I have a great place in the upper east and have a decent gig in finance in the business district in lower manhattan. I have great friends in the city and my family is just across the river in jersey.

Problem is I work for Merrill and we were bought by Bank of America. BOA just offered me my job (with a small bonus) in Charlotte. They said that they can guarantee job stability in NC but they cannot in NYC.

Can I really turn this down? We're at 10% unemployment and I would be just another guy in line trying to interview for gigs in 2010, but on the other hand Id be starting over totally alone in a southern city.

On the one hand I feel like Fez and want to death grip whats comfortable to me, and try to make it work here. On the other, more masculine hand, I feel Mr. B's advice would be to improvise and take the money and new city and make the best of it.

Do I take the deal, or do I stick with what I know in NYC and interview like a fiend?

I say go for it, who knows what other opportunities will open once you are in Charlotte. Just ride the wave my friend....!

[IamFogHat]

I grew up in jersey and now live and work in nyc. I love it. I have a great place in the upper east and have a decent gig in finance in the business district in lower manhattan. I have great friends in the city and my family is just across the river in jersey.

Problem is I work for Merrill and we were bought by Bank of America. BOA just offered me my job (with a small bonus) in Charlotte. They said that they can guarantee job stability in NC but they cannot in NYC.

Can I really turn this down? We're at 10% unemployment and I would be just another guy in line trying to interview for gigs in 2010, but on the other hand Id be starting over totally alone in a southern city.

On the one hand I feel like Fez and want to death grip whats comfortable to me, and try to make it work here. On the other, more masculine hand, I feel Mr. B's advice would be to improvise and take the money and new city and make the best of it.

Do I take the deal, or do I stick with what I know in NYC and interview like a fiend?

Well one thing to think about is they're offering you your salary plus a bonus and the cost of living in Charlotte plummets compared to NYC. Might be a good thing for a little while, even if it isn't a permanent thing.

[SatCam]

Go down and visit and see if you like it. Who knows you might fall in love with the place

[Meataball23]

I say go for it, who knows what other opportunities will open once you are in Charlotte. Just ride the wave my friend....!

Thanks and im leaning towards it

Well one thing to think about is they're offering you your salary plus a bonus and the cost of living in Charlotte plummets compared to NYC. Might be a good thing for a little while, even if it isn't a permanent thing.

And this is a big selling point for me. The extra coin will help me golf more, and possibly get a really nice apt. Again the problem w/ all that is (at least at first) I'd be golfing alone and Id have a nice apt with no one to come over and check it out. Ultimately that would solve itself, but it is certainly a leap.

[brettmojo]

My sister lives in Charlotte. It's nice down there. Been there a few times.

NC in general is real nice place, especially near the coast. People are a lot nicer too.

[boosterp]

As someone who moved very often I can say that a new place can bring a new vision and meaning. Charlotte is a nice town, not all back woods redneck like. It is part of (southern tip) the research triangle where there is a lot of brilliant well to do people. It is also a college town so there is a vast amount of things to do. Someone suggested a visit, I do as well. And for fiscal security reasons, I say go for it.

[IamFogHat]

Well, materialism aside (not judging) a few years down there could give you some time to save up some nice coin, then when you come back to NYC when this economy is straightened out, you'll be right as rain and then some.

[Meataball23]

Cool, thanks so much for the tips and encouragement. I'll definitely get the company to fly me down there to check it out but I think I'll go for it, could be a lot of fun.

[JerseySean]

I grew up in jersey and now live and work in nyc. I love it. I have a great place in the upper east and have a decent gig in finance in the business district in lower manhattan. I have great friends in the city and my family is just across the river in jersey.

Problem is I work for Merrill and we were bought by Bank of America. BOA just offered me my job (with a small bonus) in Charlotte. They said that they can guarantee job stability in NC but they cannot in NYC.

Can I really turn this down? We're at 10% unemployment and I would be just another guy in line trying to interview for gigs in 2010, but on the other hand Id be starting over totally alone in a southern city.

On the one hand I feel like Fez and want to death grip whats comfortable to me, and try to make it work here. On the other, more masculine hand, I feel Mr. B's advice would be to improvise and take the money and new city and make the best of it.

Do I take the deal, or do I stick with what I know in NYC and interview like a fiend?

Buy yourself some time and send out resumes in NY. Goldman and a lot of funds and boutique banks are hiring again. Othewwise, fuck it, Charlotte isnt the worst place in the world

[Devo37]

if you decide to go, can you send me a couple hundred cartons of cigarettes?

p.s. f#ck it, go for it!!

[whiskyriver]

Cool city to move to.....it will take some time to get used to,but you'll like it.

[TheMojoPin]

http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/metroplex.jpg

[Annie Waits]

The extra coin will help me golf more, and possibly get a really nice apt. Again the problem w/ all that is (at least at first) I'd be golfing alone and Id have a nice apt with no one to come over and check it out. .

a nice apt.?? I think you might be able to get yourself a house here instead, rent is half what NYC is.
plus there is so much around you, I live in Asheville about 2 hours away in the mountains, if you like outdoorsy stuff you'll love NC. Plus it's true, people are so much nicer and winter will be milder.

[led37zep]

Thanks and im leaning towards it

And this is a big selling point for me. The extra coin will help me golf more, and possibly get a really nice apt. Again the problem w/ all that is (at least at first) I'd be golfing alone and Id have a nice apt with no one to come over and check it out. Ultimately that would solve itself, but it is certainly a leap.

As I'm sure you know North Carolina is flooded with Golf Courses. Personally I love North Carolina. Housing prices are cheap, people are nice, and Sweet Tea flows like Niagara.
Plus Carolina Beach is a great little spot for summer vacations.

However you kinda have to go with your gut and what feels right for you.

I made the move from LA to NY about a year ago. There was a lot of unknowns and I was leaving a good group of friends, family, and social base in Cali but I knew NYC would provide me with better opportunities in the Long Term. Maybe that's one way to look at it. What are the long term pros and cons between the two locations?
Good luck!

[cougarjake13]

i say give it a shot


lets say 6 months from now your out of a job in nyc
so lets say you take the charlotte job and dont like it


either way in 6 months you're looking for a new job but at least you gave it a shot somewhere else and you'll know whether or not you can thrive outside your comfort zone

[biggirl]

I would go for it, but maybe ask your boss if there was the possibility of moving back to NYC in the future.

My friends work for IBM and get transferred to different locations but like Raleigh the best and made that known to their bosses. So after a couple of years in Rochester, MN the company moved them back to Raleigh.

[NickyL0885]

Do it. Experience life.

Although, living in NY, I may move as well in 2 years. Too expensive here. I, like you, worry about being alone. I'm not the most out going person. I mean, if a stranger would come up to me, I can talk like I would with friends. But If I had to do the approaching, I could never do it.

Try something like MeetUp.com . Its a site to find people in your area that have the same interest as you and meet up. So, since you like Golf, you can search for people that like to play it in Charlotte. You'd then have Golf buddies.

[JohnCharles]

Go for it! What is the worst that could possibly happen?

You don't like the new pace of life and go back?

Starting over isn't too terrible.

Consider it a new chapter in life.

[pittphantoms]

I live in Charlotte... I was moved here basically after living in LA... it doesn't compare and I am mostly unhappy with the area.

Do everything you can to stay in NYC IMO.

Also, rumor is it BOA is going to move to NYC ... out of Charlotte.

[TripleSkeet]

Have you ever lived anywhere besides the NY / North Jersey area? If not, this is a huge chance for you to travel and experience life outside of your region. And as others have said, a small bonus from what youre making in NY is like a HUGE bonus when you factor how much you save on cost of living.

Just make sure to give it a chance. No place is like the Northeast, and Im sure itll take awhile to get used to.

When I was 20 years old I was offered a transfer with my company to move to Hollywood FL. I knew nobody there, and I jumped on it. Some of the greatest 2 years of my life. If I didnt have 3 of my roommates move out at once all for knocking up their girlfriends, I may have stayed.

If you get homesick, just take flights up for a weekend here and there. They are cheap as hell anyway.

And if BOA does move out of Charlotte to NY youll probably get asked to move back...with another bonus.

[KingGeno]

Charleston is a great city. I say just in, take a risk, and when you look back on making such a big successful decision you will know you are the man.

And if you fail, move to Russia.

[Ritalin]

To all of those who say people are nicer in NC than they are in NYC:

fuck you.