If you can’t hack it in DC is it smart to move elsewhere?

[Anonymous]

I've had a few friends pull the ripcord and bail to other areas in search of an undefined something, the absence of which was what was holding them back in DC. None of them found it.

That's not to say DC is the right place for everybody. But more often than not, when I hear somebody narrate about how this town sucks and I just need to get out, etc, etc - it's really just a healthy dose of introspection that's missing.

[Anonymous]

I love DC but we bailed for COL reasons. DH transferred to a local office of his employer. I initially took my job with me (remote) and then have since moved jobs a couple times.

It absolutely depends on your profession. And do not mistake the professionals in smaller metropolitan areas for hicks. You would be doing yourself a disservice to think that. The job focus generally is different. It’s more manufacturing (and research for said manufacturing) and sales for a wide variety of industries. Often these companies are competing on a global scale, not a DC scale. It’s a whole other ballgame.

But, if you are going for a mom and pop mid-sized law firm, your credentials would stellar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love DC but we bailed for COL reasons. DH transferred to a local office of his employer. I initially took my job with me (remote) and then have since moved jobs a couple times.

It absolutely depends on your profession. And do not mistake the professionals in smaller metropolitan areas for hicks. You would be doing yourself a disservice to think that. The job focus generally is different. It’s more manufacturing (and research for said manufacturing) and sales for a wide variety of industries. Often these companies are competing on a global scale, not a DC scale. It’s a whole other ballgame.

But, if you are going for a mom and pop mid-sized law firm, your credentials would stellar.

Not necessarily. These firms often prefer to hire locals from local schools, or the local that's coming back after going to a top school. Some random person from the DC area who has only practiced in DC is not going to be able to break into a smaller market easily, unless you have niche experience that they're looking for and cannot easily find locally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love DC but we bailed for COL reasons. DH transferred to a local office of his employer. I initially took my job with me (remote) and then have since moved jobs a couple times.

It absolutely depends on your profession. And do not mistake the professionals in smaller metropolitan areas for hicks. You would be doing yourself a disservice to think that. The job focus generally is different. It’s more manufacturing (and research for said manufacturing) and sales for a wide variety of industries. Often these companies are competing on a global scale, not a DC scale. It’s a whole other ballgame.

But, if you are going for a mom and pop mid-sized law firm, your credentials would stellar.

Not necessarily. These firms often prefer to hire locals from local schools, or the local that's coming back after going to a top school. Some random person from the DC area who has only practiced in DC is not going to be able to break into a smaller market easily, unless you have niche experience that they're looking for and cannot easily find locally.

I’m the PP and agreed. But I was thinking that the OP could come in with some specialized knowledge, preferably regulatory with in-depth experience with the regulator.