What's the deal with Pontiac? (Detroit, Troy: violent crime, home, construction)

[docmts2]

I'm looking into job prospects in the Detroit metro area. My profession involves working with the public and it can easily become overly demanding, so I'm looking very carefully into job postings that will give me some personal time to go along with all the responsibility. Anyway, I came across such a position in Pontiac. It appears to pay competitively (six figures), offers good hours and the facilities look pretty good. But the posting for this position has been in effect since October, '07. That suggests to me that something else is going on. Why is it taking so long to fill a six figure position that also offers a decent lifestyle? Is Pontiac that scary of a place? Is this a socioeconomic/class thing? Is it a race thing? Is it a crime thing? Or is it a combination of all of these? What's the deal?

[ranman469]

more than likely a job scam. to good to be true?? well it probly is.

[docmts2]

No. It's ligit! Trust. For this particular profession, there's plenty of jobs like this all over the country. They just get snatched up pretty quickly because of the nice lifestyle.

[dmetro]

I don't think so. While Pontiac is one of the "poorer" cities in Oakland County, it's far from being very dangerous. You shouldn't have a problem there. If I didn't answer your question correctly, my apologies.

[docmts2]

Dmetro, you've answered my question by saying that the community is poor. I'm a family medicine resident who is about to enter a practice in Michigan. For the most part doctors, even new ones, are well-to-do people who are used to a certain lifestyle. Fifty percent of medical school students and medical residents have at least one parent who is also a doctor. For my lack of willingness to use a more marshmellowish term, doctors tend to be snobs. Sure, most will say they're humanitarian and only want to help people but very few of them are willing to work long term in an impoverished community. Instead, what you find are physician's who volunteer a Saturday a month in a free clinic so they can write off the time on their taxes or someone willing to go to Africa or Bangladesh for a month every five years or so.
That job is still open because few doc's want to work there. Well, if you haven't figured it out yet, good for me! That job will remain open and I'm going to take it. I grew up in one of the many American third world communities, right on the southside of Chicago. My step-dad was a construction laborer and my mother an administrative assistant. Bootstraps, baby! I put myself all the way through school and somehow managed to go all the way. And having been a long standing member of the club, I continue to connect very well with poor people. Hell, I'm a resident so technically, I'm still a member of the club :-). Thanks for the insight. That's exciting news for me as I finally finish residency and begin my career. Boy, the power of information!

[dmetro]

Originally Posted by docmts2

Dmetro, you've answered my question by saying that the community is poor. I'm a family medicine resident who is about to enter a practice in Michigan. For the most part doctors, even new ones, are well-to-do people who are used to a certain lifestyle. Fifty percent of medical school students and medical residents have at least one parent who is also a doctor. For my lack of willingness to use a more marshmellowish term, doctors tend to be snobs. Sure, most will say they're humanitarian and only want to help people but very few of them are willing to work long term in an impoverished community. Instead, what you find are physician's who volunteer a Saturday a month in a free clinic so they can write off the time on their taxes or someone willing to go to Africa or Bangladesh for a month every five years or so.
That job is still open because few doc's want to work there. Well, if you haven't figured it out yet, good for me! That job will remain open and I'm going to take it. I grew up in one of the many American third world communities, right on the southside of Chicago. My step-dad was a construction laborer and my mother an administrative assistant. Bootstraps, baby! I put myself all the way through school and somehow managed to go all the way. And having been a long standing member of the club, I continue to connect very well with poor people. Hell, I'm a resident so technically, I'm still a member of the club :-). Thanks for the insight. That's exciting news for me as I finally finish residency and begin my career. Boy, the power of information!

I admire your determination, and welcome to Michigan . By the way, you may not want to live in the city of Pontiac, but it's completely surrounded by a lot of beautiful suburbs with a lot of professionals such as yourself.

[jeffncandace]

Originally Posted by dmetro

I don't think so. While Pontiac is one of the "poorer" cities in Oakland County, it's far from being very dangerous. You shouldn't have a problem there. If I didn't answer your question correctly, my apologies.

I used to think so, but violent crimes are on the rise--I get the Oakland Press. AND, my wife's co-worker lives in Pontiac, and while dropping her off at home last week a drive by happened literally 2 doors away directly in front of my wife!

[sugarbeet]

Maybe the position's been listed for a long time because they haven't found the right person to fill it.

Pontiac is not a prestigious city, but it's also no east side of Detroit, either. I suspect that the job not being filled has nothing to do with its location. Pontiac is the Oakland County seat, so the major county jobs are located there.

You don't have to live in Pontiac and there are several great cities nearby - Bloomifeld, Birmingham, Rochester.

[javaluvsme]

I would not recommend "living" in Pontiac. There are really nice, safer cities that are a small commute in the surrounding area. There is Waterford, Auburn Hills, West Bloomfield, Clarkston etc. All these cities are near Pontiac. Detroit and the suburbs are full of commuters.

[J.Garcia]

You definitely will not want to live there!

Look into Lake Orion, Rochester Hills, Troy, West Bloomfield, Birmingham, Clarkston... Not Pontiac.

Dmetro's statement of Pontiac being far from dangerous is WAY off base.