[MJimLay]

I am a 24 year old single male with no kids and have been living in the Pensacola area my entire life.

I've never had much luck with the job market here and always found it tough to even get an interview. I was able to land my dream job between 2006-2008 as a IT Professional (Help Desk/User Support) and made decent money, but the company downsized and outsourced and I was laid off in June of last year and haven't been able to find a job until July of this year. During that time of unemployment, I must have applied for 120+ jobs in person and online and was never able to land a job, I applied from everything from Wal-Mart/McDonalds to IT and got no where. I have been pushed into bankruptcy because of this and have lost pretty much everything except my home. Thankfully, I am working now but I am not making near as much as I did in IT and I am working in a Call Center, which I completely hate. I can tell that this job isn't going to work out as I have already failed two of my three QA's and am getting much too stressed as I am not a customer service/people person. I think it would only be a matter of time before they eventually let me go.

I also feel like I am limited in Pensacola. It's a smaller town and everyone knows everyone and we also have a "good ol' boy system" here as well which really stinks. I never had many friends here and never had much luck with relationships either as most people here seem to just want a booty call and nothing serious.

This city appears to be falling apart. The Zoo has closed down, One of the big malls closed down, christmas lights downtown are no longer going to be put up anymore, christmas at st. anns is gone, and the st. anns round up is also gone. The Pensacola Ice Pilots also left, and companies are moving away. Pensacola's population has also been shrinking. Pensacola's mayor left to go to another city in North Carolina, and several other city leaders have also left and the local media state that they are "leaving a sinking ship"

I don't have any cousins here anymore as they have all moved away and the only people left is my grandparents (retired) and my mom who won't leave because of my grandparents. I also have an uncle here who hates it and wants to move but hasn't because he is getting close to retirement at his company. I also have another aunt here, but she has went into bankrupt due to the job market here and is planning on moving up north to be with her boyfriend. There isn't many of us left here

Is it time to leave this "sinking ship"? I don't have a good feeling about my job right now and don't want to go another year trying to find something (In 2005 I was looking for a job when the economy was decent and it took me over 8 months to find something, it's always been bad here)

I want to move, but I can't bring myself to leaving my mom and grandparents... but I don't know how I can make a living here either.. IT is my passion... Career Builder shows 10 job listings in IT.... Atlanta shows 550 job listings, Houston shows 300+, Columbus shows 300.... It sucks

[RVlover]

It sure sounds like now might be a good time to move to a much larger city for better job. Moderator cut: Off Topic

[beachmouse]

If not being too far from remaining family is a concern, I'd widen the job net to Mobile, FWB, and the eastern part of the MGC. Mobile's got the steel plant and possibly the tanker project in the works, and they'll need some IT types for those projects. FWB has a surprising number of tech positions, and with MS you might be able to hook up with a job in the back office of the casinos. Also, check USAjobs.com. A lot of the military jobs only show up there, and the pay and bennies can be quite good.

[MJimLay]

Originally Posted by beachmouse

If not being too far from remaining family is a concern, I'd widen the job net to Mobile, FWB, and the eastern part of the MGC. Mobile's got the steel plant and possibly the tanker project in the works, and they'll need some IT types for those projects. FWB has a surprising number of tech positions, and with MS you might be able to hook up with a job in the back office of the casinos. Also, check USAjobs.com. A lot of the military jobs only show up there, and the pay and bennies can be quite good.

Most of those type of IT jobs would be contract and on a as needed basis... meaning, you'd only get called when something breaks or they need something upgraded/replaced. They very rarely keep an IT staff on site 24/7. As for Fort Walton, I checked a job site and there are only 14 jobs listed... more than Pensacola, but still limited and most of the jobs were networking/programming which is over my head. I'm looking for Help Desk/User Support/Tech type jobs. I did find a Computer Tech listing on USAJobs but it appears to be for the Army or Navy and I already know I would need clearance, which I can't get. A year ago I was thinking of joining the Navy, but due to my credit history (bankruptcy) they will not give me clearance to work on computers. That makes my job search pretty limited in a area that has a lot of military bases.

I would love to stay here near family, but I just don't think it's going to be possible. I wouldn't mind switching careers, but not sure what I would be interested in going into and the jobs here pay very little.

[Fyrecat]

Hi Jim,
Don't get discouraged! I would suggest expanding your horizons. I would definately look into relocating to other places. We are trying to move to Fl from NY. My husbands a chef, and work for chefs here in basically non existant. He's had better offers South of the Mason Dixon.
I would suggest considering going to one of the online search engines and plug in what you do, and then seeing what comes up.
Would you want to keep doing what you do? Do you like it? Would you want to go back to school for something else?
I would try hospitals. Here they are always looking for IT people.

All the best, whatever you do!

Fyrecat

[johnnyboy2008]

Sounds like it would do you good to find a new change of scenery. It really helps. You can always move back when the economy improves. The job market stinks everywhere but major cities like atlanta, nashville and birmingham should rebound first.
I lived in atlanta for 40 years and I was just totally sick of it. I moved to nashville for 3 years and now am in the daytona area for 2 years. Soon as I got out of atlanta I felt much better...it was so refreshing to be in a new city.

good luck and hang in there...things are very much worse in other countries

[MJimLay]

Originally Posted by johnnyboy2008

Sounds like it would do you good to find a new change of scenery. It really helps. You can always move back when the economy improves. The job market stinks everywhere but major cities like atlanta, nashville and birmingham should rebound first.
I lived in atlanta for 40 years and I was just totally sick of it. I moved to nashville for 3 years and now am in the daytona area for 2 years. Soon as I got out of atlanta I felt much better...it was so refreshing to be in a new city.

good luck and hang in there...things are very much worse in other countries

Yeah. I'm so torn as what to do. I am very close to my mom and grandparents and I think it would kill me to move away. The beaches are also very beautiful and I love the nature (tall pine trees, oak trees, Spanish moss, etc) I love the blue angels, they fly over my home during their practice on thursday mornings as I am just around the corner from NAS. I live in a questionable neighborhood, but for the most part it's pretty and in a wonderful location... only moments from downtown and just minutes from my grandparents house... and walking distance from wal-mart and target. We also have some nice resturents and stores here, but they tend to be pretty expensive due to it being a tourist area.

On the other hand, I find Pensacola very depressing... it has a lot of run down areas and empty homes, also a lot of run down mobile homes all over the place. Pensacola also has one of the highest crime rates in florida and there are times where I don't always feel safe in this city. This place is very confusing... You'll have a brand new home next to a run down trailer that's 40 years old... the zoning here is bad. There are no jobs and the jobs that are here only pay min wage which is why most of the city is run down outside of downtown and the beach. We also have the worst air quality in florida due to the companies we have nearby. The Milton/Pace area to me is complete trash... I work in Milton and I find it so depressing just driving to work as I drive by a lot of empty buildings and run down homes.

I don't mean to be complaining... I am just so torn as what to do. I've never moved away from home before and always been near my mom or grandparents. I really couldn't picture my life without them in it. However, thanks to technology, I could use webcam/skype with my family to keep in touch.

I don't know. I feel like I am stuck in a rut here and not going to get anywhere. I don't have any friends that I hang out with, haven't had luck with relationships. I really want to start my life and fine someone to settle down with, but it seems that the only thing the ladies in this town have on their mind is having flings with military guys, or sitting on the beach watching them and hitting up the local (and only) club we have downtown.

It's such a sleepy and boring rut here for me I never felt like I fitted in much here.

[Fyrecat]

Well, this is a tough one.
Firstly, let me tell you I understand. I lived in England at one point for a year, and didn't have any family there. It was rather lonely. However, this was pre 'net' (a long time ago, I know! ).
There are areas closeby you could look into? What about jobs with any of the local colleges? If you moved to Birmingham, Al, there are opportunities there, and I would, if I were you, consider perhaps even the Tampa, Fl area. Beaches that are nice, and you wouldn't be terribly far from your family.
You also are young, and have some options. You could go back to college, and learn something different, or add onto what you know. That would help you in the long run.
There are alot of bases there...would a job there be absolutely out of the question?
It sounds as though you're in need of change.

My mom had been in poor health the past year. She passed in April. I miss her a great deal. However, the worry I had about leaving her is not there. My husband's family is in the Moss Point, Ms, area, and nearby. I know he'd love to be there, closer to his daughter-my step daughter.

Believe me, sometimes change, even though painful, is good. A change of scenery can be wonderful.

All the best and lots of good energy, no matter what you choose.

Fyre

[CLTKing]

You have to get out of Pensacola. Even if your parents live there and don't want to move, you have to make your own life and look for yourself. I think Atlanta would be a good change for you. Big city, lots of IT jobs, and not too far from Pensacola. You can always drive down a few hours each weekend and see them. Good luck.

[DailyJournalist]

Move to Atlanta ASAP