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Well, I'm about to graduate from college and have started the process of looking for jobs and places to relocate to. I hear that North Dakota has been hit much less harder by the recession as other states, so I'm thinking of looking for jobs in either Grand Forks or Fargo in the retail banking industry. I'm not big on big city life or the hustle and bustle of it, so I figure North Dakota is good in that regard. I also love winter and am a big hockey fan, so not only is North Dakota winter something I could deal with, it's something I'd embrace since it would also allow me to get out and play a little puck outdoors. Low crime rates are also a big factor in considering Grand Forks or Fargo. UND and ND State would mean a decent amount of young people nearby too, which is good. Seems like a great place to raise a family one day too, but for now it'll be just me, as I'm single.
Now for my questions:
How does the culture compare to Minnesota as far as being able to get to know people? I've read on this forum that it can be tough to make friends in Minnesota because its more family-oriented.
Are jobs actually plentiful? How does the cost of living compare to a mid-sized city like Cincinnati where I am now? What about retail banking such as Wells Fargo or US Bank?
In your opinion, would it be a bad move for a single guy fresh out of college to move to a city like Grand Forks or Fargo?
Well, I'm about to graduate from college and have started the process of looking for jobs and places to relocate to. I hear that North Dakota has been hit much less harder by the recession as other states, so I'm thinking of looking for jobs in either Grand Forks or Fargo in the retail banking industry. I'm not big on big city life or the hustle and bustle of it, so I figure North Dakota is good in that regard. I also love winter and am a big hockey fan, so not only is North Dakota winter something I could deal with, it's something I'd embrace since it would also allow me to get out and play a little puck outdoors. Low crime rates are also a big factor in considering Grand Forks or Fargo. UND and ND State would mean a decent amount of young people nearby too, which is good. Seems like a great place to raise a family one day too, but for now it'll be just me, as I'm single.
Now for my questions:
How does the culture compare to Minnesota as far as being able to get to know people? I've read on this forum that it can be tough to make friends in Minnesota because its more family-oriented.
Are jobs actually plentiful? How does the cost of living compare to a mid-sized city like Cincinnati where I am now? What about retail banking such as Wells Fargo or US Bank?
In your opinion, would it be a bad move for a single guy fresh out of college to move to a city like Grand Forks or Fargo?
Appreciate your help.
I will speak about Grand Forks....but for hockey this is the place to be. There are many outdoor skating ponds and hockey rinks in town operated by the park district. UND is home to one of the top hockey programs in the country. Grand Forks is now quite a bit smaller than Fargo and surrounding areas....with Fargo offering more oportunities in terms of things to do...eating out...etc and overall has been growing quicker than Grand Forks. Alerus Financial is one of the largest banks in Grand Forks....along with Wells Fargo...US Bank and Gate City. I havent a clue about hiring among the banks. Jobs plentiful....well...low wage jobs are easy to get and there are places looking to hire such as Fed Ex...UPS....Amazon.com....etc You can check ND Job Service or the local Grand Forks Herald or Fargo Forum for some job listings.
As far as making friends....I think it is more the person than the area. But I have noticed that folks in our area (MN/ND) are a bit more unto themselves which can from an outsider make them seem a bit more unfriendly.
Cost of living....I dont know about Cincy....but newer 1BR in GF would go 600-750/mo. There are of course cheaper ones. See previous Grand Forks posts I have written regarding property management companies and rental listings.
from what field is your degree? it's like any other time, the same degrees are getting jobs fast: engineering, chemistry, computer science. the stuff that not enough people study because they're scared that it will be too hard.
finance might get you a job, accounting is almost guaranteed, nursing is always in demand, anything else will likely leave you as up a creek as the rest of us. you'll be working generic stuff, 2-3 jobs and 50-70 hours/week if you want a decent home, transportation (public transit is a joke), food, enough to pay your student loans, and extra cash to save. if you can sell yourself really well... that's nice, but there are many of us who are as qualified as you (or more) who are still not finding decent employment.
I'm not sure about USBank or Wells Fargo, but with some of the other retail banks in town, it definitely appears that getting a job there is all about being in a network. For the State Banks, it appears (there may be exceptions) being a relative of the Solberg clan or being a Concordia grad definitely helps. For Gate City, I would guess that Swiontek's support for NDSU would give a preference to grads from there, or those who had internships at the bank as students. The couple of Wells Fargo staff that I know have been moved to the Fargo office from other locations, and aren't necessarily local hires.
Alerus Financial (in both Fargo and Grand Forks) has made some significant acquisitions in Minneapolis (FDIC-buyouts). What this means is they possibly have openings in Fargo and Grand Forks after shifting some employees to MSP.
The four cities most affected by oil activity: Williston, Minot, Bismarck, Dickinson, may have "active" growth and therefore job opportunities.
In this economy, don't many have been hiring. In GF, look up the bank listings and see if they have openings. Some, like Bank Forward and Choice Financial have had a lot of growth. Sometimes, the small-town banks in the area have a difficult time retaining people. But unless those positions are within an hour of commuting time to GF or Fargo, you'd probably feel isolated.
Don't move without a job lined up, unless you might continue your schooling here.
I have lived in Fargo and Grand Forks, and I can tell you that I prefer Fargo... For one thing, Grand Forks is very much a college town and Fargo has a little more to offer to non college students. I rented an apartment in Fargo, a 2 bedroom for $535. It was nothing fancy, but OK. The cost of living, I find, is very reasonable and probably much less than where you are now; however, I haven't been there so I can't tell you for sure. I can't help you with the career because I'm a nurse, and there's always a job around here for nurses... Hope that helps, and good luck
from what field is your degree? it's like any other time, the same degrees are getting jobs fast: engineering, chemistry, computer science. the stuff that not enough people study because they're scared that it will be too hard.
What makes you think that chemists are finding jobs in North Dakota? I'm curious because I have a chemistry degree myself and am interested in exploring opportunities in North Dakota. What does the market look like for surgical technicians (my wife)?
i don't know anything about the rest of the state, but fargo, moorhead, and west fargo have had ads for various chemist positions (most recently, crystal sugar and a food processing plant), and the medical field is guaranteed employment just about anywhere in the country.
In the name of accuracy and dispelling myths, I do want to point out that the medical field is only guaranteed employment for physicians and RNs. Based on my research, surgical technicians have difficulty finding work. (You can find discussion forums for surgical technicians where people lament how difficult it is to find work in the field.)
if that is the case elsewhere, come here and see all of the places that need cnas. here, the medical field needs anyone willing to work it. as to surgical technicians (specifically), i would have to do a little reading to find some information to give me the information necessary to be unambiguous in my statement. since i have little interest in a field that i have no interest in working, that's very low priority for me. notice that this is just meritcare, there are many nursing facilities and handicapped care places, etc. that need people to work in a variety of levels meritcare jobs
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Low crime rates are also a big factor in considering Grand Forks or Fargo. UND and ND State would mean a decent amount of young people nearby too, which is good. Seems like a great place to raise a family one day too, but for now it'll be just me, as I'm single.
