Best options for employment in Tricities, in my view, please add yours as well (Johnson City: 2015, manufacturing)

[fivekitten]

My boyfriend does lathe/machinist/spot-welding kinda work. He's 57, very detail oriented and accurate but can't put out the numbers as the young kids do (he has to move slow for health/heart reasons) - but he does have far less scrap. He can't (won't) move down here unless he can find a job, but you can imagine how hard it would be for him to find something blue-collar at his age and speed. Anyone know of any places that would hire someone like that? Blue collar metal/machinery/welding work that focus on quality rather than quantity maybe or has a tolerance for older folk? BTW, he has an excellent work ethic and attendance record. Just thought I'd throw that out there and ask, although I imagine such a thing probably doesn't exist!

[paparker21]

The area, much like the rest of the country right now is terrible for most people looking for jobs. There are only very niche openings here and oddly enough, even many with higher education are finding themselves screwed.

Myself, I graduated with a BS In Mechanical Engineering in Dec 08 -- i've sent out numerous resumes, cover letters, and made a ton of followup calls- and i'm still unemployed. I've got a ~3.5 /4.0 average from an accredited, highly respected engineering school and I still can't find anything- not here, not anywhere in the southeast, and nowhere out west that can't get someone local and not pay to relocate them.

Similarly, my electrical engineering buddy (approx the same gpa and from the same school) only JUST NOW has been able to get a job.

My HVAC / electro-mechanical buddy who has 3 certificates from northeast can't even find work here.

[rccrain]

I still see finance related openings fairly often, as well as restaurant/retail management and medical.

Here's what I got in my email this week. I removed the email addresses so the bots don't get them. If you want one, ask, and I'll DM it to you.

(FIN) Full-time and Part-time Tellers, State of Franklin Bank, Johnson City, TN.

(MGT, ENG) Buyer, Columbus McKinnon Corporation, Damascus, VA. Send resume and salary history: Human Resource Manager, Columbus McKinnon Corporation, 22364 Jeb Stuart Highway, Damascus, VA 24236

(MKT) Outside Sales Representative, BISOnline, Piney Flats, TN.

(MKT) Sales Representative, Champion Windows and Coors, Johnson City, TN.

[rccrain]

Another large employer that I have't seen listed is AO Smith (American Water Heater). They employ almost 1,000 in a manufacturing environment in the heart of JC. It's a union job for the line jobs.

[gsp4ever]

Originally Posted by paparker21

Myself, I graduated with a BS In Mechanical Engineering in Dec 08 -- i've sent out numerous resumes, cover letters, and made a ton of followup calls- and i'm still unemployed. I've got a ~3.5 /4.0 average from an accredited, highly respected engineering school and I still can't find anything- not here, not anywhere in the southeast, and nowhere out west that can't get someone local and not pay to relocate them.

Are you reading the Huntsville, AL forum? You should check out the last couple of pages of this thread
Future MDA, NASA, and military job loss

Don't know what specific area of Mechanical Engineering you are interested in but some of the regular posters on that forum are in the know about what is going on in tech sector the Huntsville area. If you are a more traditional age student without a family or a large household to move, then you may be able to relocate to Huntsville without much expense if the company provides limited relo money.

[gregetn]

What about accounting or finance jobs in the area? Are there openings for CPA's?

[rccrain]

Kirk & Fortner, Lewis & Assoc., Blackburn-Childers, Smalley-Forooz, and Dent K Burke are small firms in the area. They usually hire in the fall. PWC has a presence in JC and Kpt, but I don't know if there is an actual physical office. The major base for PWC in this area is in Charlotte.

I occasionally see controller positions that are open. Large corps like Eastman, King Pharma, NFS, and the two health care orgs routinely hire CPAs when times are good. So not as much right now.

There is also a market if you were to go out on your own. If you've got your CPA and a clean background, the should be work available, just downgrade the salary expectations a bit.

[mbmouse]

I have heard an unsubstantiated rumor that Temken is coming to Elizabethton and plan to hire at least 600 people. Let's hope it is true!

[benrranch]

Originally Posted by rccrain

Another large employer that I have't seen listed is AO Smith (American Water Heater). They employ almost 1,000 in a manufacturing environment in the heart of JC. It's a union job for the line jobs.

From what I was told, AO is only taking hires through a local job agency in JC!

[Ripshin]

The one difficulty I've had, when job searching, is the concept of 'thinking outside the box." If one's resume isn't a cookie-cutter fit, it gets jettisoned. If not by HR, then by a manager who should be able to read between the lines. It's aggravating to be told that you've had a "flawless" interview, and have answered every question perfectly, but that the company has decided to go with "what (we) are familiar with." Another local HR person told me that I should "dumb down my resume." Um, no. As it is, I have kept it simple, to-the-point and low-key. I despise BS resumes, si I can't imagine what that instruction entailed. Interesting times.