Current Job Market (Albuquerque: wage, relocating, teacher)

[dpgtfc]

It isn't relative though. Using monster.com as the standard, both searches using three industries (Computer hardware, software and IT/services):

ABQ: 34 jobs listed.

Denver: 389

OVER 10x the jobs listed. Even assuming ABQ has a 4.5% UE rate and Denver probably has a standard 7-8%, the odds are better in Denver. At least in finding Tech jobs. ABQ just doesn't seem to have a Tech market for some reason.

[mortimer]

dpgtfc claimed:

> It isn't relative though. ... ABQ: 34 jobs ... Denver: 389 [ postings ]

> OVER 10x the jobs listed.

Sure, but if the market for IT specialists was 10x bigger to start with,
given the same UE, the jobs:candidates ratio would be about the same.

> ABQ just doesn't seem to have a Tech market for some reason.

I contend that number of postings doesn't mean much. If there are 340 IT
candidates in ABQ and 3890 in DEN then the difficulty is going to be similar.

You still have a much larger pool of unemployed IT specialists (or whatever)
looking for a job in a smaller market than before. If the market was much
larger in DEN and shrunk, say 10% then there is much larger pool of
candidates who used to work there out looking.

Example: If there were formerly 40,000 IT jobs in DEN two years ago and
there are now only 35,000 then there are 5,000 candidates competing for
those 3890 openings.

If, before there were 4,000 IT jobs in ABQ and now only 3,500 then there
are 500 candidates and so on ...

No matter what, you still have the additional problem of commuting across
a vastly larger metro area. Even if it *were* easier in DEN, it might be
irrelevant to a candidate in an underwater mortgaged house who *can't*
move across town. To an out-of-town candidate, it might be less hard.

[yukon]

Isn't IT one of the fields that's been severely affected by outsourcing and H-1 visa workers?

[Tim Rankin]

Another possibilty is that ABQ IT is advertising in the DEN market, or vice-versa. We'd need to go into each listing and see where the actual job opening is. Not too long ago, APD was advertising heavily in Michigan, trying to lure them to ABQ. To a casual observer, it may appear that there are more openings in Mich.

Yukon, not to be the bearer of bad tidings, but...commercial real estate is right behind residential.

Dennis Lockhart can't sleep over defaults - Feb. 23, 2009

Nevertheless, I think that ABQ will fare much better than many other parts of the country.

[mortimer]

yukon wondered:

> ... IT one of the fields ... affected by outsourcing and H-1 visa workers?

Outsourcing, I could believe it for large corporate IT departments where there is much more specialization.

H-1 visa for IT? That would be just nuts. It doesn't mean that it doesn't happen, but it would be a clear abuse.

[lynz815]

Curious to know what is it like for one who does Administrative work? My SO and I are wanting to get out of CA - he's done heavy equip operation, roofing work (I think he should get into diesel mechanic as a trade but that's another topic) and I work as an Admin/sales assistant. Toying around with the idea of going back to a community college to get certified as a Pharm. Tech or legal assistant. I have a BA in Communication Studies and currently work in advertising.

[mortimer]

lynz815 wondered:

> Curious to know what is it like for one who does Administrative work?

My impression is that it is not impossible to get work here, but coming
from CA you might find the wage level a bit shocking. It's possible to
find work in the $15/hour range, but $10/hour is more realistic.

> I think he should get into diesel mechanic as a trade ...
> Toying around with the idea of going back to a community college
> to get certified as a Pharm. Tech or legal assistant. ...

The local community college is first-rate. If you relocate, I recommend
moving either within walking distance of the Main Campus or of the bus
that serves that campus.

There are probably programs for Pharm Techs and I know there are
for diesel mechanics. The school used to be a Tech-Voc school.

Central New Mexico Community College

[lynz815]

Thank you Mortimer. I realize that moving out of state will result in cut in pay with the next gig, however I think it could be worthwile considering the good can outweigh the bad.

[karmathecat]

"H-1 visa for IT? That would be just nuts. It doesn't mean that it doesn't happen, but it would be a clear abuse."

How is that abuse? I work for a medium sized company that has several H-1B employees. Their skill sets are very unique. I'd rather see their roles filled with prior citizens or residents, but in each case, there were no local applicants with the same skills.

[mortimer]

I guess it would have to be an awfully specialized job requirement
such as supercomputer IT support or IT support for extremely
complex hardware/software interfaces.

In general, most IT positions are beneath engineers - more like
technicians - thus no need to go shopping for people overseas.