Want to move to Maine but not sure about job situation. Need opinions (Eastport: fit in, how much)

[Livefree4]

I was a little scared by several posts from people who want to move out of ME because of the job situation. It sounds like HR people only want to hire locas and it is very tough to get in if you are out of state. Someone even suggested to open up a PO Box in ME and get a local cell number in order to have better chances of getting a job. I also checked some of the job posts in Maine and I am not sure if I can make the same amount of money I am making here. I'm in Bank Operations and Systems Support. I do not want to go back to being a customer service or a teller. I have a 4 yr dgree and would not like to regress.


Maybe I am just scared of change even though I really need it.

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by Livefree4

I was a little scared by several posts from people who want to move out of ME because of the job situation. It sounds like HR people only want to hire locas and it is very tough to get in if you are out of state. Someone even suggested to open up a PO Box in ME and get a local cell number in order to have better chances of getting a job. I also checked some of the job posts in Maine and I am not sure if I can make the same amount of money I am making here. I'm in Bank Operations and Systems Support. I do not want to go back to being a customer service or a teller. I have a 4 yr dgree and would not like to regres

Maybe I am just scared of change even though I really need it.

And why is it that you "really need (change)"? If you really need change, I think you have everything that you need to come to Maine and make it work

The website and small business will give you a continuing opportunity to sell your knitwear on line, and you will probably be able to connect with people who do what you do, and to market locally throughout the state as well as on the Internet.

As far as getting a "straight" job and making the same money as you can make in New Jersey, I will say that it is doubtful. You may or may not be able to get a position in IT within the banking industry, but unless you are HERE and on the ground trying to find out, I think it is unlikely.

Here is some other information that you need to know:

1) Maine is almost four times the size of New Jersey.
2) New Jersey has almost seven times as many people as Maine.
3) New Jersey's average percapita income is more than twice that of Maine.

All of this may be much more important to you if you have children. IF you do not have children, or even if you do, it may not make any difference at all.

But you need to spend time up here in order to find out.

[bvet4dog]

its true some familys are moving out of maine. The economy is so poor and still goes down hill. My mother and i are considering about going to Arizona for a lil while. Jobs not so great there but cost of living is lower plus Maine taxes going up, the cost of living is going up. My mother still owes 2k from last yer heat. Yeah i know right? My mother is a hard worker at heart and she has worked all her life out, yet life is still tough.

You need to be seriously thinking about it. Moving up here for a better job would be a joke (for the IT part). You probably would be better off in Washington dc or new york. Where there is more greens. Plus there are numerous of jobs you can take.

on the side note, majority of the people who lives here, are in the service. And the services take care of them in maine. I can say about maybe more than 3/4 of my friends, family relatives are in the service.

anyways, all i was saying that it's tough up here. You'll die in the cold if you mess up.

[diablogun]

I live in AZ; stay in Maine, unless you like boiling heat, dust, and almost no water :-)

[dmyankee]

I have a branch manager who has no college degree whatsoever. She has a couple of BA's working the teller line. The COL vs. the pay will probably blow your mind.

[bbb3601]

I constantly hear about being from away. I live in Ohio now, and we have lotsa small towns dotted through out our state. When we visit family we always get that "where you all from I have never seen you" I just smile and tell them Columbus! From my two trips to Maine I liken most of the people I have met to Southern Ohio folks(no offense mainers) simple people just trying to make their way in life. I also think our people are similar as far as work ethic. I was taught at an early age the value of a dollar. My Father's family grew up poor and worked for what little they ever had. His father taught him you work. 1 you pay god. 2 You save. 3 You pay debt. 4 you eat. In that exact order! Those value's have been passed along and I have never wanted. People relocating in or out of state will always need to reaclimate to their new surrounding's ,and learn how to fit in. When my wife and I purchased our first home no one spoke to us for two years. It was an area where everyone know' everybody and they didn't take to young outsiders. Then one Jan morning our neighbor was stuck in his driveway and I shoveled him out making myself late to work. After that we wasn't from away...we were neighbor's,friends, and even though we moved they still send Christmas card's. Our new house warming gift from them...you guessed it a snow blower. One chance to make a long overdue first impression. Just work hard..make yourself happy, and the rest will take care of itself.

[corgis]

I'm not sure how to take your words about Southern Ohio - I live in West Virginia as well as in Eastport, Maine and I find folks from Maine to be warm, hospitable, caring and generous as long as your don't push your own values on them. Southern Ohio and WV is an entirely different matter. You can push your own agenda on those southern folks and they will most probably laugh at you.

Please don't lump the good people of Maine with Southern Ohio, that's so not fair and there is absolutely no resemblance.

Oh! and it's not 'you all' - it's ya'll

[bbb3601]

Originally Posted by corgis

I'm not sure how to take your words about Southern Ohio - I live in West Virginia as well as in Eastport, Maine and I find folks from Maine to be warm, hospitable, caring and generous as long as your don't push your own values on them. Southern Ohio and WV is an entirely different matter. You can push your own agenda on those southern folks and they will most probably laugh at you.

Please don't lump the good people of Maine with Southern Ohio, that's so not fair and there is absolutely no resemblance.

Oh! and it's not 'you all' - it's ya'll

I don't feel the need to justify my Southern roots, and I never mentioned WV. My point was while I live in Columbus, Ohio I also have a small home in Vinton County Ohio. If you know anything about that area it "don't get no more down home than that." As I stated during my trip to your fine state of Maine I found the people to be as pleasant as I expected. New people new area same response no matter where you are from. The point was it is our duty as new residents to find where we fit in not the other way around. I compared the hardworking Southern Ohio people I know to the hundered's of threads I have read on this board about Mainer's. Growing, and shooting your own food. Taking care of your own. Checking up on you neighbor...helping him put on a roof. Preparing food when a family member passes. Dealing with the foundry's, and mines shutting down and hanging a small town out to dry.I could go on and on. I didn't know this behavior and lifestyle was only found in Maine. When I visited I spoke for two hours in a little diner to a complete stranger about Deer hunting in Ohio, and how it compared to Moose in Maine. We also talked about our grandparents(his parents) living through the great depression, and all of the life lessons learned. As my family and I drove away my wife said "Wow..for a minute I thought we were in the hills." That is not a dig on Mainer's. That is a compliment. I am proud of my past, and the kind of person I am. I am sorry I made reference to a group of hardworking people i know to current Mainers. Oh and just so you know maybe WV people laugh if you push agenda's on them. But we hillbilly truck driving three dog havin red necks get out pappy's old Remington with Double00.

[Livefree4]

Originally Posted by bbb3601

I don't feel the need to justify my Southern roots, and I never mentioned WV. My point was while I live in Columbus, Ohio I also have a small home in Vinton County Ohio. If you know anything about that area it "don't get no more down home than that." As I stated during my trip to your fine state of Maine I found the people to be as pleasant as I expected. New people new area same response no matter where you are from. The point was it is our duty as new residents to find where we fit in not the other way around. I compared the hardworking Southern Ohio people I know to the hundered's of threads I have read on this board about Mainer's. Growing, and shooting your own food. Taking care of your own. Checking up on you neighbor...helping him put on a roof. Preparing food when a family member passes. Dealing with the foundry's, and mines shutting down and hanging a small town out to dry.I could go on and on. I didn't know this behavior and lifestyle was only found in Maine. When I visited I spoke for two hours in a little diner to a complete stranger about Deer hunting in Ohio, and how it compared to Moose in Maine. We also talked about our grandparents(his parents) living through the great depression, and all of the life lessons learned. As my family and I drove away my wife said "Wow..for a minute I thought we were in the hills." That is not a dig on Mainer's. That is a compliment. .

I thank you everybody SO much for helping us see that people in Maine are very firendly. There is no need to fight about who's heritage and mentality is better.
I absolutely appreciate all the feedback I got from today.

I am not sure, however, if we can afford living in Maine. So far I have been staying home with kids and working a flexible part time schedule. I do about 13-20 hrs a week and it gives us extra 1K or so a months. That's a big help. My husband works full time and on his days off -- that's when I work and he watches kids. We haven't seen weekends together in a long long time. We have been getting tired of our tight busy schedule. Also, many NJ people have snobby attitudes and that was a big reason why we wanted to move. After hearing at the playground my kid talking to other kids about housing. Other kids were telling him about having a bigger house and stuff like that. I wonder, where do they get that info. It must be parents disscussing it at home, who has what, and how much. I don't believe in having 5 yr olds discussing property size and amounts of money their parents make. That's just not right -- but around here it seems to be normal. Poeple are obsessed with status.
We wanted more slower pace life and were visiting Maine couple of weeks ago. I love it in ME, however, looking through job postings makes me sad knowing that maybe we should look somewhere else.
Maybe someone can convince me otherwise. I am just not sure.

[mollysmiles]

livefree, try not to get too discouraged. It is hard when you aren't here to see the whole picture. There is one thing I can tell you for certain and in all honestly--if you aren't incredibly picky about what you do for work, you will have no problem finding a job. Everyone I know who truly wants to work is working. You may not be able to get exactly what you'd like for work right away, but I believe you can find something to help make ends meet. I visited your website, and I think you'd do well with that here. A friend of mine opened a shop not far away from me, also has a online store, and she works with fleece. She's doing very well--- so much here is word of mouth, and that would be to your advantage as well. Do your homework and write down what you learn--over time your path will become clear