Wanting to move to Colorado. In need of some advice. (Grand Junction: rent, insurance)

[Odenwald]

Hello,

good thing I found this forum. There seem to be many similar threads. But maybe some of you can help me out with some advice as to my particular case.

I would like to first quickly introduce myself. I am a fairly recent university graduate and a USA and Germany dual citizen. I got both my bachelor's and my master's degree in geosciences from two of the best universities in Germany. My grades are very solid.

I have been working a career level position with a large German environmental consulting firm for a short while now. However, I do feel a little homesick for the States. The fact that I feel that I could likely be making a little better money there doesn't help. Also, things aren’t going very well in Germany overall. But I am not here to discuss politics and economics of Europe.

I have family in the south. My plan was to just head there, stay with them and look for work in that area.

However, I did some research and found out that Colorado is doing rather well economically. Furthermore, Colorado has beautiful landscape which I fell in love with. I also like low population density and a small-town lifestyle. So now I am thinking about just going out there with 4 or 5k saved up and take *some* job to get money going and start looking for an adequate position then.

I would be perfectly fine doing the environmental sector again, or perhaps development geology or even mining, if that becomes a thing again. I also would love to work for the park services. They do have quite a few national forests in Colorado.

So now my question to you coloradians: Yay or nay? If yay, which cities do you recommend? Especially, which of the cities in the western part have some job opportunities? If the front range, where best to go there?

I really appreciate any input. It would be very valuable to my decision-making process.


Best regards from Germany,

Odenwald

[StealthRabbit]

I have family in the south. My plan was to just head there, stay with them and look for work in that area.


South of WHERE?

Colorado? if so WHERE? (If in So CO, look for jobs in Northern New Mexico) Colorado 'outdoor' / environmental jobs will have lots of applicants and competition.
South of USA?, if so where?

Environmental jobs... look at USAjobs.com (Government agencies)
I would pursue WY and Alaska (Beautiful and adventure energy states with better paying jobs and no state income tax)

If young (<age32) NZ or Australia
If possible Canada (USA is very EXPENSIVE for Healthcare, if you can find it...)

[Odenwald]

Thank you for your answer StealthRabbit.

By the south I mean *the* south. As in the area which can be correlated with the former confederacy.

I am asking the coloradians where in Colorado one should go and why. And I am not interested in New Mexico at this point.

Of course I have looked at internet job-boards.

Thanks for the tip with Wyoming and Alaska. I will check them out. But doesn't Alaska have a relatively high unemployment rate?

I know American healthcare. I am American...

- Cheers

[Mike from back east]

Colorado is a great place, but if I were to work in the environmental business this is not the time to be in the USA since our idiot in chief just flushed our membership in the Paris agreements. I'd stay in Germany where the beer is awesome, you can take a train everywhere, and the environment is respected a lot more. IMO the great opportunities for environmental types is China, who desperately need all the help they can get. Same for India, but I'd go with China.

[Odenwald]

Hey hey guys.

Don't focus on the environmental think too much...

By the way, Germany really isn't as great as a lot of people back in the states believe it is. But like I said, I didn't want to talk about politics in here.

If I can get some good info about colorado, even if it is just what locals have to say about my idea about going there, then you will help me to the max.

[SkyDog77]

Colorado has very high population density in the populated areas where the jobs are. There are not many small towns that have access to jobs.

[NW Crow]

There is a shift in D.C. but opportunities in the geosciences should still be pretty good. Look at job sites. Based on what you said, look particularly at Grand Junction, Montrose, maybe Craig. Possibly Durango. I'd also check Sheridan & Cody WY.


I guess I should ask what "small town" means to you. Under 25,000? 5k? 2k? It varies for folks. Much under 25k, professional jobs get scarce, usually. Places like Meeker & Rangely will have a few. Too small for most though, but maybe ok for you? In general too big might be the safer error over too small, for most. In "too big", you can move to outskirts. In "too small" you have to move completely.


Move to south near family, get U.S. work credentials, save more, take scouting trips to West would be safer than move now. But see what what you can get and visit before you commit.


Do any of these interest you? http://www.indeed.com/m/jobs?q=Geology&l=Colorado


An option that few would think of is working for a tribe with energy or mining resources. This is one of the most successful http://www.rwpc.us/
I have known folks who worked for them, for awhile. Opportunities, issues & challenges. No current geoscience openings but over time there should be.


A possible niche for you would be advising on purchase of German (or European) mining / drilling equipment or geodata & geo exploration tech & services. If you have GIS computer skills or remote sensing ecperience there are a lot of spread out opportunities in government, business & universities.

[StealthRabbit]

However, I did some research and found out that Colorado is doing rather well economically. Furthermore, Colorado has beautiful landscape which I fell in love with. I also like low population density and a small-town lifestyle. So now I am thinking about just going out there with 4 or 5k saved up and take *some* job to get money going and start looking for an adequate position then. 2 - 3 months MAX, bring $10k or come with a JOB.

I would be perfectly fine doing the environmental sector again, or perhaps development geology or even mining, if that becomes a thing again. I also would love to work for the park services. They do have quite a few national forests in Colorado.

So now my question to you coloradians: Yay or nay? If yay, which cities do you recommend? Especially, which of the cities in the western part have some job opportunities? If the front range, where best to go there?

I really appreciate any input. It would be very valuable to my decision-making process.

It's becoming Pretty clear you have your mind made up.

30 yrs in CO and 10 yrs there in engineering (30+ elsewhere) taught me to look (move) elsewhere, tho I had some friends (US Veterans) who were able to get and retain decent, but not superb CO environmental jobs.

Track where the grads from Colorado School of Mines are going for employment, that will illustrate the job opportunities, and best routes forward. There are plenty of environmental grads who prefer to stay in CO. Hopefully you can join them.

As an American, you certainly know the Geo job opportunities and spectacular beauty / adventure of Northern NM. (certainly rivals CO without the zillion people to share it with) But if you want Colorado, then... say COLORADO ONLY!!! Answers will be more concise than implying that as a recent relocating grad you are open to other options.

Most C-D posters are front range centric, and that is not where the best jobs in your field will be. Nor where you will find THIS "I also like low population density and a small-town lifestyle.".

if a job, 'Colorado beauty (or whatever you fell in love with'), and low population density is the plan, then you certainly can target those few areas that will have jobs. The web will best show you where these positions are I also would love to work for the park services. They do have quite a few national forests in Colorado. as well as contract services in Geo Development.

My experience in engineering fields is that the good jobs go to insiders, lots of pressure on the few jobs in Colorado, and people will work for less money to stay there. Thus many of my CO Eng Grads went to WY, AK, SD, ND and international assignments. Most would work ~10 yrs at 2-3x the wage and 'retire' to WY or SD. (no income tax, nice terrain).

[townshend]

Chance of working for the park service are slim to none. Seriously, many Americans are outdoor types who would love to have those jobs. Many governmental jobs are being phased out as part of "austerity".

If you haven't lived in the U.S. in the last six to eight months, then you don't know what's going on. Yes, you can read about the U.S. in overseas news, but it's not the same as understanding what is going on here.

I am e-mailed regularly by a German friend (we used to work together twenty years ago). She is native German, returned to Germany about 15 years ago, and is happily remarried and enjoying Germany. One of our most recent e-mail exchanges was about the riots in Hamburg inspired by the G20 meeting. She concurs that Germany has its problems but she is happy to be there and not here (esp. in light of the current situation in the U.S.). I don't want to discuss politics either, but it has a bearing only almost every dimension of our lives. C'est la vie . . .

I suspect you don't really understand U.S. healthcare. If you had insurance as a student or through a company, then you may not be acquainted with ACA. At present, everything is uncertain. We Americans don't know U.S. healthcare anymore. ACA may be repealed; it may not. It may have a replacement; or it may not. Do you know how much the deductible is for a "silver" plan is on ACA?

Finally, you may not make as much money in Germany because of the cost of social benefits and universal healthcare, etc. But that doesn't mean your dollar goes further in the U.S. Sorry, don't mean to be preachy . . .

[pikabike]

Arriving in CO with no job secured and only 4 to 5k in savings is a baaaaad idea. Where the jobs are, your rent could be a third of that for one month alone.

Get the job first.