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Tech takes over: New York is the sector's second city

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Re: Tech takes over: New York is the sector's second city

#131

Post by schintan »

p-funk wrote: post #99

I'm sorry if this is off topic, but I'm just looking for some advice I guess. I'm currently an electronics engineer in NY and I've been trying to switch to something in software for about a year now because there are essentially no electronics jobs here in my field. I've had a hard time convincing employers how my electronics experience is relevant or how well it would translate to a software role, because, basically…

If you have the time and interest, consider enrolling in an online CS degree from a reputable institute like the OMSCS from Georgia Tech http://www.omscs.gatech.edu/

Re: Tech takes over: New York is the sector's second city

#132

Post by madlynormal »

meri_dian wrote: post #26
lallysingh wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That place is New Jersey. Mortgages for a real house with land for less than an apartment rent in SF. I think California is also known for regulation and taxation. Solid public and private school options. Lovely little towns every couple of miles.

Glad to see NJ get some positive mention here. Been living in NJ all my life and it's always sad to see people bash it based on a few trips they've had on the Turnpike up around NYC. The state really has it all. Expensive, but an excellent mix of suburbia, rural lands to the west and south, and (somewhat) easy access to one of the greatest cities in the world.

This past year I moved from NYC (Queens) to Central NJ and it's been a positive experience. It's surprising how beautiful this state really is. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), those who's experience with NJ solely consist of driving along the Turnpike, or landing in EWR, really have no idea.

Re: Tech takes over: New York is the sector's second city

#133

Post by [deleted] »

CodeSheikh wrote: post #2

I am not surprised to read this and also not sure what makes this article/publisher the assumed authority to christened NYC as #2. After Silicon Valley one might argue that Seattle has better tech than NYC but again NYC always has breadth and depth of diverse markets such finance, fashion, ads, hotel, food, law and education to name a few. Not to mention, easy access to EWR/JFK/LGA airports from European continent ma…

[deleted]

Re: Tech takes over: New York is the sector's second city

#134

Post by xyhopguy »

CydeWeys wrote: post #113
JOnAgain wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You get paid more gross in NYC than Seattle, but the take-home is less due to taxes. Cost of living is also approximately double. I did the math last year -- offer was 5% higher in NYC, but the after-tax and living disposable income was 50% higher in Seattle. 2/3rd the gross pay in Austin probably gives a significant "raise" in terms of relative standard of living and maybe 1/4 the money in many parts of Asia would m…

I'd be curious to see more of those CoL comparisons. How big of a place are you pricing for NYC, and in which neighborhood? Are you factoring in the savings from not needing a car? You can find CoL calculators out there, and they have their faults, but Seattle is already an expensive city in its own right, and I simply don't see how you possibly got NYC to come out double. That's way out of line with the calculators.

I've also done this math -- price per sqft is wayy better in Seattle and you don't necessarily need a car. In any case, a metro card isnt cheap. The cost of groceries/alcohol is also much much higher in nyc and at a lower quality.

I have a postdoc friend who lives in Seattle on slightly less than I do. They have a huge 1br in cap Hill with parking next to the subway with a short committee downtown or to UW. Meanwhile my apartment is the same price with a minifridge, a 40m commute, and no dishwasher/laundry/disposal.

Plus the PNW is just more enjoyable to explore than the northeast in my opinion. You definitely can make more in Nyc but the COL and QoL is just awful compared to the pnw

Re: Tech takes over: New York is the sector's second city

#135

Post by hypertexthero »

load_balancer wrote: post #13

I really want to move to NYC. As a full stack developer in SF I only get interest from companies in the Bay Area. All my NYC applications get no response even if it's the same resume with locations removed. Am I missing something? Can someone who has mde a similar move cue me in? I have 4 years of full stack experience. Do people tailor their resume for NYC companies?

I moved to NYC 3 years ago with no job and have managed to make it through freelancing, contract and regular part time work, but it has certainly been harder than I thought it would to find full time work.

The city is expensive and there is a lot of competition from recent graduates as well as talented people attracted to the magnetic island at the center of the world.

It does feel like a constant race, but the city is full of art and inspiration and I have learned and grown a lot here and recommend coming for the experience, even if you decide to leave afterwards.

E.B. White’s Here is New York still applies: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10814.Here_Is_New_York

—Designer with some full stack experience (HTML/CSS/Python/Django)

Re: Tech takes over: New York is the sector's second city

#136

Post by lotsofpulp »

vthallam wrote: post #112
JOnAgain wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You get paid more gross in NYC than Seattle, but the take-home is less due to taxes. Cost of living is also approximately double. I did the math last year -- offer was 5% higher in NYC, but the after-tax and living disposable income was 50% higher in Seattle. 2/3rd the gross pay in Austin probably gives a significant "raise" in terms of relative standard of living and maybe 1/4 the money in many parts of Asia would m…

I thought while Cost of living in Seattle is relatively lesser than NYC, the house prices are exorbitant. NYC has advantage of very close proximity to NJ, Connecticut where you could probably get a better home than in Seattle-Bellvue-Redmond area.

The time, effort, and stress of commuting easily offsets any gains from living outside of NYC. Any city with decent neighborhoods will be at least a 60 minute commute door to door, plus you have to budget another 30 minutes for delays and whatnot because the public transit is terrible.

It's very difficult to plan anything on work days if you're commuting into NYC, and you get to pay super high rents and property taxes for states with huge deficits and infrastructure debt which means the situation won't get any better. Seattle offers better food, recreational activities, growing future, and no income tax. I'd say the weather is better too, but some people really miss the sun, but you can easily fly to a beach resort for multiple weekends of the year with the savings of not living in the NYC area.

Re: Tech takes over: New York is the sector's second city

#137

Post by untog »

giantsloth wrote: post #78
cddotdotslash wrote: post #5

The best part about tech in NYC is that it isn't a non-stop, in-your-face bubble the way that it is in SF/SJ. I work in tech but enjoy having friends in fashion, finance, real estate, advertising, etc. The conversations here are much more diverse. Interestingly, that same diversity helps improve the tech sector.

I find statements like this both cringe and problematic. The heavy emphasis on industry defined identity is creepy, extremely impersonal, and backwards. I've been a software developer in advertising, various startups and have friends in fashion and finance. While sure you can get some interesting insights into their industries, for example Gucci's new operating room spread is dope af, or the fact that hedge funds yea…

If you're not experiencing variety of culture and thought in New York City then, frankly, you're doing something very wrong.

The OP's statement wasn't limited to software developers, who I agree still tend to be a relatively homogenous group even in NYC. But you really ought to stop outside your professional circle once in a while. If you go to a bar in SV it's nothing but people in tech, talking about tech. If you go to a bar in NYC you don't see it anywhere near as much.

Re: Tech takes over: New York is the sector's second city

#138

Post by longerthoughts »

Cd00d wrote: post #126
longerthoughts wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems like it's time to stop calling companies tech companies just because they hire software engineers and leverage some degree of modern technology to provide their product or service. Warby Parker sells glasses and Buzzfeed is a media company - I have a hard time seeing how either of these qualify as tech startups.

There's a meet up group here in NYC called Tech in Motion, and a few years ago launched an annual awards event. The company that won 'Best Tech Company of the Year' was Casper, and my only thought was 'selling mattresses through the mail is considered technology'?

Perfect example. I guess at some point along the way the familiar tech startup narrative got peoples' minds to associate all startups with tech.

Makes me wonder where the line is. What qualifies a company as a tech company? Software/computing services/hardware as a primary revenue source?

Re: Tech takes over: New York is the sector's second city

#139

Post by prophetjohn »

acconrad wrote: post #18

What is Boston doing wrong? In the 80s thanks to the 128 Tech Row, it was on par with Silicon Valley as the top spot, then it lost ground and now NYC is considered #2? We have the highest concentration of collegiate tech talent, the same weather as NYC (obviously worse than SV), lower cost of living than both cities, and there's been a ton of investment in real estate for tech companies in the Seaport District. Too l…

I know it's a minor point, but Boston absolutely does not have the same weather as NYC. The winters are so much worse in Boston.

I'm a current NYC-er finding NYC too expensive to raise my family and the winter there is the only thing pulling me away from Boston, which is otherwise quite attractive.

Re: Tech takes over: New York is the sector's second city

#140

Post by stcredzero »

byproxy wrote: post #120
stcredzero wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> > The best part about tech in NYC is that it isn't a non-stop, in-your-face bubble the way that it is in SF/SJ > I find statements like this both cringe and problematic. I think the 1st sentence of the 1st comment is amusingly and inadvertently supported by the 2nd. These are all various shades of yuppie identity non-diverse in thought, culture, or world perspective. They are boring. You're painting with a pretty b…

I've always thought the stereotype was that of the metropolitan North East pooh-pooh-ing the West, e.g. : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MaCXa3ZSH8

the metropolitan North East pooh-pooh-ing the West

That's the other side of the historical pattern. It also happened between Europe and the "New World."

My Louisiana Creole girlfriend (at the time) and I showed up for a concert with Joanna Newsom and Phillip Glass. Let me assure you that there are older West Coast elites who can wonder aloud about you and look down their nose at you just as much as Mainline and old New England preppies. (Basically the fans of Phillip Glass wondering about the Joanna Newsom fandom hoi polloi.)

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