ATTENTION VIRGINIANS...HELP!! (Inspired by VA Roll Call)

[Pin Wizard]

I'm seriously considering making a move to VA. Woooooooo hooooooooooo! I'm wondering how the job market is in your area. I would be looking for office work. Have been through business school, currently in college, worked in offices for years! Most recently in a hospital 8 years. I also have my 10 year old to consider. Looking for great schools for him. Any opinions, suggestions, ideas would be very much appreciated!!

 

[nativetxn]

Not from VA but I can bump this back to the top of the list for you.

 

[Octoberbride03]

I can't really attest to the overall job market down here, but in scouting the want-ads There seems to be a cross section of places wanting office workers. Some of the cities down here are, as well as insurance agencies. There will be a bigger want-ad section on sunday.

HTH
Maureen

 

[MeanLaureen]

Hey Sandy

Don't know about the job opportunities in Richmond but I can vouch for the schools in the Chesterfied area ('burb of Richmond)

Not to mention you could have some DIS friends in town

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by Octoberbride03
I can't really attest to the overall job market down here, but in scouting the want-ads There seems to be a cross section of places wanting office workers. Some of the cities down here are, as well as insurance agencies. There will be a bigger want-ad section on sunday.

HTH
Maureen

Thanks for the info, Maureen! Cities...one of my favorites. Since my early 20's I've always wanted to work somewhere in Government in DC. But cities work for me also.

Thanks so much for bumping this, Nativetxn!!

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by MeanLaureen
Hey Sandy

Don't know about the job opportunities in Richmond but I can vouch for the schools in the Chesterfied area ('burb of Richmond)

Not to mention you could have some DIS friends in town

Thanks, Lauri! It would be GREAT to have friends in town. Actually, Richmond might be a good area. My sister lives in Northern Virginia...Fairfax. And I have some friends in Chesapeake area. I'm still not firm on dates of my visit. I haven't forgotten to get back to you!! Trying to get a Chesapeake friend to decide when we're getting together. Taking their time obviously. LOL!

 

[swea_pea1]

I'm in Richmond. Philip Morris and Circuit City have their headquarters here and there are a lot of government jobs. Wachovia also has a large presence here...even though the bank headquarters is in Charlotte, the brokerage headquarters is here.

As for schools, the Richmond City schools don't have a very good reputation, but the Catholic schools are thriving. We moved here when my daughter was 1 and my parish told me it was probably too late to put her on the waiting list for kindergarten...parents put them on the list when they're born, some before! Much different than I was used to up north.

Here's a link to a realtors website that gives lots of information. The "Relocation Tools" were especially helpful to me when I moved here.

http://www.longandfoster.com/BuyHome/Regions/R_Richmond.aspx#key

 

[Christine]

If you want good schools you've got to move to Fairfax County, Virginia. Some of the best in the country, but you will pay a price for that. I live in Prince William County (borders on Fairfax) and many of the schools in that county are not up to par, although a few do very well.

As for the job market, in some fields the job market is very active. It is tough to get into the government in a decent labor category. Long process and if you're coming from the outside it is harder to get in these days. The government contracting field is BIG, especially in the Homeland Security division and ANYTHING to do with that. Accounting, software development, etc., all very good markets. It helps if you have a Secret clearance around here and even better if you have Top Secret if you want to go government and Defense Department. You don't really say what your area of expertise is.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Thanks so much for the information, Swea Pea!1!! And that website! I put it on my favorites and will be going back...Long & Foster...my sister used to be a real estate agent with them.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by Christine
If you want good schools you've got to move to Fairfax County, Virginia. Some of the best in the country, but you will pay a price for that. I live in Prince William County (borders on Fairfax) and many of the schools in that county are not up to par, although a few do very well.

As for the job market, in some fields the job market is very active. It is tough to get into the government in a decent labor category. Long process and if you're coming from the outside it is harder to get in these days. The government contracting field is BIG, especially in the Homeland Security division and ANYTHING to do with that. Accounting, software development, etc., all very good markets. It helps if you have a Secret clearance around here and even better if you have Top Secret if you want to go government and Defense Department. You don't really say what your area of expertise is.

Thanks, Christine! I lived in Woodbridge the one month I was there in 1995. LOL! My sister lives in Fairfax. She moved there when her son was headed to high school because she did her research and round the schools the best in the country. Area of expertise? I'm still in school. Thinking about accounting or marketing. But I've worked in offices for years.

 

[Poohy]

I live in Loudoun county, VA. It borders Fairfax county. I have a child in the public school system and it is great. Loudoun is also the second fastest growing county in the country. The job market seems to be picking up around the area.

 

[katerkat]

I agree - I worked over at the top of the Shenandoah Valley, and the Fairfax and Loudoun County schools are great! The commute into DC, well, I would hate to do it. But heck, I hate my 20 minute commute in rural Mississippi, so...

 

[Blondie]

Personally, I like it here in Fredericksburg! We are about an hour from Richmond, and an hour from Washington, D.C. (which explains why so many people work there, and live here!)

One of the things I really like about this area is you can be in the middle of all the action, and within about 7 minutes, you are back in the country again with rolling fields and wide open spaces!

Don't know about the job market, I don't really pay much attention to it since I've been working at the same place for almost 11 years now!

Check out this site!

 

[snoopy]

I live in D.C., but right over the bridge from Arlington, Virginia; where I also work. Northern Virginia is a great place to live, but definately $$$$$$ - coming from Fla. you will see a huge difference in the cost of living.

A nice compromise would be Fredericksburg, as Blondie said, or even Stafford, VA, which is about 45 minutes outside D.C. You could commute to Arlington or even D.C. to work, where you would earn a higher salary, but live somewhere that is affordable.

 

[honeywolf7]

If you can afford private schools, then Richmond would be your best choice. If you can afford the cost of living, Northern VA would be your next best choice. If you decide on the Richmond area, don't send your son to Richmond Public Schools whatever you do. Hanover,Western Henrico, and Chesterfield all have good schools.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by Poohy
I live in Loudoun county, VA. It borders Fairfax county. I have a child in the public school system and it is great. Loudoun is also the second fastest growing county in the country. The job market seems to be picking up around the area.

Thanks, Poohy!

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by Blondie
Personally, I like it here in Fredericksburg! We are about an hour from Richmond, and an hour from Washington, D.C. (which explains why so many people work there, and live here!)

One of the things I really like about this area is you can be in the middle of all the action, and within about 7 minutes, you are back in the country again with rolling fields and wide open spaces!

Don't know about the job market, I don't really pay much attention to it since I've been working at the same place for almost 11 years now!

Check out this site!

I remember passing the Fredericksburg area years ago when my sister and I went to Wintergreen. Seems like a GORGEOUS place to live!!! Just where it's located is gorgeous. Thanks for the site. I put it on my favorites to go back to.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by snoopy
I live in D.C., but right over the bridge from Arlington, Virginia; where I also work. Northern Virginia is a great place to live, but definately $$$$$$ - coming from Fla. you will see a huge difference in the cost of living.

A nice compromise would be Fredericksburg, as Blondie said, or even Stafford, VA, which is about 45 minutes outside D.C. You could commute to Arlington or even D.C. to work, where you would earn a higher salary, but live somewhere that is affordable.

Thanks, Snoopy! I remember Stafford. My sister had friends there...military. And I remember the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ compared to FL!! Ouch! It's nice to have a house without a mortgage here in FL...I'd definitely have one in VA!

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by honeywolf7
If you can afford private schools, then Richmond would be your best choice. If you can afford the cost of living, Northern VA would be your next best choice. If you decide on the Richmond area, don't send your son to Richmond Public Schools whatever you do. Hanover,Western Henrico, and Chesterfield all have good schools.

I talked to my sister about it briefly on the phone yesterday. She asked me how much I pay for DS's Catholic school here. She was surprised I pay as much as I do!! So I'm not sure what the going rate is up there, but DS's school is over $5,000 a year...doesn't include uniforms, books, etc. Maybe I can visit some of these places the week I'm up there!

 

[Christine]

I pay $3200 per year for my daughter's Catholic school (tuition only). This is in Woodbridge, VA. AND, it is the non-Catholic rate. The Catholics pay about $2900. High school is a whole other matter though--phew, EXPENSIVE.