Think twice before moving to Chattanooga, TN (Dayton: sale, house prices)

[xtranaut]

Dee,

This isn't meant to belittle your position or how effortlessly it was to get a nursing job in Chattanooga but, as I am sure you know, NURSING is one of the professions in highest demand everywhere and if my wife had a nursing degree, she would have been working a year ago.

But my wife has held several high end administrative titles for a few very prestigious medical names that score at the top of any ranking. She has also served directly under some notable names in the medical field - one is currently the Surgeon General of the United States. She has had hundreds of people report to her under one job and has handled in access of 20 million dollars in grants and budgets.

In most cases, she can't get a return phone call after submitting a resume for a job.

My wife has, herself been on the hiring end and conducts herself in none other than the most professional and positive manner. There is no question that her interviews are thoughtful, honest and bright - so any hint of a dissatisfaction of the treatment by the small minded lot of them, is nil.

As I detailed in an earlier posting, we see that this is mostly about maintaining a nonthreatening status quo in this town. Promoting from within even though most who get promoted, do not qualify , much less come close to the experience that a person like my wife could bring, is very much the norm. Too bad we didn't know this until after I bought a home here.

My family doctor confirmed this for me and a great many other horror stories about gross mismanagement and unethical business practices.

My wife does make it to the final round of interviews only to be eliminated and lose the job to someone less threatening to the position of the PEOPLE CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW. (sorry, my perception). This is, inevitably, someone from the inside......a thirty year job holder whose continuing education is coming to work every day.

Let me say that if my wife knew I were writing this, i would be homeless but this is reality in this town, like it or not.

I can only deduce that most business people or their hiring managers do not have a vision for beyond what they physically see because if they did and were really listening to my wife respond in an interview, they would consider her a rare find in this wasteland ans scoop her up as someone who could inspire just by her presence and good energy.

You know. I hate to say it but Chattanooga reminds me of nice cars for nice people. A sweet thought but a major deception.

Sorry I can't be happier. We have both been out of work since we have been here. My story is almost identical to hers.

We bathe, dress properly for interviews (haven't seen much of that here) and are positive people ... so is it that we look too out of place for here or what???

[RiverView]

Originally Posted by xtranaut

I had never seen anyone refer to CHARLES SHAW as Two-buck Chuck.. That is f&%ing funny. I was introduced to that wine by the nicest person I have met in Chattanooga since i have been back -- a tree cutter on Signal Mt (who is from California)

As for Veronica, I don't think anyone should zone in on her idiosyncrasies about crawl spaces verse slabs and so on. I know how personally devastating it is to have an entire business community treat you and your wife like you are invisible or have some contagious disease.

Too bad. It is a disease that these people could stand to have. Integrity, courtesy, respect and a receptive mind for the ways they could benefit by hiring people from the outside who bring something fresh.

This is what has really got Veronica down --- not the stupid comparison to housing amenities or construction.

It eats at you until you begin to think you are not worthy....and she shouldn't have to move to find a way out of misery. Instead, this place needs an enema (as Jack said in Batman)....these square headed snobs need to reassess how and why they are doing what they are doing -- or at least, why they allow the people the put in charge, to do it.

Here is to Trader Joe's! But you can have Atlanta. (closest Joe's I know)

Sorry things haven't worked out thus far. I do know others that have moved in from far away and done very well. FWIW

[xtranaut]

Other s who came here....as...? Did they bring money or were they at the mercy of working for others?

I don't have my own business nor do I have the money to start one and don't know if i would in a time like this with so much more uncertainty than ever.

Maybe you can give me some examples of how people from the outside came here and made it. I need inspiration and obviously, it helps to know people here.

Good to meet you.

By the way, I CAME BACK. I AM FROM HERE.

[RiverView]

Originally Posted by xtranaut

Other s who came here....as...? Did they bring money or were they at the mercy of working for others?

I don't have my own business nor do I have the money to start one and don't know if i would in a time like this with so much more uncertainty than ever.

Maybe you can give me some examples of how people from the outside came here and made it. I need inspiration and obviously, it helps to know people here.

Good to meet you.

By the way, I CAME BACK. I AM FROM HERE.

First let's get this straight.... I'm not busting on you at all. You make many valid points. Chattanooga has it's issues.

2 families that come to mind left successfull businesses and started new successfull businesses. Both, ironically, are restaurants, which have a high failure rate to begin with. Bot are very active in the community and no I will not name names.

2 others are in sales positions and seem to do just fine.

The medical industry here seems to do very well. That may not be your or the Mrs thing (not mine for sure). Not just dr's but other medical related positions.

Another couple was choosing between us and Ashville, picked the Nooga because of it's central location. He is a chiropractor. Didn't know anybody in this city and has a very successful practice.

Some others have done well in the insurance field.

Some have done well in the carpet industry.

Some in the publishing industry.

I'm probably not helping and I sure hope I'm not hurting. I don't really have any great advise, wish I did.

Best of luck, I hope things turn very soon for you.

RiverView <----not a motivational expert

[xtranaut]

My wife is not a doctor or a chiropractor. We don't have the money to open a restaurant. We are middle class people who did well in each, our career fields outside this city in major markets.

If you have to niche, then we rank from mid to upper administrative.

All we bring is smarts and a willingness to make the community a better place.

We moved from Florida so we did not come here to sell hot dogs to tourists.

We have always worked for other people - large corporations mostly. We came here expecting to have to compromise in salary and position but not expecting to be disqualified, eliminated and ostracized.

You can not possibly know what it is that more than a dozen major businesses in this town have passed on in favor of promoting people from within or "cousin Leroy" - regardless if they qualify for the positions or not.

If you saw my wife's resume your first impression would be, "who wouldn't want her on their team? or How could we pass this opportunity up?" My question, after a year of this Hooterville mindset is, What kind of good business people can justify running their business like this?

We have been to the chamber....written the presidents and CEOs of companies (who never respond). We have each, been the rounds within our professions and to the areas where our skills are easily transferable. No takers. I have never seen more discourtesy in the lack of response than by businesses in this city.

On those rare occasions, one or the other of us will have interviews with smiling and receptive individuals who are verbally impressed with our accomplishments and resumes. We never hear from them again.

This place has more than "issues."

[Dee74]

Dee,

This isn't meant to belittle your position or how effortlessly it was to get a nursing job in Chattanooga but, as I am sure you know, NURSING is one of the professions in highest demand everywhere and if my wife had a nursing degree, she would have been working a year ago.

But my wife has held several high end administrative titles for a few very prestigious medical names that score at the top of any ranking. She has also served directly under some notable names in the medical field - one is currently the Surgeon General of the United States. She has had hundreds of people report to her under one job and has handled in access of 20 million dollars in grants and budgets.

In most cases, she can't get a return phone call after submitting a resume for a job.

Xtranaut, I never said I got a job, just that the reception was not cool and seemed like they would hire me if needed. We live in FL and have a home in Chatt, most likely for retirement.

I have for many years worked in sales for fortune 500 companies including pharmaceutical sales and did well. But after being laid off or down sized one too many times and the growth of the internet I knew I would have to go into business for myself or change careers.
After much research I went to LPN school so that I could at least make a living wage anywhere in the country. Do I love nursing? It's not my top pick of careers and I still prefer work in sales when the position is right. I felt forced to become flexible due to things being just as you describe you are going through now. It's no fun I know.
You may have to take what ever you can find, you never know who you will meet while working that less than desired position.
I wish you both the best, don't give up, it may be just around the corner.

[financelife]

I've lived in a home with crawlspace and slab. I prefer crawlspace. In the house with the slab, the plumbing was messed up so guess what was needed to get it fixed? The slab had to be drilled in order to work with the pipes under the ground. Very messy. I prefer crawlspace, and I will never buy a home with a slab unless I absolutely have to. My current house has a crawlspace that you can actually walk under. Very nice. I'm not too fond of Bi-Lo and Food Lion either. And I hated Kroger. I used to shop at Publix before moving to Chattanooga, and now they're planning one near my home so I am very ecstatic.


Xtranaught
No offense, but if your wife is so great then why hasn't anyone picked her up? Maybe you two should have assessed the "demand" for your services before you moved here. My wife and I are not from here, and we didn't bring any "money" to this city either. We are currently successful (in our own definition = balanced and satisfied).

And then you say you don't like Nashville or Memphis. Is there any place you enjoy? If so, then GO THERE. Don't keep yourselves miserable in Chattanooga because life is really too short for all of that. I read somewhere or someone told me that whenever a person is really unhappy, it's because they're somewhere they are not supposed to be, and it's your spirit's way of trying to direct you to your true path of happiness. So GO THERE. Peace and good luck.

[Little bird family]

you guys all sound pretty cool

[xtranaut]

"just the way it is..sorry" -- the answer most often honestly given by those wh love and work here.

A reply to: financelife

My responses in red


Xtranaught
No offense, but if your wife is so great then why hasn't anyone picked her up?


HELLO! This is the question I have been asking and my posts are the results of my own research. I am not just pulling this gross dissatisfaction from my a%$.

I am not going to sit here and defend my wife and tell you how many degrees she has and that her resume looks like a list of "who's who" from a certain sector. All I can relate is the experience that we have not enjoyed. INDEED, it is negative and depressing AND WOULD BE DISCONCERTING TO ANYONE.

BOTH of us are accomplished people who have spent our lives developing our careers all over the United States. We CAME HOME to be close to family. WE LOVE IT HERE GEOGRAPHICALLY, ALTHOUGH THE GOOD OLD BOY NETWORK is still alive and well and it is obvious that "growth" in Chattanooga is geared for tourism and retirement and not in terms of an infrastructure that supports employment for those who have to make a living working for someone else. Whether you refuse to recognize it, or just don't care, Chattanooga blows off every opportunity for good manufacturing jobs - the latest being Toyota.

Maybe you two should have assessed the "demand" for your services before you moved here. My wife and I are not from here, and we didn't bring any "money" to this city either. We are currently successful (in our own definition = balanced and satisfied).

Very good for you. AND FOR EDIFICATION - WE BOTH HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT TO BE SUCCESSFUL TO THE LEVEL TO WHICH YOU ARE ACCUSTOMED IN LARGER CITIES ON A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL, IS TO BRING YOUR MONEY AND START YOU OWN BUSINESS. I DIDN'T MAKE THIS UP.

CHATTANOOGA IS WHERE BOTH MY WIFE AND I WERE BORN. WE BOTH LEFT TO GO INDIVIDUAL WAYS WHEN WE GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THIS VERY STIFLED ENVIRONMENT AND THE MOUNTAIN POLITICS THAT KEPT ADVANCEMENT FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON HERE, AT A SNAIL'S PACE. If you were a doctor,lawyer or engineer, land surveyor, worked for the railroad, or logging...and back then...worked at supervisory levels for the mills or foundries - you could make a good living.

In my view now, if you worked for the TVA here, you can earn the best money and have the best stability. Good luck. It's like getting on at the Post office without having a family member that works there or being a vet.

Almost anything beneficial here is about who you know, who you married, or what family you come from. (confirm this- READ OLD MONEY, NEW SOUTH)

I do not know what level of success you enjoy. Accepting a compromise was always something we anticipated, coming from a city of almost four million people where there is something for everyone. BUT we did not expect that we would be faced with the common proposition of being offered salaries for the kinds of positions we have held AND WERE CURRENTLY APPLY FOR, at levels we earned when we were twenty years old!!!

Fact is -- people stay here all their lives and work for a company and for thirty years they get moved up the ladder, dollar by dollar....with no educational advancement, other than work experience. These systems perpetuate status quo and believe me, we have substantiated this through people we went to high school with, as well as other professionals here.

Hard to believe that business would want to lay back and stay lateral but I can give you prime examples. the reason is mostly that they want to run their own game without somebody coming in that will relate to to others what a different (and progressive) experience their same job is in a larger city. THAT is threatening. It is also threatening to hiring managers to have someone before them apply for a job that is at a lower level and have that candidate display more qualification to do THEIR job than they do. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO BOTH OF US. This is another reason why companies here promote from within before they will hire from the outside.

Is this a popular national trend. YES. But here, in a small town, very few people get transferred in or get hired from the outside (except at entry levels) it has been a way of life for a long time. At least in larger cities, if you promote from within, you have more QUALIFIED people and the requirement for standards of continuing education are higher. Here, you have people who are barely adequate as administrative assistants being promoted to upper managerial levels.

To tell you the truth, we did not assess the situation here well at all. We sold our home at the top of the RE market in Florida, just because we could make a great deal of profit. We had no other reason to sell but to cash in off people who would pay over twice the price we paid two years before. We could have stayed in Florida or just moved anywhere but we chose here because this is where family is.

What we assumed is that, from the surface, Chattanooga APPEARED prosperous and healthy and to hear it from the Chamber or any number of glossy city magazines, you'd think the economy here was thriving in all sectors. This is NOT the case.

This is a clue and it is so subtle that most people wouldn't even think about it. I see it because it is part of what I was trained to do. If you want evidence of the socio-economic climate of a place, watch the TV and radio and listen for the commercials and who dominates advertising inventory. Why do you suppose Chattanooga has so many TITLE MAX and CHECK CASHING commercials? Why do injury and social security and disability lawyers thrive in great swarms here.



And then you say you don't like Nashville or Memphis. Is there any place you enjoy? If so, then GO THERE.

Get real. When I was twenty, I used to do that. I have been sucking down my retirement to live on for the past year here. No one pays relocation anymore, much less, pays for your flight to come interview from the outside. It cost me 10 grand to move my furniture here!

I have a house here, in a place I already love. This is not the time to sell, or maybe you aren't too well informed about those issues either. I can't afford to move and I can not afford to stay here and starve.

Since you are doing well, maybe you can offer me a job or turn me on to a friend I am lacking.(kidding, I am not trolling for jobs on message boards)

Hey, I love lots of pockets of this state but I couldn't walk into any of them and start making money. TAKE A LOOK AT THE SAD REALITY OF THE JOB MARKET HERE. GO TO ANY CHATTANOOGA JOB SITE INCLUDING THE FREE-PRESS.

I lived in NASHVILLE twice. My car and my house were broken into. Not the greatest time of my life, considering I have lived in major cities like Chicago and New York, that were the absolute best experiences I ever had.

I don't care for MEMPHIS because I like the hills and mountains in Tennessee,
otherwise, I'd still live in Florida.

Don't keep yourselves miserable in Chattanooga because life is really too short for all of that. I read somewhere or someone told me that whenever a person is really unhappy, it's because they're somewhere they are not supposed to be, and it's your spirit's way of trying to direct you to your true path of happiness. So GO THERE. Peace and good luck.

Yes, I have studied this a little and an astrologer in Oregon that did a reading for me and my wife told us that we should be on the WEST COAST, specifically on the water..... Been there and am not thrilled about being there again. So enough of the mystical for me. SHOW ME THE MONEY.

Believe me, we wish we were happy. We wish that we could wake up each day in the place we WANT to be and have an income in that place to be able to stay. LOOKING FOR A JOB has become a full time job every day and if you have ever been there for any length of time, you know how that can beat you down.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

[Jon F Moss]

reading that last post was like looking my old KJV Bible.