The Job Search and Bicycling

It's been way too long since I posted here. It's not because I haven't been interested in cycling, advocacy, complete streets, or simply getting the word out... it's because I've been looking for a new job.

OSU proved not to be the place for me, and now I'm looking for something else. No, this isn't a request for help or plea for you to look for jobs for me, but it's just an explanation of where I've been, especially with all the crazy news going on with cycling in Columbus recently. But I haven't even been on my bike more than a couple times in the month of July, unfortunately... interviewing in the summer sort of means you need to arrive at your interview looking something less than a sweaty mess, and since it generally also means wearing a suit... you get the idea. Hopefully the search will be over soon and I'll be able to get back to work.

But this brings up an interesting point that I haven't really thought about before, as I was sort of expecting for too long (hence my staying there so long) to retire from OSU eventually and not having to change my commuting habits. Every time I've heard from a company that wants to interview me, I've been checking the length of the trip to the job site to see if it's bikeable. And getting away from the simple up-and-down High Street commute is proving to be more challenging as I look at jobs in Dublin, Westerville, Worthington, and downtown.

So bear with me while I complete this search and get back to work. And I'll keep you posted with what I'm doing to stay on the bike - it's another chance for us to all learn together what we can do to keep on cycling!

People, not speed.

Comments

  1. I've been sort-of job hunting on & off for a few months. One of my criteria is that it's bikeable from my house. I was recently asked about taking a promotion at my current company, which would relocate me. I turned down the opportunity and explained why. Good luck w/ the search!

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  2. Thanks! I think it's going to be interesting as more and more potential employees judge their jobs by bikeability...

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  3. If you want to see some dumb looks, ask the interviewer where you can park your bike. I've tripped up a couple people with that.

    I have also made bikeability a priority in my job search. In fact, I turned down a job that was 50 miles from my house.

    Good luck.

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  4. Things are going well thus far, so thanks for the kind words both of you!

    I'm going back into the consulting world, so I haven't yet had the chance to ask a client about the racks in an interview yet. It should be interesting, though.

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  5. Good luck, brother. Might be a good chance to ditch the Midwest and move to California. It worked out for me.

    Around here, winter = rain. Bikes? Big deal, see 'em all over. Just sayin'.

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  6. Yeah... but "Bike Commuting in Columbus" doesn't have the same ring when it's not in Columbus... :)

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  7. Oh, incidentally, I did have the chance to ask an interviewer about bike parking... and the company was so progressive that the interviewer just said "Oh, they're out in back by the on-site fitness facility."

    Here's hoping...

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