UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
#31
Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
What does the company do if it's not a secret?
#32
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Joined: Mar 2019
Location: Bay area CA
Posts: 3
Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
That's another thing to bear in mind; salaries are a complete free-for-all. When I was in the UK, every position seemed to have a well-defined description and pay rate. In the US, you can negotiate anything, and if you work hard you can really get your salary up there. In my first 10 years I went from $28k in 1983 to $86k in 1993 - over 10% per year. It eased off after that but you get the idea (I was making 9k GBP when I left!). People love to complain about the work situation in the US - no job security, etc - but the flip side is, if you get into a good job and work hard, you can do very well for yourself. The flexibility to fire on a whim also makes companies more likely to hire on a whim. But the one thing to note about the Bay Area tech scene is - you are expected to work hard, and that may translate to long hours They'll throw money at you but they need you to produce, and you aren't likely to enjoy 'work / life balance'. I didn't care one bit - I absolutely loved my job and just kept lapping up any and all new assignments but my personal life suffered.
#33
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Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 33
Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
Bit of an update on this one, the offer is as expected and has a decent Health plan, small relocation package and trips back home (2 a year). Thankfully I get 1 months paid accommodation too.
I am heading out there next month for a few days with my partner to suss out locations (we will be going to the registry office by the way!) this will also enable her to stay and earn a decent wage with me.
Onwards and upwards, I expect the visa process to begin in the next couple of weeks. Back to location then....office in Bay Area 1 day a week, project office in Menlo Park 4 days a week but that could change so I am swaying more towards staying nearer Bay Area and taking the hit on rent. What is the traffic like around 6am?
Thanks for the advice so far.
I am heading out there next month for a few days with my partner to suss out locations (we will be going to the registry office by the way!) this will also enable her to stay and earn a decent wage with me.
Onwards and upwards, I expect the visa process to begin in the next couple of weeks. Back to location then....office in Bay Area 1 day a week, project office in Menlo Park 4 days a week but that could change so I am swaying more towards staying nearer Bay Area and taking the hit on rent. What is the traffic like around 6am?
Thanks for the advice so far.
#34
Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
FWIW, and not in CA, I find that journey times per Google Maps are pretty accurate. If I get lucky with lights I can beat the time by as much as 3 minutes on a short, say 15 minute journey, but only on a good day, and on longer journeys where traffic and lights average out more, I am lucky to beat Google's predicted time by more than about two minutes per hour.
#35
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Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 33
Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
That is fantastic, I didn't know you could adjust the time of day. It appears leaving around 6am makes a huge difference. Looking like a folding bike on the train is a good option!
#36
Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
(we will be going to the registry office by the way!)
Last edited by civilservant; Apr 11th 2019 at 2:12 pm. Reason: Fixed it myself. Thanks anyway.
#39
Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
Bit of an update on this one, the offer is as expected and has a decent Health plan, small relocation package and trips back home (2 a year). Thankfully I get 1 months paid accommodation too.
I am heading out there next month for a few days with my partner to suss out locations (we will be going to the registry office by the way!) this will also enable her to stay and earn a decent wage with me.
Onwards and upwards, I expect the visa process to begin in the next couple of weeks. Back to location then....office in Bay Area 1 day a week, project office in Menlo Park 4 days a week but that could change so I am swaying more towards staying nearer Bay Area and taking the hit on rent. What is the traffic like around 6am?
Thanks for the advice so far.
I am heading out there next month for a few days with my partner to suss out locations (we will be going to the registry office by the way!) this will also enable her to stay and earn a decent wage with me.
Onwards and upwards, I expect the visa process to begin in the next couple of weeks. Back to location then....office in Bay Area 1 day a week, project office in Menlo Park 4 days a week but that could change so I am swaying more towards staying nearer Bay Area and taking the hit on rent. What is the traffic like around 6am?
Thanks for the advice so far.
From Wikipedia ..."San Francisco Bay Area (popularly referred to as the Bay Area) is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun Bay
estuaries in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. Although the exact boundaries of the region vary depending on the source, the Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Governments to include the nine counties that border the aforementioned estuaries: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma, and San Francisco. "
Last edited by Steerpike; Apr 11th 2019 at 10:24 pm.
#40
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Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 33
Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
The head office is The north near the financial district but I’ll be working on a project near Menlo Park hence the frequent travel there.
#41
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Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Bay Area, from Plymouth UK
Posts: 317
Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
This discussion brings back memories of when I made the jump back in 1994. Joined a small consulting "body shop" on an H1B. Had never visited SF or California, had no idea of the cost, climate, start-up culture, none of it. Had no relocation package. Had no paid visits back to the UK. Company paid for flight out (as mandated by H1B) and one week of accommodation, and that was it.
I came out with the mindset I would try it out for 3 years, and then head back to Blighty. After I completed my first year, my employer offered to start the green card application process, and I turned it down.
Good luck with the process and have fun!
I came out with the mindset I would try it out for 3 years, and then head back to Blighty. After I completed my first year, my employer offered to start the green card application process, and I turned it down.
Good luck with the process and have fun!
#42
Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
This discussion brings back memories of when I made the jump back in 1994. Joined a small consulting "body shop" on an H1B. Had never visited SF or California, had no idea of the cost, climate, start-up culture, none of it. Had no relocation package. Had no paid visits back to the UK. Company paid for flight out (as mandated by H1B) and one week of accommodation, and that was it.
I came out with the mindset I would try it out for 3 years, and then head back to Blighty. After I completed my first year, my employer offered to start the green card application process, and I turned it down.
Good luck with the process and have fun!
I came out with the mindset I would try it out for 3 years, and then head back to Blighty. After I completed my first year, my employer offered to start the green card application process, and I turned it down.
Good luck with the process and have fun!
But then, we 'ad it tough. Try to tell the young people of today that and they won't believe ya ...
#43
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Joined: Mar 2017
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 455
Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
I came in 1983 as a bright-eyed 25 year old, with only a few years of (very dull!) experience in the UK. I got the flight paid for, but no shipping, no relocation, no return flights, nothing! OK, I got 1 or 2 weeks of hotel and I THINK I got a week or two of car rental. I remember frantically looking for a car and an apartment in that first week! I found a 'roommate' situation within a few days in SF, and bought a used car (Honda Accord) from a classified ad in the paper (!) for about 3 grand.
But then, we 'ad it tough. Try to tell the young people of today that and they won't believe ya ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue7wM0QC5LE
But then, we 'ad it tough. Try to tell the young people of today that and they won't believe ya ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue7wM0QC5LE
When I moved out to Texas a couple years back it wasn't much different - two weeks hotel and car hire, plus a cash bung for "expenses". No assistance in finding an apartment, wrapping up UK affairs etc etc.
It's amazing how far 10k doesn't actually go once you get here!
#44
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 946
Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
Moved here 5 years ago: flight paid for and that was that. Nothing else. No assistance from OH's employer whatsoever. No shipping, initial accommodation, flights home. It was a very stressful and expensive few months. I think there's a massive misconception among many on here that everyone (who is not marrying a USC) comes over on fat Expat packages and needs $$$$ to survive. Initially we lived in SoCal on one salary of a paltry 60K and things were really not THAT bad (we did have a substantial amount of disposal income/savings that helped with rental/deposits/furniture/cars etc). Also, I really, really do wish that people who have never lived in a place that is under discussion would not throw their 'beliefs' about said location into the mix. If you went to LA 25 years ago once on holiday, you are really not qualified to comment please and thank you. I would never dream of commenting on costs of living/where to live in New York or Texas etc. It just serves to confuse people.
#45
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Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 33
Re: UK > California on an E2 - Experience, living, family etc!
Good to know, from the intial scary figures that get discussed I’m finding more and more reasonable accommodation options.