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Charleston, SC?

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I would really like to move to Charletson, SC. I will be graduating from college soon, and I want to know if it would be a good career opportunity? Also, are there better neighborhoods to live in than others? What about the smaller towns, such as, Mount Pleasant? Let me know!

Travel Tips

The job market in Charleston really isn't that good. Positions are pretty readily available in education and health care but other positions tend to require connections. Employers tend to have a strong preference for local candidates even if others are more qualified. Also salaries tend to be realtively low especially considering the cost of living in Charleston.

The area is divided into several main parts: Downtown, Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, West Ashley, John's Island and James Island. Downtown contains the historic district and tends to be the most expensive place to live. Mount Pleasant is quickly growing but currently has a more small-town feel. Don't misinterpret this however, this area is not similar to living in a small town, it is just differnt compared to other areas. James Island has a more relaxed, beach-town setting. West Ashley contains the mall, most area auto dealerships and many businesses and tends to be less expensive. John's Island is more rural and a little farther out from town. North Charleston contains many business and business parks. Each area has a different feel so you should visit each to see what feels most like home.

Crime can be a big issue in certain parts of town. North Charleston had an extremely high murder rate in the summer of 2006 and the northern part of downtown can also be dangerous.

I would suggest taking a visit and trying to line up some interviews before moving. Enjoy your visit and congratulations on your upcoming graduation!

Others
What career are you looking to get into? How did you hear about Charleston? Are you from SC? I am from South Carolina and I love Charleston. Although I live near the Greenville area, I go back to Charleston as much as I can. There are a lot of opportunities in the healthcare profession there, but I don't really know what other job markets are booming. Perhaps take a week long trip there after graduation to check out the potential opportunities. Go online and do some research about Charleston and surrounding areas. Good luck and come on to SC. We'd love to have you.
I'm from Charleston. I'm not sure where you are moving from or what career you are looking to get into, but Charleston is a city where you have to know someone to get a good job in almost anything other than healthcare or education. It sounds like you don't have any connections here, so you will probably find the job market very difficult. My family has been here since the founding of Charleston and I still find the job market very competitive. I've always had good connections and references on my resume and that has always helped. I think you'll find it also matters where you went to school. Obviously The Citadel would hold more weight in Charleston than would some school up north.

Mt. Pleasant, James Island, and West of the Ashley are all good places to live. If you want to live downtown, you will want to look at places South of Calhoun Street and probably South of Broad for a really nice area. However, Charleston is an expensive city and your beginning salary is probably not going to be much. Therefore, you should probably look at apartments over in Mt. Pleasant, James Island, or West of the Ashley. Mt. Pleasant has grown alot in the last few years and seems to be the place many northerners like to settle in. The last poster mentioned John's Island, which is growing alot as well. My family owns alot of land out that way, but it might be a bit further than you want to live. James Island is a nice area that has a lot of apartment complexes and housing developments. West of the Ashley is also a nice area to look at for affordable housing. There are plenty of car dealerships and restaurants there. I wouldn't suggest a move to North Charleston as it is a place where crime is awful.

I would suggest that you visit Charleston before moving down here and make sure you will be able to find a job. It is best to have a job before moving, because you never know how long it might take. Alot of people think they'll have lots of job offers right after graduation, but that usually isn't the case. Bachelors degrees are a dime a dozen now days and you would be wise to get your masters. Good luck.
native charlestonian
Alot of good answers. Try charlestonchamber.net and the charlestons visitors bureau for more in depth. you may wab to ignore some of waht Hugenot says. N. Charleston, like alot of areas has some crime but is more diverse then downtown in the sense that there are other people besides snobs living there. It has many good neighborhoods.(Coosaw Creek, Eagle Landing etc) Dont bother looking for a place to live downtown.