Would you take a job in a very bad neighborhood?

[Anonymous]

OP - aside from safety, assess what kind of worker you are and your expectations for a workday, and other location options in your field. E.g., are you ok going to work and focusing on that and only that until the end of the workday? Or do you like to run errands / go for a walk during the day? Maybe meet up with friends for lunch? What is standard in your field (e.g., I worked at law firms that were located in vibrant downtown centers, but if your industry standard is isolated business parks then maybe you don't expect to take walks during lunch?)

Unless it were the perfect fit for me, I know that being isolated in a building would be difficult for me. When it's nice out, I like to run for a coffee or take a brief walk during the workday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - aside from safety, assess what kind of worker you are and your expectations for a workday, and other location options in your field. E.g., are you ok going to work and focusing on that and only that until the end of the workday? Or do you like to run errands / go for a walk during the day? Maybe meet up with friends for lunch? What is standard in your field (e.g., I worked at law firms that were located in vibrant downtown centers, but if your industry standard is isolated business parks then maybe you don't expect to take walks during lunch?)

Unless it were the perfect fit for me, I know that being isolated in a building would be difficult for me. When it's nice out, I like to run for a coffee or take a brief walk during the workday.

(PP here - my assumption underlying the above is that the "very bad neighborhood" is one in which you won't be walking around much and is short on amenities that you may find desirable)

[Anonymous]

I did a fellowship at an office in SE. One of the attorneys got her car stolen from in front of the office, I witnessed an all out brawl on the school yard grounds next door, and a police officer get knocked in the back of his head with little kids standing around him as he was bleeding. Riding metro home one evening two masked young men attempted to rob me but luckily two police officers got on the train and they ran. I did not carry a purse, wear my wedding rings, and didn't even wear a suit as to not appear to have any money. There was talks of going on permanent pending funding and I had to say no thanks. I was scared for my safety.

[Anonymous]

It'll be great when DHS builds and opens up their HQs at the St. E's complex. It will be like being in prison for 8 hours a day.