Would you take a job in a very bad neighborhood?
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Anonymous
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I've been offered a job I think I could really enjoy, with decent pay and benefits. It would be a big improvement over my current position. The problem is, it's in a terrible neighborhood. I'm not clutching my pearls, here-- I've lived and worked in "bad" neighborhoods-- but this neighborhood is noted for crime.
Obviously, all my potential coworkers are willing to work there. I didn't ask about parking safety or anything like that, yet. I figured I shouldn't until I got an offer, but now I'm not sure if I'd look bad bringing it up. If I do take the job, there is the possibility of moving up, and working at a nicer location, in a few years. Not guaranteed. I'm not sure what to do. |
Anonymous
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15 years ago, I took a job in the horrible area that was logan circle.
I figured, since I was working there - I should probably rent a place near to it. When my rental came up to buy, I figured I would buy it cheap (and the hookers were really nice to me). Everyone thought me crazy. Last years bad neighborhood...is tomorrow's hot neighborhood. |
Anonymous
| How does neighborhood impact you? Will you metro, walk, bike or drive? Pack your lunch or want to eat out. Regular hours or late nights/weekends? |
Anonymous
| I think a lot here depends on degree--how much crime is there and how will it affect you? If you have lots of late nights at work and crime is concentrated at night, that would be different than if you leave at 5 every day and lots of people are out and about on your way to metro. Some years ago I turned down a job mainly because it was in a high-crime area--for example, there had literally been a recent armed robbery across the street from the building in broad daylight. Yet my current job is one I accepted because although it is in a higher-crime area (our parking lot has had cars broken into, for example, and our building has been tagged with graffiti, etc.), I felt that the risks were acceptable because I almost never am there very late, and the parking lot is directly behind the building, so I'm not really *in* the neighborhood that much; more like drive to the office and drive back. |
Anonymous
| If it's an office job with parking, and you come/go at normal (daylight) hours, I cannot imagine any neighborhood in DC where I would be afraid to work. |
Anonymous
| Is it with Coast Guard in Anacostia? |
Anonymous
Nope! |
Anonymous
The Coast Guard is in congress heights, not Anacostia. |
Anonymous
| Suitland? It's fine, just never come to a full stop at lights... |
Anonymous
| It can be a bummer at lunchtime, depending on how far you are from reasonable eating options. Driving/parking can be a problem, if you have to worry about your car all day. Think about winter and the time change and walking around there after dark at the end of the day. |
Anonymous
you have to have secure parking. |
Anonymous
I used to work in downtown Baltimore, right by the market and zombie-like crack addicts. I HATED it. I would park in a private garage and dart across the street with other workers-never alone. Keep your doors locked and pack your lunch. My current office is in a sketchy area and I still pack lunch daily. |
Anonymous
| I work in a crappy location in SE DC and have for 15 years. Never had any issues, and after a while people start to look out for you. The main thing that I don't like about it is that there is nowhere to get a cup of coffee or something other than fast food/ bad carry out without getting into the car and driving. |
Anonymous
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Is it a large office? If there are a lot of people milling around during office hours and you have a secure/garaged parking lot, it might be fine. Years ago, I worked in a small office literally next to a whorehouse and had to walk to the Metro. That didn't last too long.
Do be cognizant of whether you'll be coming or going in the dark at times during the year, and maybe check out the police reports to see what sort of crime happens when. I currently work in what would be considered a not-great neighborhood, and I do sometimes arrive when it's dark, but I'm just extremely aware of my surroundings. |
Anonymous
| I would only do it if there was secure garage parking. I don't need extra stress in my life. |