Ask HN: Does it still matter to be in the Bay Area? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Does it still matter to be in the Bay Area?

#81

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Apr 15, 2024, 7:00 PM UTC

486sx33 wrote: post #41

arcticbull wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's also because the many Canadian risk-takers moved to the Bay Area for the concentration of talent and high pay. It's easy to fly down with $50 and an offer letter to work anywhere you want for 3 years (indefinitely renewable) as a software engineer on TN status. Then you can take all the time you need to win the H-1B lottery, or just petition I-485 directly off TN (additional risks apply petitioning directly from…

Canadians and democrats belong in Toronto. TN should never have been opened to software engineers. Software can be done remotely from anywhere.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Does it still matter to be in the Bay Area?

#82

Post by jjav » Mon, Apr 15, 2024, 7:19 PM UTC

igetspam wrote: post #71

jjav wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I'm sorry that most places you don't need to worry about stepping over needles and human excrement in the streets. SF isn't the Bay Area. Traditionally SF wasn't considered part of Silicon Valley at all (these days depends who you talk to and when and where they got immersed here). > I've lived in a number of different places in the country and the Bay Area is hands down the worst I somewhat don't actually like the…

I'm a Bay Area native. Grew up in San Jose and took my first paid tech job in 1999. I left CA after 30 years and with the exception of Tahoe and a few people, I can't find anything to miss. Care to share what you consider "deal-breakers" because I've found parity for less money, pretty much everywhere I looked.

> Care to share what you consider "deal-breakers" because I've found parity for less money, pretty much everywhere I looked.

Well that's going to be very personal preference so not sure if my criteria is useful to anyone else. But for me I must be within ~2hr drive of the ocean, which limits me to coastal areas. And I won't tolerate any below freezing weather nor days above 100F. And I need the area to have sufficient concentration of tech work that changing jobs (for both me & partner) without having to move houses is pretty easy.

Re: Ask HN: Does it still matter to be in the Bay Area?

#83

Post by aprdm » Mon, Apr 15, 2024, 8:04 PM UTC

Great question, seems a bit difficult to gather a non-biased (if that exists) opinion online - be it on reddit or hackernews.

I am debating moving from another country to it to be closer to executives on my company (L1 possibly green card), but still unsure, I make very good money where I am and would make very good money in Bay Area. But my life is already pretty settled on a big tech company..

From reading online, doesn't look like the best place to raise a family, and costs are obscene even for high paid employees. Traffic also feels like would be a big negative impact on my life if I moved.

Re: Ask HN: Does it still matter to be in the Bay Area?

#84

Post by Gordon1188 » Tue, Apr 16, 2024, 7:52 AM UTC

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Re: Ask HN: Does it still matter to be in the Bay Area?

#85

Post by impendia » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 2:13 AM UTC

alexpotato wrote: post #16

If you work on the tech side of finance (banking or hedge funds) then you would be much better off in being: - NYC (still the hub) - Chicago (although that's declining in my opinion) - South Carolina (lots of banking tech jobs there) - Austin, TX (similar to SC above) - Miami (crypto friendly and a large hedge fund just moved its HQ there)

> South Carolina (lots of banking tech jobs there)

I'm curious, where?

I've lived in Columbia, SC for thirteen years, not that I'm looking to switch jobs, just interested to know what I've apparently overlooked here!

Re: Ask HN: Does it still matter to be in the Bay Area?

#86

Post by bobbytang » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 9:10 AM UTC

alexecldn wrote: post #76

I move from London to the Bay Area 5 years ago, specially to get immersed in the “Silicon Valley” culture. The differences seemed small initially, but they add up. I find people are bolder - less risk adverse. The energy is about 4x London, the scale 10x (the USA market is 10x more valuable vs the UK: 5x the population worth 2x the dollars). Genuine success is important, you cannot arse about pretending to work (like…

Completely agree. Moved from Cupertino about 8 years ago to central London. The pace, work ethic, ambition/drive is in a completely different league despite London being the best option in this part of the world.

Nevertheless, it's safer and more diverse here. The people you meet seem to have more interesting conversations in general.

Being poorer also keeps us humble. "Hungry dogs run faster"

Re: Ask HN: Does it still matter to be in the Bay Area?

#87

Post by bobbytang » Wed, Apr 17, 2024, 9:15 AM UTC

Bay Are is better for money, progression, network, capital, and all things related to big tech and startups.

It also gets boring. Everything is now way more expensive. Disposable income gets consumed way faster now than before. There's not much diversity compared to other metropolitan areas that American expats have moved to.

Make filthy money there first, then live the life you want elsewhere.