mixed messages on Michigan/Detroit forum?

[khfar]

Originally Posted by scottmi

There are a few reasons why companies want out of state people - especially ones from far away who don't much about Michigan:

1) In a business, if you're struggling or attempting to do something new---employers sometimes think that by bringing in "new blood" from prospering parts of the country will somehow magically make their business grow as well. It's completely stupid and yet I believe it to be true.

2) Businesses can offer out of state people lower salaries because hey, these foreign folk don't know about the cost of living in Michigan! They have some clue, but it's much easier to convince some non-resident that $40k is a good salary for MI since the cost of living is lower than to pay a current MI resident who perhaps knows that $50k is the bare minimum one should be making in that particular field in that particular area.

3) By bringing in people from far away, companies are sortof banking on the idea that once they're here, they have to stay with them for a long time. Most people don't have the ability to up and move all their belongings twice in a year, so professions and salaries can be easily baited and switched (Sales commissions can be changed, what can you do?, benefits could be changed? What can you do? Salary/Title can be changed, what can you do?). Basically, be very certain your company will insure your employment, pay and expected standard of living for at least a year if you're moving here. Otherwise, the place could close up shop or fire you in 3 months and here you are, stuck in Michigan with the rest of us, writing on City-Data.com.


One hopeful thing for Michigan people though is that the same will apply to you if you ever want to move to another state so I suggest relocating, if you can.

This is all assuming that the person relocating to MI is a complete idiot who doesn't do their homework.

Michigan would not have been our first choice, as I've said before. But we did a lot of homework on the state, and my husband had quite a few meetings with his corporate office and his future boss, ensuring that his salary would be able to give us a better lifestyle than we had in TX. I mean, a promotion SHOULD give you a better lifestyle, right?

And I don't feel like he was tricked into moving here by his company. Everyone that moves up in his company eventually has to move. And there are a LOT of places we could have gone, that would have been much worse (IMO) than Michigan! The good news is, that when he's ready to move on again (likely in 3 or 4 years), the company will buy our house back from us.

Not trying to bash what you said. It does make sense, and I'm sure it does happen to people. Just not everyone!

[scottmi]

^^^ Very true, not every case is the same... I'm glad you and your husband know what to look out for.

[virgokid1]

i used to hate Michigan, because I got laid off from a Ford-supplier (cad-related) not once, but TWICE. I went back to college (still in university) for more advanced studies and hope that my learning pays off. To be quite honest, I do NOT hate Michigan anymore. Having lived in many states including California (I was actually born there) recently, I have discovered that Michigan offers many things the SoCal (southern california) does not. Including: Incredibly lower cost of living (large spaces and land AND GREENERY for a lot less), down-to-earth social life for the most part, LOTS of lakes to visit or even live near, Snow if you like x-country skiing or snowboarding, and the gift of being able to go "Up North" anytime you damn well please. So yeah, I think Michigan will certainly have to import lots of new R&D and technology based companies here. Not necessarily auto related, but world-class nevertheless. People who hate Michigan, please try to find some goodness here.. Sure it's not San Diego or Austin or Miami, but it does have some very pleasing, satisfying characteristics as well. I recently took a nice trip out west (western michigan) and found it to be incredibly soothing staring out at Lake Michigan during the sunset. I never found that kind of relaxation even at Pacific Beach in San Diego. Far too materialistic, ego-centric and shallow down there. I could use more sushi and Indian buffets here though.

[Sijuki]

I love Michigan...
Although some people are doing well in Michigan, many are not. It's not a mere situation of whining, it's cold hard truth for many people. Everything they worked for, lost, because of major downsizing. I lost two jobs because of auto downsizing, and took a retail job with decent pay with a plan of completing a different degree, but the hours there have been drastically cut also. Watch some neighborhoods turn into ghosttowns practically with people moving out of state and turning their houses over to the bank. $110k houses 2 years ago going for $45k in bank sell offs. Is everything bad. No. If you can get a great job, you will be doing great. My parents both work in the medical field and make good money. Although they both still know they run a risk of losing their job through funding cuts in the ever changing healthcare industry. But they are able to plan ahead for such drastic changes.

All is not bad, but for those on the bottom the crunch is terrible. For those with a better situation, it can easily be weathered, and quite frankly those people are needed so we can weather it here. I however am leaving the state to find greener pastures for the time being. Find work, finish my degree, and move on.

[codezilla]

Originally Posted by bryan61

Torrid has a good attitude, you will make a fine yooper. The UP is an absolutely gorgeous place to live ... If ya find decent paying work you can live like a king.

Or a queen, as in "Dairy Queen", as in you may turn into a frozen custard after one winter up there...

[codezilla]

> more sushi and Indian buffets

Orchard Lake @ 12 mile, lots to pick from.

[Torrid]

Originally Posted by codezilla

Or a queen, as in "Dairy Queen", as in you may turn into a frozen custard after one winter up there...

LOL....That's what coats and mittens and boots and extra undies are for. Anyplace I've ever lived was never warm in the winter so, I think I can handle it pretty well. Thanx so much for being concerned for me though.

Truly yours,
The Dairy Queen LOL!!!

[zakian]

Originally Posted by jeffncandace

This post is pretty much right on, IMO.

I just moved here a year ago from California. We live in Royal Oak, just outside of Detroit (4 miles). I flew out here a month before we moved to do a little legwork on setting up our house and interviewing for a job. I flew back to California with 3 job offers.

Recently my wife and I have decided to switch places. Of the 2 of us she has a degree and I don't. We have 3 young children so due to child care costs and issues 1 of us have to stay home. Anywho, she started looking for a job 2 weeks ago.

She starts her new job next week on the 7th. She will be making considerably more $$ than I and I will be going to school starting in the winter semester.

Granted, we are white collar and don't work in manufacturing. But I think we are proof that not EVERYONE and EVERY field are suffering in Michigan. Things will work out eventually for the entire state, I think, even if things might get worse before they get better. It will still happen!

And yes, over here in the "Detroit" corner of Michigan, there are still some very nice places! And while it might seem to Michiganders that it's comparativally more expensive here, trust me, compared to Cali it's a bargain!

Well you moved here and it worked out for you, good. As a born and raised Michiganian I can tell you this state is dieing. It started with Coleman Young, now it's the gov' Granholm. She's looking into jumping to the the Supreme court as we speak.She doesn't have the answers. I was in real estate in the 70's when the economy died. It never recovered and it wont.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by zakian

Well you moved here and it worked out for you, good. As a born and raised Michiganian I can tell you this state is dieing. It started with Coleman Young, now it's the gov' Granholm. She's looking into jumping to the the Supreme court as we speak.She doesn't have the answers. I was in real estate in the 70's when the economy died. It never recovered and it wont.

"never" recovered? That's funny, we had a home built in 1999 and sold it three years later for 30% more than we paid. I know a lot of people who have made out well in real estate in Michigan. My parents live in a small ranch that they bought in 1969 for about $15,000. I can guarantee it is worth far more than that today, even in a down market. Similar homes have sold in their neighborhood just recently for $150 - $160K.

P.S. dieing is spelled d..y...i...n...g.