Moving to DC (directly out of college)

[zeroconspiracy]

Originally Posted by ektaylor

I recently graduated from a "top" university with a 3.8+ GPA. Without any job offers attractive enough to make me stay in the Bay Area, I've decided to move to DC to work on or as close as possible to the Hill. My resume is respectable (3 internships, 1 competitive fellowship, research skills, etc), but it's mainly limited to office/research roles.

I was curious, none of these internships or fellowships panned out into a job?

follow-up question, why would you intern for a place you wouldnt want to work for?


On another note, I roomed with a very qualified Cal student in DC last summer with a GPA similar to yours and pie-in-the-sky aspirations to match. After graduation he is now floundering to find a job in DC, unwilling to look anywhere else. One thing you need to get straight (which i believe many on this thread have tried to convey) is that your '3.8 GPA from a top university' means dick in a place like DC. Everyone comes from a great school, everyone has a great GPA and everyone is ridiculously over qualified. That dog dont hunt. The only hope you have is personal connections - networking. Find someone who will go to bat for you.

Campaigning was a great suggestion. Bet on a horse and hope they win. The person to speak to (if they are an incumbent) is their chief of staff or communications director. If they are the challenger contact their campaign director. You might have to put in a lot of free labor because due to campaign finance regulation they cannot hire a huge staff (unless they are one hell of a fundraiser, most of which are not). The key is to network - network - network. So even if they lose, you will have a rolodex full of people who know your quality of work who will find a job for you come November.


PS Coming from California to DC you can kiss Mexican food goodbye, there is no comparison. I did not have one decent meal while I was out there. The food scene is horrible. Also, as someone mentioned earlier, the girls are freakin' dogs, but you should be used to that coming from Berkeley ;-)


Good luck and God speed

 

[Joffrey]

Originally Posted by TheAssman

I just moved to DC 3 weeks ago. I'm 20 and a paid intern for an econ thinktank, so my perspective should be somewhat similar to yours. Basically the city is perfectly planned and the right size. It's really urban, but with the metro you can get everywhere that's fairly central in under 40 min. Rent is high. I pay 800 splitting a 2 bedroom with a random guy in Rosslyn, VA. Food is also fairly expensive. Everything else is pretty normally priced and most museums are free. On the downside, people are not as cool as they are in most places I've been. A lot of boring ass yuppies age 25-35 and 50 year old government workers who look like they've had the soul sucked out of them. Not sure about the bars because I'm a few months short of being allowed in. Anyway, whether or not you'll enjoy this place is up to your personality. It's not like SF though. Much more conformist and not stylish. Think guys wearing ugly khakis and oversized short-sleeve button ups on the weekend. BTW, if anyone knows of any artsier, hipsterish place in DC let me know. Also, where do 20 year olds hangout who aren't georgetown dicks? EDIT: The girls are dogs. I went to the Black Cat on Saturday and would have had to be wasted to touch any of those girls
Turn 21, and your experience in DC will be a ton different. On the other hand, maybe not. Hipster spots in DC are Columbia Heights - tons of house parties there; go to Red Derby in Petworth/Col Heights area. But to have proper fun in this city, you need to be over 21.

 

[Invicta]

Originally Posted by bkk

Its late June and you're fresh out of school. The major recruiting fairs and hiring sprees for college seniors completed months ago. With $2k to your name and needing to move across the country, there's quite a strong possibility you would be broke before you found a decent job.

Stay in the Bay area, get a job, save some money, and move to DC when your back isn't up against the proverbial employment wall.

This is the best advice posted so far.

Also, why is everyone talking smack about DC women for? Y'all are clearly going to the wrong places/have the ****.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Originally Posted by shoreman1782

My only advice to the OP would be to look beyond just the Hill jobs; there's a lot of government work out there. Consider that some agencies may be hiring in the big picture--HHS, etc.--even if they don't have much open right now. The downside of going through traditional channels (i.e., usajobs) is that the hiring process is molasses slow.

Originally Posted by cotton

- Don't overlook committees. They have staff too.

- Keep an open mind about working for a member whose politics are opposite yours. It's not unheard of.
This is good advice. Look at think tanks and nonprofits in your area of interest as well.

Originally Posted by A.K.A.

DC is a bullshit city. Self important and the women are dog ass ugly. If you are ****, then you're in luck in DC. Lots of homosexuals in DC, some are even elected officials.

Originally Posted by zeroconspiracy

Also, as someone mentioned earlier, the girls are freakin' dogs, but you should be used to that coming from Berkeley ;-)

Originally Posted by Invicta

Also, why is everyone talking smack about DC women for? Y'all are clearly going to the wrong places/have the ****.
What Invicta said. Some of you clearly have the SF "sharp knees" mentality or are not going out in the right places. There aren't a lot of 9s and 10s walking around like in NYC, LA, or Miami, but there are plenty of girls in the 7-8 girlfriend range. And they're going to be a helluva smarter than the girls in the aforementioned cities.

 

[DNW]

Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser

What Invicta said. Some of you clearly have the SF "sharp knees" mentality or are not going out in the right places. There aren't a lot of 9s and 10s walking around like in NYC, LA, or Miami, but there are plenty of girls in the 7-8 girlfriend range. And they're going to be a helluva smarter than the girls in the aforementioned cities.

+1. DC girls in the Spring/Summer are

.

 

[celery]

Originally Posted by ektaylor

How much money will I need to make the move from California? This is my main issue, I have about two thousand dollars to my name and can not expect any help from parents, relatives, etc.
How long should I expect it to take to find a job? Assuming I work as a floater while blanketing CH with my resume and working my connections in DC to find me informational interviews.

2k only? How are you going to pay rent or buy food in a few months time if you don't land a job?

To get a job in the present economic climate, I'd wager it will be 6 months - 1 year to get a job (possibly longer). You have to factor in processing time for your applications, then interview process.

 

[Connemara]

Originally Posted by DNW

+1. DC girls in the Spring/Summer are

.
+1, who are these idiots saying they're ugly? Ever go to M St. in Georgetown on a nice summer day? You'll have a bonar in 30 seconds.

 

[sigma]

Are there any hot asian chicks in DC?

 

[GQgeek]

Originally Posted by celery

2k only? How are you going to pay rent or buy food in a few months time if you don't land a job?

To get a job in the present economic climate, I'd wager it will be 6 months - 1 year to get a job (possibly longer). You have to factor in processing time for your applications, then interview process.

Or two weeks, if you're awesome like me.

My brother moved to vancouver and got a job in a couple weeks too. It's construction, and he got it through a contact, but still... How long it will take depends on a lot of variables.

Before I moved, I made sure I had enough cash for the long haul if the job search went badly. I'd definitely want a minimum of 4-6 months in the bank to make the move. That said, there was no way I was gonna take a ****** job. If you are willing to do anything for money, live in a ****** apartment with roommates, and eat noodles, then go with less. My brother moved to vancouver with $72, his backpack, a new econ degree, and 35k in debt.

I thought it was reckless but he had a place to stay for a few weeks and it worked out for him in the end. It just as easily could have been a disaster though.

 

[Automated Response]

Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser

Some of you clearly have the SF "sharp knees" mentality or are not going out in the right places. There aren't a lot of 9s and 10s walking around like in NYC, LA, or Miami, but there are plenty of girls in the 7-8 girlfriend range. And they're going to be a helluva smarter than the girls in the aforementioned cities.
This nails it. New York is home to models and actresses, L.A. is home to models, actresses and Appreciation starlets, and Miami is home to Appreciation starlets and models. D.C. is home to girls with 'real' jobs. So you do see more 'real' people. But despite the whole "D.C.: L.A. for ugly people" thing, there are definitely a lot of attractive women. Trust me on this. I live in New England for school now, and D.C. smokes that ****. It's no San Diego, etc. where all of the chicks are in bikini shape all year, but there are plenty of excellent looking women. Hint: you will not find them in some ****** Adam's Morgan bar at 2 a.m. There is also less suave competition for the ladies in D.C. versus a place like NYC or L.A, so a dapper dude can clean up in this city.

Originally Posted by zeroconspiracy

PS Coming from California to DC... I did not have one decent meal while I was out there. The food scene is horrible.
Another SF princess mentality. Places like NYC and the Bay are world renowned for the grub. That doesn't mean that the residents of other major cities are eating out of dumpsters. The food in D.C. is very solid. Pay attention to Yelp and Washingtonian's Best Restaurants list, etc. and you can find a lot of good stuff.

 

[zeroconspiracy]

Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser

Some of you clearly have the SF "sharp knees" mentality or are not going out in the right places. There aren't a lot of 9s and 10s walking around like in NYC, LA, or Miami, but there are plenty of girls in the 7-8 girlfriend range. And they're going to be a helluva smarter than the girls in the aforementioned cities.
"There aren't a lot of 9s and 10s walking around like in NYC, LA, or Miami" ...Enough said. A DC 10 is a CA 7. A DC 7 is a dog - and there are plenty of them - end of story.

Originally Posted by Automated Response

Another SF princess mentality. Places like NYC and the Bay are world renowned for the grub. That doesn't mean that the residents of other major cities are eating out of dumpsters. The food in D.C. is very solid. Pay attention to Yelp and Washingtonian's Best Restaurants list, etc. and you can find a lot of good stuff.
The food was mediocre at best. And once again - "Places like NYC and the Bay are world renowned for the grub." ...Enough said. Sorry, but DC will get Miss Congeniality every time.

 

[bkk]

Another note: The hiring process for most govt jobs is a lifetime and then some. Expect the process to take several months. Again, you don't have the money to sustain yourself while you're waiting to find a job.

On the topic of girls, you do need to find the right spots. U Street is generally the best spot for a looks/down-to-earth mixture. Some areas are full of 5's who act like 9's. On second thought, too many areas of DC are like that.

 

[sigma]

Hey guys I have been going out to bars in Gtown and whatnot, but want to get away from the straight out of college white fratty type of places. Any recommendations on where to go for a more diverse nightlife experience? I'm guessing U street would fit the bill? Thanks!

 

[Automated Response]

Originally Posted by zeroconspiracy

"There aren't a lot of 9s and 10s walking around like in NYC, LA, or Miami" ...Enough said. A DC 10 is a CA 7. A DC 7 is a dog - and there are plenty of them - end of story.

Originally Posted by zeroconspiracy

The food was mediocre at best. And once again - "Places like NYC and the Bay are world renowned for the grub." ...Enough said. Sorry, but DC will get Miss Congeniality every time.

I wish I lived such a charmed life.

 

[Joffrey]

Lol, every DC thread always degenerates to "where can I party or meet cute chicks".

Yes, U street is the current hot spot for partying. Tons of options there - Marvin and Stetsons are my favorites at the moment. If you want more diversity, a lot of the K street clubs are swimming with indians/iranians.