Stamps or Magnolia? (Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Springdale: real estate, insurance, military)

[HermanandMichelle]

My wife and I currently live in Euless, TX, neither of us are native to Texas moving from St. Louis and Ft. Myers, FL (by way of Denver) respectively to attend college here. My wife wants to move to her mother's hometown of Stamps, because she insists that TX "ain't" the south and she doesn't understand the people here. I tend to agree that TX is a whole nother country in regards to the rest of the US, but I'm troubled by the fact that I'm degreed in computer systems management and see little opportunity for me to feed and house my family devoided of a mid to large city for job opportunities. I would consider Magnolia since my wife said that is close enough to Stamps to satisify her. My question is are there opportunities in that area?

Signed...... GOTTA LEAVE TEXAS
Need to see the Stars and the Moon....to many people to many rules.

Herman and Michelle

[nmnita]

Isn't there an old saying "there are 49 states and the republic of Texas" or something like that.

I can't help you with re-location employment opportunities, I am sure others can, but it would seem to me if you consentrate on the areas of Arkansas with major cooporations you should be able to find something that would fit your needs.

Nita

[North Pulaski Player]

Well atleast Southern Arkansas University is located in Magnolia, so you may want to check into job opportunities there. It is south Arkansas, so don't get your hopes up.......

[magrack]

Originally Posted by HermanandMichelle

..... but I'm troubled by the fact that I'm degreed in computer systems management and see little opportunity for me to feed and house my family devoided of a mid to large city for job opportunities. ...

Honestly, that may be tough, considering the location(s) you're looking at, depending on your experience and available opportunities, and the opportunities may not be plentiful.

Better shot at landing a job in your career field in NWA, and even then you might have to take an analysts position to start and wait on an opening that better fits your toolbox.

I retired from the field about a year ago, and although I have no intention of going back to work, I do ocassionally look to see what's available and to compare the job market in AR to where I was working and to compare pay scales.

The pay scales aren't too bad considering the basic cost of living, but not what I'd call exciting.

FWIW, My BS was in computer engineering (a long time ago), but I ended up doing something different and enjoyed it more, but if I were inclined to get back in the game, I'd concentrate on Systems Security (specifically Forensics)...I think those specialties will be real busy for the next few decades.

Good luck.

[anjoe]

I looked at careerbuilder.com and entered computer systems in Arkansas and lots of jobs came up. Try to do a job search. It may bring you some results. I saw a Business Analyst job at Aerojet in Camden. That's about 1 hour from Stamps. There is Magnolia, Camden and El Dorado. I think that El Dorado is closer to Stamps. I also saw many computer systems jobs in Little Rock and above Little Rock closer to North West Arkansas around Rogers and Springdale. I live in Camden (30 minutes north of Magnolia) and will email you if I hear of anything in your field. Good luck!

[modster]

I don't live there, so take this with a grain of salt. My family is from Lafayette County. Lewisville and El Dorado specifically. My Dad's family owned a bank, the major law office, the insurance office and a good portion of the timber land around Lewisville. (5 miles or so from Stamps) I'm not up there b/c quite frankly, the family left a long time ago due to the lack of opportunities, and this from a family that had established businesses there. Forget Mom's side of the family that lived in El Dorado and had 2 stores in some town called Strong. All that is gone or sold off or whatever.

I can't imagine what you would do for a living up there. It seems very economically depressed. Maybe someone who is living there currently can give a more current or different picture, but I would imagine you would have to go to Texarkana or even Shreveport for work.

Of course if you are used to some of the commutes around Dallas, I don't know that commuting time wise would be that different.

[Trapped In ElDorado]

Stay away from South Arkansas especially the El Dorado area. There are no jobs around here, in fact they keep leaving without being replaced. So even if you did find a job to move here for.....more then likely if you lost it, you would have to move again. Especially in the Technology area.

North Arkansas seems to be a better area. Even Little Rock is a lot better than El Dorado area.

[MaggieMay23]

Trapped in El Dorado:
How would you know what the job market is like north of El Dorado?
You should know that there are several big chemical plants and refineries in El Dorado and the surrounding areas that are employing many many people....and paying many of them well!!
It also seems that South Arkansas is in need of contractors and developers. The housing market is rough: there are very few new homes on the market, and the older ones coming into the market are overpriced. The formation of the "El Dorado Promise" at the beginning of this year has attracted many people to the area, but it has also raised the property value. The people in El Dorado want to sell their homes for much more money than they would sell for in more developed and modern cities or towns. The few builders that are available in town have plenty of work ahead of them. They could probably use a little competition.
The economy in north Arkansas is not really growing. There are no companies that are bringing money to the state by producing something that sells. All except for chicken companies, like Tyson. Of course there is always Wal-Mart or distributing or food service. Other than that, you can be a middle-man like a real estate agent, salesman (insurance, car), an educator, a health care worker of some sort, or a laborer. There are still many job opportunities all over. People are just a little too picky, and want to live beyond their means.
Oh, and Trapped: consider the military. You couldn't say that you are "trapped in El Dorado" after joining the military. There are many job opportunities for former military servicemen all over the country, including all of Arkansas, even the southern part (Pine Bluff Arsenal, for example!).

[anynabiddle]

Originally Posted by anjoe

I looked at careerbuilder.com and entered computer systems in Arkansas and lots of jobs came up. Try to do a job search. It may bring you some results. I saw a Business Analyst job at Aerojet in Camden. That's about 1 hour from Stamps. There is Magnolia, Camden and El Dorado. I think that El Dorado is closer to Stamps. I also saw many computer systems jobs in Little Rock and above Little Rock closer to North West Arkansas around Rogers and Springdale. I live in Camden (30 minutes north of Magnolia) and will email you if I hear of anything in your field. Good luck!

Magnolia is closer to Stamps 16 miles from Magnolia to Stamps

[anynabiddle]

Originally Posted by MaggieMay23

Trapped in El Dorado:
How would you know what the job market is like north of El Dorado?
You should know that there are several big chemical plants and refineries in El Dorado and the surrounding areas that are employing many many people....and paying many of them well!!
It also seems that South Arkansas is in need of contractors and developers. The housing market is rough: there are very few new homes on the market, and the older ones coming into the market are overpriced. The formation of the "El Dorado Promise" at the beginning of this year has attracted many people to the area, but it has also raised the property value. The people in El Dorado want to sell their homes for much more money than they would sell for in more developed and modern cities or towns. The few builders that are available in town have plenty of work ahead of them. They could probably use a little competition.
The economy in north Arkansas is not really growing. There are no companies that are bringing money to the state by producing something that sells. All except for chicken companies, like Tyson. Of course there is always Wal-Mart or distributing or food service. Other than that, you can be a middle-man like a real estate agent, salesman (insurance, car), an educator, a health care worker of some sort, or a laborer. There are still many job opportunities all over. People are just a little too picky, and want to live beyond their means.
Oh, and Trapped: consider the military. You couldn't say that you are "trapped in El Dorado" after joining the military. There are many job opportunities for former military servicemen all over the country, including all of Arkansas, even the southern part (Pine Bluff Arsenal, for example!).

The El Dorado promise is a not all what its cracked up to be. Its a sad attempt to get people to move to El Dorado. LOOK. El Dorado is a dangerous city for its size. Violence in the school is no new news. It has one of the highest STD rates in the state of Arkansas. Altho El Dorado isnt as bad as Pine Bluff Id still wouldnt move my kids to El Dorado just because of the promse. besides your kids have to be enrolled the full 12years in that school district. Magnolia has one of the best if not the best school systems in southnern Arkansas and the whole state. El Dorado is probly the best in Union County and all but Id still wouldnt move to El Dorado.