Job interview Philadelphia!

L

lrhollid

Cathlete
Great news! I have a job interview in Philadelphia (yippeee!!!!) I've never been and am a little nervous about going by myself. Any suggestions areas to stay/avoid, etc.?

TIA,
L
 
Congrats and good luck.

Sorry can't tell you much other than the kids and I went while looking for colleges for my daughter. We did all the historic sites and had a wonderful time. It felt a lot like Boston to me.

Let us know how it goes.

When is it so we can send you hiring vibes :)
 
I'm from the Philly area. Feel free to send me a private message with any questions. I just love talking about my city! Philly is a great city, but as with all major cities, there are definitely areas to avoid. If you are going to the historic area or the business district, then no worries, those places are just fine.

Where is your interview? I worked in Philly for years and miss it terribly now that I'm in the burbs.
Shelbygirl
 
Congrats on your interview! It's always kinda scarry to go to a city your not familiar with. I live and work in Philly. I agree with Shelby, if your in a business district than you won't have any problems. But still be mindful that thieves are always around.

Can you tell us what part of Philadelphia you'll be in?
 
My interview is near the convention center (about 3 blocks away), but I'm going to be staying near Bala-Cynwyd right off the interstate and taking a cab downtown. I'm too nervous to even try driving in that traffic-- I'll get lost on all of the one-way streets. Is it hard to get a cab downtown?

L
 
Good luck with the interview. My family loves Philly. We visit quite a bit, but I'm sure the natives can give you better advice than I. It does have some lovely sections and lots of great museums. The area surrounding the city is nice too. Let us know how it goes.
 
It sounds like you'll be staying right near where I work now. I'm in Bala Cynwyd, right near the Schulkyl Expressway entrance (I'm in the area with all the news and radio stations). It's a very convenient area to the city, but just be mindful of the traffic. It's a very conjested area, with tons of cars on the expressway especially at rush hour. Give yourself a lot of extra time before your interview, just to be safe. Just have your hotel call a cab for you; it shouldn't be too difficult.

Good luck!
Shelbygirl
 
I think Shelbygirl means the Sure-kill expressway. Just kidding. It's not nearly as bad to travel as it was when I was a kid. People seem to drive a little saner in Philly than in DC, Baltimore or (gasp!) Boston. And it's not too hard of a place to find your way around in. Go to AAA and get a map of the city before you go, so you are familiar with the lay out. We've always driven on our trips, so I can't speak about taxi's or the trains. A friend of mine went to school north-west of the city and was always taking the train into town. We've never had trouble parking either.
 
Now I'm really glad that I'm not going to try driving too far into the city!!! Thanks for the advice-- I feel better:) I think the hotel is about 3 miles or so from where I'm interviewing. My interview is at 10, so how long do you think I should give myself to get there?

L
 
Good luck on the interview, LHollid! I know precisely nothing about Philadelphia except that it coughs up a mean cream cheese, so I'll leave it to the experts on where to go and where to not. Go. To.

You'll kick butt!

A-Jock
 
I believe the Convention Center is around 12th & Market Streets. From Bala Cynwyd, it should only take you about 20 minutes (under perfect conditions). I personally would give myself an hour or more, but I tend to err completely on the side of caution (no risk taking for me). If you get there REALLY early, you can always find a coffee shop to hang in and go over your resume (don't forget those pesky strengths and weaknesses, for goodness sake!).

Depending on which side of the Convention Center you are on, there's a shopping mall called "The Gallery" (at around 8th & Market I think) that you could wait in.

Shelbygirl

P.S. Oh yeah, the cheesesteaks are worth the price you pay later. Throw in some soft pretzels, and you'll be set.
 
Close, the convention center is on Arch Street (one block up from Market Street) and spans between 11 to 13th streets. You can go in the Reading Terminal if your really early. It's directly across the street from the Convention Center. There's a bunch of eateries, book shop, flower shop, fish/meat stores, etc. You can sit, relax and get your thoughts together.

So, have your cab drop you off at 12th and Arch.
 
Gasp! I completely forgot about that (smacks head!). Perhaps I'll take a side trip to Jersey. That would definitely give me something to look forward to after my interview.

Thanks everyone!

L
 
Good Luck, L! I have lived here in Philly all of my life and would never leave. It is nice to have cheesesteaks delivered to your door within a half hour of calling in the order :)
 
I'm a Philly girl too. Good luck with your interview. Reading Terminal is wonderful, and there is a fabulous little cookbook store called The Cookbook Stall.

I am always paranoid about being late to interviews. I too would plan to catch a cab at 9. Some mornings, 76 is really backed up, and 676 can be miserable too.

Where exactly is your interview (street names)? There is some great shopping within a few blocks of the Convention Center, if you like to walk. You could venture up Market Street, hang a left at City Hall and head down Broad Street towards Walnut. At Broad and Walnut is a wonderful Williams-Sonoma. Turn right onto Walnut and you'll find a few blocks of fun boutiques, leading you right to Rittenhouse Square.

Shelbygirl, we live very close to each other. I'm in East Falls. Before that, we lived near the Art Museum.
 
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