Relocating to Greenville, SC
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12/20/2007
I am a transplant from the Washington DC metrolopitan area. Greenville is a good place to live in terms of very affordable housing, low traffic, cost of living et., but I do not recommend moving here unless you have a job in hand.
I had hoped to bring my experience and a high level of skills and education to work a few years in an average job. My expectation that my education and experience will be valued in a growing city based on advertised jobs proved wrong.
This state is very limited in job opportunities. Most of the jobs are contracts that have fixed hourly rates without consideration for qualifications or experience. Although research based on advertised jobs is something to go by -- in reality, to get a response to a job application is rare. I have been looking for an average decent administrative job far below the level of my education and experience and cannot find anything in almost two years. Even a job paying $10 per hour is hard to come by.
I have given up trying to look for something that values education and experience in the Nation's capital. If looking for employment, don't choose this state. Greenville being one of the better cities don't have jobs for educated people. Only Clemson graduates or networking with Carolinians already in employment works here. Most of the jobs are in the manufacturing industry and managers are promoted from within organizations and not always educated in good management practises was my experience in a few temporary assignments. Even temp work is hard to come by. Employers call for two and three interviews for temp contracts and set you up before getting funds approved and waste employee time only to be told that they didn't get funding. The employment aspect is very frustrating. Some of this shows very quickly and it is refreshing to meet managers who have been well trained.
As a retirement city, it is perfect but for someone hoping to find any kind of employment for a knowledge worker, forget this place. Stay in the north, earn well and relocate to Greenville for retirement. I miss the professionalism in the area I worked in and the lack of appreciation for education and experience was a rude shock for me. Of course age could also be a factor but it is to be expected that experience means years added to your work history.
Anjalika | Greenville, SC