A: In June of 2018, I will have been at Blackbaud for two years.
A: When I first moved to the Charleston area, I lived in Mt. Pleasant, which offered a great balance of being close to my work, the beach and downtown. When my lease ended in Mt. Pleasant, I moved into a house in downtown Charleston. It’s nice being able to walk or ride my bike to most places where I want to be. One funny thing is seeing photos of people on Instagram exploring the area and thinking “huh… that’s only a few blocks from my house.”
A: There are a couple of things that I factored into my decision… it was not a small one, considering I moved to Charleston all the way from Oklahoma. I think the most obvious element was all that Charleston provided from a quality of life perspective. It’s hard not to like the idea of being close to the beach, great food, sports (I’m the world’s biggest River Dogs fan, besides maybe Bill Murray), history, art and culture. Additionally, I wanted to make sure that I lived in an area with good career opportunities, and as a software engineer, it was reassuring to find a place that is called “Silicon Harbor”.
A: I think Charleston is turning into a major tech center for two main reasons. The first is that it’s very easy to attract top talent to a place like Charleston, for the things I mentioned already, and it provides a great alternative to traditional tech centers that have exorbitant costs of living. The second is good ideas get noticed quickly. While Charleston’s tech sector is growing, it has not become stuffy, and you don’t have to be a small fish in a big pond. The mix of established companies and startups in the area foster a great environment for innovation and networking.
A: Get involved in interest groups, tech or otherwise. This is so crucial, because moving into any new environment can be difficult without people to help you along the way
A: Shaping Charleston’s tech identity.
A: The interaction that you get with employees from other tech companies is extremely positive. While people have “team spirit” for their respective employers, I’ve never seen animosity between the employees from different companies. For example, every year all companies in the Charleston tech sector participate in the “i5k”, which is a big race, that might as well be a big party. After the race, everyone meets up for pizza, beer, dancing, and networking. It’s a great opportunity to make new friends, connections, and to learn more about other companies in the area.
A: On an ideal summer Saturday, I’ll go grab some breakfast with friends, before we make our way to Sullivan Island’s beach. We’ll have a late lunch on the island and then head back downtown to get ready for a River Dog’s baseball game. After the game we will probably go grab some drinks downtown.
A: The Faculty Lounge!
A: If there’s a word that means “a laid-back form of fast-paced”, I’d use that.
A: The Spoleto Festival
A: The tech boom. Charleston is quickly growing as a hub to be a national competitor in tech world, and it’s exciting to play a role in that.
A: The Cooper River Bridge Run. Even if you’re not a runner, a race with close to 50,000 participants creates an electric environment.
A: Is a cold snap more than a week of sub 50-degree days.
#5 in the U.S. for high-tech GDP growth (Milken Institutue 2017-2018)
#1 City in America for Economic Opportunity (YELP)
“Best Place to Start a Career” (WalletHub)
Top East Coast City Attracting Millennials (Inc. Magazine)
The opportunities to work in technology in the Charleston region are practically endless, so dig in. We’ll help you find your place, connect with companies, and find the job that fits you.
