Need a Job? Try Fairfax County, Virginia (or anywhere close to D.C.)

By: Mick, January 30th, 2007

The article in the Washington Post talks about the job growth in Fairfax County, VA and some of the underlying reasons behind it. Without going into too much detail about the article, the underlying reason behind the sustained growth of jobs and the economy of Northern Virginia is its proximity to federal dollars and a local government that doesn’t want to get in the way of business expansion.

There is nothing earth-shattering in the piece - your standard feel-good about the strength of a local economy - but it does erroneously attribute some of the growth in that area to the local school system and proximity to Dulles International Airport. Nice sentiments to be sure, but both of those local assets are a result of the presence of seemingly infinite federal money that drives and supports the local economy. The article correctly notes that the area has a very strong public and private sector. It also is correct in noting that the private sector is largely driven by the outsourcing of government contracts.

Bottom line: Professionals seeking new or better positions wouldn’t hurt themselves to explore the greater D.C. area.

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3 Responses to “Need a Job? Try Fairfax County, Virginia (or anywhere close to D.C.)”

  1. Ben Says:
    February 6th, 2007 at 2:30 pm

    “Bottom line: Professionals seeking new or better positions wouldn’t hurt themselves to explore the greater D.C. area.” - Not so fast. A large percentage of those opportunities in Northern VA are with government contractors or the government itself, thus in most cases requiring US Citizenship at the very least, and often a security clearance as well.

    Otherwise, the article and your assessment is pretty spot-on. Heck, it’s a great time to be a Recruiter in the DC area, opportunities galore!

  2. Mick Says:
    February 6th, 2007 at 2:58 pm

    Great point about US citizenship and clearance, especially the latter. Obtaining either status requires a significant time investment and neither is a sure thing. Best of luck recruiting in the DC area — and the Terps are an enigma wrapped in a weak front-court, but I digress…

  3. Ben Says:
    February 7th, 2007 at 1:41 pm

    Don’t get me started on the Terps. I was at the game last night, and, well, ugh. How bout them Wizards though :-)

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