Hows the economy? (houses, job market, construction)

[No One Actually]

I was wondering how the job market was out there. I'm considering relocation. I need a home and NY ain't it.

[kani-lehua]

depends on what kind of field you are in. hawai'i has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.

[sjchan8168]

Wait, just out of curiosity, was there an error with dates on the server or did lior really respond about 1 year after posting? Not that it makes a difference.

But I was wondering, could Hawaii have such a low unemployment rate because everyone finds a job before moving there and thus skewing the statistics a bit?

[hotzcatz]

I think Lior responded to a year old post. A year ago the unemployment rate wasn't too bad but this past year the employment has really cratered. The two airlines left last spring, tourism dropped by thirty to forty percent, construction has been shedding jobs like crazy, businesses have been closing left and right, the ones still in business have hiring freezes, the health care shed a lot of folks and the DOE is shedding folks as well. There have been a lot of folks moving to the mainland to look for work, there's homeless people who used to livein houses and have jobs this time last year, etc.

If anything, our unemployment numbers are skewed since many folks move to the mainland when they lose their job here and apply for unemployment benefits there so they don't show up on our numbers here. We also have a lot of folks working three jobs to survive so when they lose one, they are still employed but just not making enough money to pay all their bills.

[Lopaka]

Originally Posted by No One Actually

I was wondering how the job market was out there. I'm considering relocation. I need a home and NY ain't it.

To be honest, we have too many people here. When the economy gets a lot worse, you're probably not gonna want to be here. I'd find some place with a lot of farm land that can grow their own food.

[Mar0]

Here in Kauai, I have many friends that have gotten laid off and it is nearly impossible for them to find a job. Companies everywhere are laying off and cutting hours. I would not advise anyone to move here unless they had a job already set up.

[KonaKat]

a job lined up with a contract in writing, that is!! I know 2 or 3 people that have come to Big Island on a "promise" only to get here and be told "oh sorry, no job after all".

[PalmSpringsDan]

Would you guys say that more people are leaving Hawai'i now than has been the case in the past few years?

I mean, if theres less work, generally people leave to find work elsewhere....

[kani-lehua]

what am i missing here, folks?

who is lior? is that an acronym? someone clue me in.

post #2, from me, was a year ago and the content accurate then. refer to hotzcatz's post for the economy today.

[Osito]

In this economy, anybody had better have a job lined up before they move. Scary times I tell ya.