semiretired and moving to VA Beach question (Norfolk, Newport News: 2014, house)

[JWnova]

We are a couple in mid-late fifties now living in hectic and pricey northern VA just outside DC. Already own a home in a VA beach coastal community and we are planning to move down around next Spring (2014). That house is paid for and we are in pretty good shape for later on full retirement time. We still have to work at least until social security kicks in because of living expences and healthcare. We are not complete strangers to the VA beach area. Have been going there for the last 30 or so years. My question is for now will we be able to find some kind of job making $35,000 +- and have health care through the employer? I know this is a wide open question and depends on many factors. Just looking for very general information. Any other advice would be appreciated. THX

[randomlikeme]

I guess it would probably help if I knew what you guys did. Mostly, the jobs here center around the military, government, trades like welding/pipe fitting, tourism, and call centers! I think if you're getting a job for that amount of money and health benefits, Geico usually starts people around $15/hour. From what I have heard from some people, the environment there is not-so-good.... so I guess my piece of advice is if you really want to get down to this area, be willing to do anything at first. When my dad moved down here, he took a job as a special education teacher's assistant even though he had been a high school accounting teacher for 30 years prior to that.

I worked in an entry level finance position and I worked with a lady with 20 years of experience at my last employer. There's just a lot of competition around here, I think. With that said, you can find something in your parameters as long as you keep an open mind.

[JWnova]

Thanks for the reply. For the most part one of us in HR and recruiting the other in commercial and residential building business 30 + years ea.. Hands on to executive positions. We both have had enough of those businesses and would not mind a change. But not completely opposed to similar work ether.
Yes we have thought we may have to take anything at first if we cannot find what we want. Thanks for the Geico idea.
You have confirmed what we were pretty much thinking.

[TN Lily]

I live in Newport News. My sense is that the job market in the Hampton Roads region is bad unless you are military or have a skill that a defense contractor can use. Outside of these fields, if you find a job, it often does not pay well. I live near a call center that employs lots of people. But that is not a job I would want.

I have heard this from many different folks. When my husband's employer hired a secretary to work with him, there were well over 100 applications including several folks with MBAs and folks willing to drive from Norfolk and other places on the other side the water.

A friend leaving the area for Chicago has an masters degree in the human resources field and had a part-time job at ODU. She could not find a full-time job in her field.

Good luck.

[JWnova]

Thanks for your prospective. A call center would not be my top pick but we are flexible.The jobs that you say do not pay well. What range do you mean? We're looking for 35,000 +- annual each.. I know your area does not pay the same as the Metro DC area but 35 does not seam like that much to me even in the hampton-roads area. Am I wrong? We don't intend to target jobs that would attract large numbers of applicants. At this point we are not looking for a new career or extencion of our current careers just something to pay some bills etc.. for a while. THX

[randomlikeme]

Honestly, I don't have a master's degree. just a bachelor's. and i have never applied for a secretary positions and the secretaries where i have worked did not have master's degrees, maybe one of them had an associates and another working towards her bachelor's. i worked in a call center environment (not taking calls but in a call center) for two years as my first office job. not ideal but i had a degree and no experience. that case above sounds extreme like there may be other perks to that position or like there'd be a foot in the door to go somewhere else.

I never had a problem finding a full time job in my non-military, non-defense, non-tourism field since 2009 when i got my first post-graduation job. And I don't have an MBA.

To me, it seems like they have enough experience in their respective fields, have a long employment history showing they work hard, and should be able to get into something in the 35K range just to pay the bills.

[JWnova]

thanks for the follow up randomlikeme. we appreciate your time and assistance in answering our questions.