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I think that this is generally good advice for anyone considering a move anywhere.
Even in the best of times, even in a "boom town" it is a good idea to do some research and if possible secure employment before pulling up roots and moving the whole family.
From experience the alternative is certainly easier if one is single, or fairly "unencumbered"(i.e. newly married, out of college, no kids, no house, etc) .... but even then there can be a shock if one takes the plunge without doing the research.
I've got a buddy who moved here with his family with some expectations that the job market would be healthier and/or he could start his own business. Unfortunately the economy proved to make that harder to realize, and fortunately for him he was able to keep his current employment after the move. Not everyone is that fortunate.
I don't think anyone can accurately predict how long this downturn will last. A lot of companies are falling. It took years to build them up.
It reminds me what workers at a utility company up North said when there was a major ice storm and people complained about the time it took to restore electricity: "It took 80 years to build the electrical infrastructure, and if we repair it in two weeks, we're doing an incredible job!"
I think the advice in all the previous posts in this thread is excellent.
I've moved around a bit (Army brat) and I LOVED NC (Ft. Bragg!) better than anyplace we ever lived, inc. all over the South, Detroit and Chicago area. Since we're both unemployed now, and I just finished school (again, career change) I see no reason NOT to move to NC. But we're not going anywhere without jobs, that is just plain common sense!! We will have to sell our house, hope we can pay off the mortgage, but I'm so sick of it here and winter's comin' fast.
I live here aabout 40 minutes outside of Charlotte and am thinking about selling my house and renting instead "just in case". I know that if I lose my current full-time job, I will have a hard time finding another one. I figure if I have to move somewhere for work quickly, it's easier to break a lease than it is to sell a house. Now, granted I'm in a small town where the textile industry has collapsed, and the job situation has been rough for several years, it has just worsened over the last years. It's a shame because there are some pretty rural areas around here and the housing is inexpensive.
Most of the transplants to this area that I meet are retiring from the North or from Florida. They have moved here to escape cold winters, congestion, high taxes, etc. But, they don't have to worry about employment and are not bringing industry in with them either.
I believe the job situation all over the country will continue to get worse for the next few years and that people will no longer have the luxury of living wherever they want to, but will have to move around at times for sustained employment.
I'll admit, I moved to Charlotte in 2002 without a job lined up. NC was coming out of recession then too and pickings were thin. But it was just me and a car full of clothes. I took some temp jobs, and landed something full time a year later that matched my skills.
OK, it's a way different story uprooting a family. But a single person that has some savings, and is prepared to spend several months just scratching by, can consider "heading out" and starting a life where they want to, instead of feeling "stuck" in a place they don't like.
Charlotte (and the Triad and Triangle) will certainly climb out of the recession faster than the smaller manufacturing and agricultural towns.
I'll admit, I moved to Charlotte in 2002 without a job lined up. NC was coming out of recession then too and pickings were thin. But it was just me and a car full of clothes. I took some temp jobs, and landed something full time a year later that matched my skills.
OK, it's a way different story uprooting a family. But a single person that has some savings, and is prepared to spend several months just scratching by, can consider "heading out" and starting a life where they want to, instead of feeling "stuck" in a place they don't like.
The recession we are in now is a lot worse than the one in 2001-2002. And it doesn't hep that thousands of other unemployed folks are moving down here with the same idea, all competing for a shrinking number of jobs.
i don't think that ppl are saying that ppl in charlotte are unwelcoming because they're telling them not to move to charlotte without a job.
IMHO there are many other reasons as to why some ppl from outside of charlotte feel a certain way about ppl in charlotte.
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