Impossible to find a good job! (Omaha, Lincoln: 2010, transfer to, private schools)

[star_gazer]

I can't imagine not being able to find a job in Omaha... although I'm in the IT sector, which probably has more demand. Check http://www.careerlink.org if you haven't already. We have a very low unemployment rate in Omaha, so it should be a 'employee market'.

[jskab]

The problem is not in finding jobs. There are plenty of bogus job openings. It's in getting the employers to drop their laundry lists of 100+ qualifications to get them. You have to be an exact replica of what they want or they won't talk to you. Omaha employers finally end up bringing in people at entry level, get them experience, and lay them off after they set up roots in Omaha, paying out severance to keep people from suing. Then, there's no place for the experienced workers in the job market in Omaha anymore. I've seen it happen a lot.

[star_gazer]

Well obviously they need to hire someone at some point. Either that means they give up looking for the so-called list of 100+ qualifications and settle on someone... or they never hire anyone. It sounds like you may either need to beef up your resume... or lower your expectations.

And what would the point be in bringing in inexperienced people, investing the time/resources to get them trained... and then turn around and get rid of them? That makes no sense whatsoever.

Omaha has among the lowest unemployment rates in the nation... it's a job seeker's market. Couple that with a diverse economy with everything from insurance, banking and finance to transportation and information technology... there's something for everyone available.

[jskab]

Except for the comments about beefing up my resume or lowering my expectations, ditto on your message. I am quite unassumiing as to expectations. I also have several excellent accomplishments, my resume has been reviewed by others and found to be quite good. In fact, I am currently working at one of the 3 places that offered me a job in another city. Being apart from my spouse is not what I had in mind when I took this job, but the housing market in Omaha is poor also, for sellers at least. One of the things I've seen involves bogus positions posted to generate resume receipt, just in case the right person happens to fall into their laps. At other times, they train, train, train, then layoff. What's the point in that? Yet, that is exactly what some employers in my field are doing.

I don't blame you for being skeptical, though. Unless you've been through it, it is really hard to believe.

[star_gazer]

I don't blame you for being skeptical, though. Unless you've been through it, it is really hard to believe.

I'm not skeptical of your situation... just not ready to generalize the job picture in Omaha based on the experience of one person. Sorry to hear your having a rough time of it.

And by the way, in case you hadn't heard, the housing market across the entire US is down right now. This is definitely not a good time to be selling your home (not to speak of the season alone).

[western Nebraska]

You think life is hard in the great "Cities" of Nebraska try living out here in the boonies...and for not being able to able to get out you are sooo right!! but at least we have less humidity and less PEOPLE out here ahahahah

[western Nebraska]

Originally Posted by ehenningsen

if you dont present yourself in a positive way, it is going to be more difficult to win a position, part of the interview is selling yourself in a positive way...

Your attitude could be a big problem for you!! I don't necessarily like where I live but I can't afford to otherwise so I at least make the most out of it!!

[star_gazer]

and for not being able to able to get out you are sooo right!!

I don't necessarily like where I live but I can't afford to otherwise

Well I'll assume you really don't WANT to get out western Nebraska (ala the lower humidity and fewer people)... because all you'd really need to relocate to Omaha or Lincoln (or most any larger midwestern town/city for that matter)... would be a deposit on an apartment (assuming you're not already in a home you could transfer equity from) and a call center job paying $12-15/hour... then work your way up from there.

[someguyfromnebraska]

Now I'm not really a big fan of Omaha, I absolutely love living in western NE. However I find it hard to believe that anyone can't find a job in Omaha. They have more jobs than they know what to do with. Maybe you should work on your interviewing skills, and rember that sometimes, most of the time one has to work their way up to the position they want. I live in a University town and you should see all the 4 yr degrees we got workin at McDonalds!!! They still can't ever get your burger right though. Sometimes you just have to choose the town you want, or the job you want, if your patient and work hard you may likely get both though. That is the prob with this instant gratification society we live in now patience is no longer a virtue.

[MattDen]

People can sell themselves positively but what is the jobs just arent there?
Omaha payroll growth (Bureau of Labor statistics)
1998 3.3%
1999 2.3%
2000 2.2%
2001 0.2%
2002 -1.3%
2003 1.1%
2004 0.1%
2005 1.5%
2006 1.4%

Omaha has gained 12,800 jobs from June 2000 to December 2006 (6.5 years)
Omaha gained 80,100 jobs from January 1994 to June 2000

-2,400 business payroll jobs lost since October 2003
+5,500 leisure and hospitality jobs gained since October 2003


I dont understand why peopel want to sell themselves to a Nebraskan, when they will be rewarded much more handily if they pick a more economically successful city like Minneapolis or Chicago to start or advance their job.

Whats to sell? I mean Omaha has 4 or 5 big old economy employers from when it was a much more economically successful community then it is now. Omaha's economy has been growing very slowly for a 6.5 years now, job growth is 1.4% year to year from December 2005-2006 which is okay.

I think the original poster despite the massive amount of experience and qualifications he had is basically a victim of the rampant Nebraska cliquishness that only wants to hire their small social circle.

Its not him, Its Nebraska. I love talking to the university students and pretty much all of them intend to move this state once they graduate. They dont want to start at a much lower level and with much lower pay then they would in a different city like Minneapolis or Chicago. The only ones staying seem to be the ones who have brainwashed into think a can of soda outside of Nebraska is 10 dollars, which is not the case at all anyone who has lived in different areas of the midwest knows except Minneapolis and Chicago its all about the same cost of living.

I am not an engineer (wish I was smart and mathmatically inclined enough), but I love showing people in this state that an engineer working the for the state makes about the same as a clerical worker in the twin cities.

Also alot of the ones who want to start their own companies want to do so in Colorado, Wyoming or South Dakota because of the lower tax rates.