Stifle Tower
Punch Bowl Re-Filler
So after 17 years in the belly of the beast, I've decided (with 99% certainty) it's time to get out of Tinseltown. No weird dreams in the night; we're not taking our tents and fleeing into the wilderness. Although since we don't have any gold, silver or very many precious things, that wouldn't be hard to do. It's a combination of many things: bad economy, high cost of living, concern over the school system (see problems in the middle and high schools my daughter would eventually be attending), etc.
We haven't settled on a specific area yet...so this is where I'm asking for any of you to input your observations/experiences. And I ask all of you to be considerate and stay on topic here. I know we often joke around - and I do it as much as others - but this is a serious, life-altering decision. We're hoping to stay in the western U.S. - obviously some of that will depend on me securing employment. BTW, I work as a Financial Analyst (on the corporate level - budgeting, reporting, variance and strategic analysis). So pretty much limited to major metropolitan areas that have mid to large companies with enough significant mass to need analysts. Unfortunately, I don't have the working capital to start up my own business or buy a franchise...wish I did.
Anyway, I would welcome input from any of you who live or have lived/worked in the Seattle, Portland or Denver areas. And obviously, Salt Lake down through Utah county and southern Utah. I'm pretty sure we'll stay away from Arizona and Nevada. I'd include Boise/Idaho Falls from a desirability standpoint but I don't think there are large enough companies HQ'd there. Any input on great, family-friendly neighborhoods/exurbs of those cities is welcome, as well as which areas to stay away from. Not really concerned with the night life/clubs in cities; my free time is usually spent at soccer, basketball, drama activities for my daughter. Also just starting my networking into some of those cities, so if any of you have experiences to share about great companies to work for (or conversely, ones to avoid) - and especially if you know CEO's, CFO's or Controllers (those are the people I would normally be under depending on the company structure), I'd be grateful for any leads. Some of you may even have good bad experience with employment agencies/recruiters - or contacts at agencies - so that would also be valuable info for me.
Rep forthcoming to those who contribute via this thread or PM. And who knows, maybe I'll be able to buy one of you a drink sometime if a suggestion or lead pans out.
Thanks in advance!
We haven't settled on a specific area yet...so this is where I'm asking for any of you to input your observations/experiences. And I ask all of you to be considerate and stay on topic here. I know we often joke around - and I do it as much as others - but this is a serious, life-altering decision. We're hoping to stay in the western U.S. - obviously some of that will depend on me securing employment. BTW, I work as a Financial Analyst (on the corporate level - budgeting, reporting, variance and strategic analysis). So pretty much limited to major metropolitan areas that have mid to large companies with enough significant mass to need analysts. Unfortunately, I don't have the working capital to start up my own business or buy a franchise...wish I did.
Anyway, I would welcome input from any of you who live or have lived/worked in the Seattle, Portland or Denver areas. And obviously, Salt Lake down through Utah county and southern Utah. I'm pretty sure we'll stay away from Arizona and Nevada. I'd include Boise/Idaho Falls from a desirability standpoint but I don't think there are large enough companies HQ'd there. Any input on great, family-friendly neighborhoods/exurbs of those cities is welcome, as well as which areas to stay away from. Not really concerned with the night life/clubs in cities; my free time is usually spent at soccer, basketball, drama activities for my daughter. Also just starting my networking into some of those cities, so if any of you have experiences to share about great companies to work for (or conversely, ones to avoid) - and especially if you know CEO's, CFO's or Controllers (those are the people I would normally be under depending on the company structure), I'd be grateful for any leads. Some of you may even have good bad experience with employment agencies/recruiters - or contacts at agencies - so that would also be valuable info for me.
Rep forthcoming to those who contribute via this thread or PM. And who knows, maybe I'll be able to buy one of you a drink sometime if a suggestion or lead pans out.
Thanks in advance!