Moving with no job. (Charlotte, Raleigh: 2009, chapel, house)

[westcoastbabe]

Can someone explain the rationale why people continue to move to North Carolina (as well as other states) with no jobs. I was always taught to have a job "in hand" before making or considering a move. Please explain.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by dscott2009

Can someone explain the rationale why people continue to move to North Carolina (as well as other states) with no jobs. I was always taught to have a job "in hand" before making or considering a move. Please explain.

I wish I could explain it. I have had my hiney jumped on quite a few times in the last six months when I tried to explain to folks saying they were "moving here without a job" that this would be terribly foolhardy as our jobless rate is one of the highest in the nation.

Here are some of the things I have been told:

1. people are living in high dollar areas in the NE and receiving ESC checks, so they want to move here where the expenses are lower (they think) so they can stretch their checks better, while looking for a job here. (I try to tell them - what happens when your check runs out and you still haven't found a job? but everyone seems to get offended that I would suggest that might happen, so I quit asking the question).

2. people have cashed out of their homes in a high dollar area so plan on coming here and paying cash for a house so they can lower their expenses. They seem to just assume one of them is gonna find a job soon - and they always say they have money available to live off for a while. (If I ask - why on earth would you want to TIE yourself to this area when you don't have a job and may find you can't get one even after a year - everyone tells me I am being negative and they say things like I am a hater, or must not want the competition, etc. So even tho I have friends who have been out of work for a year, I just keep my mouth shut).

3. people are new college graduates and they really have no clue what it means when even experienced folks can't get a job - cause there ARE NO JOB OPENINGS - so when I try to tell them how bad it is - they think I am just a doom and gloomer. I no longer say a word.

4. people have terrific resumes and education and so they figure they can beat the odds by moving here and getting whatever job IS available. They assume they are the "exception to the rule" and usually don't believe me when I tell them we have an extremely well educated, talented work force here, many of whom moved here from other regions of the country in the last 8 years.

5. people have read articles that are from 2006 and 2007, stating that Charlotte has a very robust job market. They don't seem to be able to fathom that when the bank problems started, we had huge layoffs and the layoffs are CONTINUING (albeit quietly). They don't believe a situation could turn sour so quickly. They think I am exaggerating when I tell them we had at least 32,000 laid off last year (and this does not count contract workers, wh/ are estimated at 8-12,000 across the region - so that means we have had closer to 40-50,000 people laid off in Charlotte LAST YEAR - who knows how many more this year). It sho nuff ain't good news, b/c the unemployment rate continues to climb.

I had someone send me a DM last week, asking if I had any suggestions for marketing their home quicker. They came here without jobs, immediately bought a home (paid cash) and now, over a year later, neither has a job and they want to go back home. But they are stuck with a house that they can't get sold. I feel so bad for them. These situations are real and people are in desperate circumstances b/c of job loss. When I try to explain this to potential newcomers, very rarely is my advice appreciated. So I have basically quit responding to posts involving relocating w/o a job. Sometimes, people don't really want to hear the truth.

[CLTKing]

Listen to Ani, don't move to NC or anywhere in the nation without a job. It is insane.

[lovebrentwood]

Ani is referring to Charlotte, but every word she says applies 100% to the Triangle area (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill/Cary/Wake Forest and all the surrounding little towns) as well.

Great post, Ani!

(I, too, have quit repeating "Don't come here without a job" because I was boring myself to death, not because it still isn't the best advice anyone considering a move can get.)

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by lovebrentwood

Ani is referring to Charlotte, but every word she says applies 100% to the Triangle area (Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill/Cary/Wake Forest and all the surrounding little towns) as well.

Great post, Ani!

(I, too, have quit repeating "Don't come here without a job" because I was boring myself to death, not because it still isn't the best advice anyone considering a move can get.)

And 110% in regards to Asheville and the western end of the state.

[zthatzmanz28]

May be if we were to say DO NOT MOVE HERE WITHOUT A MEANS TO SUPPORT YOUR LIFE STYLE...??

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

May be if we were to say DO NOT MOVE HERE WITHOUT A MEANS TO SUPPORT YOUR LIFE STYLE...??

Well, eventually something comes up about jobs . . . and in the last four months or so, I have been flat out told by other forum members that it seems rude when I mention the job situation and sound so discouraging (altho I will admit, I don't believe anyone who has lived here more than 5 years has said that to me).

If someone doesn't mention a job or leaves me with the impression that they are assuming they will move here and "find a job" . . . I used to ask - "you do realize we have one of the highest unemployment rates in the country?" and then forum members told me - "Maybe they are retired" or "Maybe it is worse where they live" (Which is doubtful unless they are from Detroit - but my thought is - even if they are from Detroit - why choose another city to find a job in where the job situation is so bad?) I would want to know the real story, myself.

But the result of being called on the carpet quite a few times is . . . unless someone says "How is the job market there?" I am just not saying a thing about it. If people come and find out after 9 months that they are out of money and still no job on the horizon, nothing I can do about it, sadly enuff.

Oh - and the other thing I have been told is - "Well, you are just bitter cause you don't want people coming here and taking away the jobs you and your friends were hoping to get." That is laughable, b/c I own my business so I am not concerned about anyone "taking away my job." There simply are VERY FEW JOBS. People outside this state seem to think that NC is lacking in folks w/ excellent resumes, impressive educational backgrounds . . . and so they will come w/ their MBA or excellent resume - and "grab up the jobs." What they do not realize is that a very high proportion of our white collar residents DO have MBAs . . . and Charlotte, for ex., is now about 2/3 newcomers as opposed to natives. So we have a very talented, capable workforce here. Not like recruiters have to rely on finding talent outside this area and recruiting them into what open positions there are.

What I am hoping is that other companies across the nation will see what a capable workforce we have, and decide to open a branch, regional office, new operation here. The jobs that are gone here in Charlotte, in particular, are GONE. This is not a situation where these jobs are gonna open back up. Thousands of jobs are gone b/c the industries providing them are either gone or the nature of their operations here in CLT has changed. And many jobs have been outsourced and they are not coming back, either.

Entrepreneurs may find NC is a great place to be right now! So if someone is thinking about opening a business - those are the people we need to move here. We have the workforce and commercial space available to help them get started in many of our fine communities - state-wide. It's not that we don't welcome newcomers!

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by anifani821

and then forum members told me - "Maybe they are retired" or "Maybe it is worse where they live"

Obviously they don't understand how unemployment figures are compiled. They don't count the people that don't get up and go to work in the morning, the count the number of people that apply for unemployment benefits. It also fails to count the number of people that have exhausted all their benefits or have simply given up.

Locally I also believe the figures are misleading for the county, which is below 10%, while neighboring counties are 16% or higher. This reflects where people live, not where they worked. There are a large number of people that lived in neighboring counties, but worked in Buncombe County or Asheville. Those lost jobs are reflected not where the job was lost but where the unemployed physically reside.

The other day I did notice a McDonalds that had a 'hiring weekend staff' on their marque. I'm sure those with an MBA can master the timer on the deep fat fryer very quickly.

[lovebrentwood]

Can we make this thread a "sticky"?

[montanamom]

A lot of people think they'll "just get a job at a store wait tables or something" to tide them over until they find a "good" job, as if retail stores and restaurants are chomping at the bit for workers and are providing full-time jobs with benefits. Check again - they're not. Most of those types of places are also hurting and are cutting back, cutting hours, and even closing locations in some instances. Even most part-time low level jobs that I have seen are only offering 10 - 20 hours a week. Who can live on that? I think people don't want to be discouraged, but they need to know the truth when making a decision to relocate - whether the truth hurts or not.

Check the newpapers and online job sites - see any FULL-TIME retail jobs/restaurant type jobs on there? To to any big-box retailer and tell them you want a full-time job - they'll tell you you can work part-time and maybe a full-time position will open up. Then, ask all the part-timers already there how long they have been waiting for a full-time job to "open-up".