From So-Cal to Coos Bay (Portland, Eugene: insurance, income, jobs)

[blondiey637]

My boyfriend and I are considering moving up to Oregon because his family lives up there...I am 21 and he is 23. What is it like and how is the job market? We have both been looking online and don't seem to find much, his brother-in-law is going to try and help, but I am worried we wont make any money to afford our bills and renting a house for our dog.

Any help you can give me would be amazing!

Or job offers

He is currently a quality control inspector and I am working in insurance as a technical assistant and I can also be a receptionist working with many phone lines. We are both very smart and can adapt quickly.

Thanks a lot!!!!!!

[FellowTraveler]

As someone who has lived in both Southern California and Oregon, and who moved to both places without a job immediately in hand (as you are planning to do) I must reply to this.

In moving from So Cal to Oregon, you must understand that you are moving from one of the hottest job markets in the country to the most economically depressed area of the country. I lived in Eugene, and I am not sure how Coos Bay compares, but I do know that all of Oregon is REALLY bad for getting jobs.

It might be ok to move there if one of you has a job lined up to support the other, but if you are both moving without jobs it will likely be really hard for you.

In Oregon the pay is low, the jobs are VERY scarce, and at least in Eugene most of them are temporary and/or part-time. When I was in Eugene someone told me that Eugene has a higher per-capita number of temp agencies than anywhere else in the country, and the jobs they offer are invariably low-wage with no benefits and no job security.

Oregon may have a low cost of living compared to California but believe me it is not low enough to compensate for chronic unemployment or underemployment. Especially if you are coming from So Cal, you must be prepared to lower your expectations drastically. When I lived in Oregon I felt like I was lucky to even have a part-time job which barely paid my bills. And I was lucky to even have that, as MANY unemployed or barely employed individuals reminded me.

Contrast that with my experience in So Cal, where I had my pick of several jobs that were much more challenging, engaging, and enjoyable, all of which paid FAR more than what anyone in Oregon was willing to offer me, and all of which were full time.

One other thing: Oregon is particularly bad if you are young and have little experience. Most companies in Oregon are small-time operators who have neither the capital nor the inclination to train you. Hence their insistence on people who have 5+ years of experience for even the lowliest of positions.

Even if you have tons of experience the situation is not much better. I met a woman in Eugene who was from Philadelphia, and who had 20+ years of experience in administrative jobs and was accustomed to being paid $25+ an hour for her efforts. She told me that she couldn't even find work in Eugene and when she did, she was reduced to haggling with an employer who refused to pay her more than $9 an hour.

I am not saying you shouldn't move to Oregon. There are worse places out there. But know what you are getting yourself into.

[Tony from Europe]

stay in california !

[thamlet2149]

We located from Albany Oregon, my husband straight out of college got a job here in Coos Bay with the local mill as the QC supervisor. There is a need for child care in this area, and people as long as you take good care of their children will pay upwards of $500 a month per child for quality care whether or not you are certified. I also recommend applying for either subing or as a educational assistant with the school districts. Subing provides a much needed income while you also have time to find the right job for you. There are jobs, you just have to be willing to look and expand your horizons sometimes to consider jobs you at once didn't think you were qualified to do or may not have interest. Once you are here and understand the economy and what is really available you should do just fine. We live off of less than $60,000 a year with 3 kids and still have nice things, own our own home, and do tons of activities with our teen aged boys whom themselves cost a small fortune.

I love the Weather in North Bend, it is coastal like, but never that icky humid feel like in Newport on nice days. I live IN North Bend and have never seen a FOGGY day since we have been here in my area. Yes out side of here the fog is bad, but right here, I LOVE wearther.

[vnodak]

Originally Posted by thamlet2149

We located from Albany Oregon, my husband straight out of college got a job here in Coos Bay with the local mill as the QC supervisor. There is a need for child care in this area, and people as long as you take good care of their children will pay upwards of $500 a month per child for quality care whether or not you are certified. I also recommend applying for either subing or as a educational assistant with the school districts. Subing provides a much needed income while you also have time to find the right job for you. There are jobs, you just have to be willing to look and expand your horizons sometimes to consider jobs you at once didn't think you were qualified to do or may not have interest. Once you are here and understand the economy and what is really available you should do just fine. We live off of less than $60,000 a year with 3 kids and still have nice things, own our own home, and do tons of activities with our teen aged boys whom themselves cost a small fortune.

I love the Weather in North Bend, it is coastal like, but never that icky humid feel like in Newport on nice days. I live IN North Bend and have never seen a FOGGY day since we have been here in my area. Yes out side of here the fog is bad, but right here, I LOVE wearther.

I lived in Coos Bay/North Bend for over 20 years. The area has gone down hill and has become more depressed. We only stayed there because of my husbands business. The economy is awful .We still have friends that live there. As far as the weather goes, it is foggy and cool. If you want nicer weather, you have to move in land. North Bend is noted for being windy and cool in the summer. The airport is there and their were times we could not fly out due to the fog. Wages are low, schools are not good, drugs are big. I would say the area for its size is the arm pit of Oregon. If I were to move to Oregon, I would certainly move to another area. So my advice for you young people is there are alot better places in Oregon or stay where you are and avoid a culture shock. Sorryyyyyyyyyyyyy. PS, we were so glad to get out.

[tiffela74]

I started out making more money here in my job than i did for the same one I had in the Happy Valley area after 5yrs. My husband makes more money too......grant you, thats not going to happen for everyone, but it can.....
We lived in North Bend for a couple years, weather there was great. Not windy/cool in the summer really. Admittedly, it wasnt 100degrees 2months out of the summer, but warm enough our 3 kids spent most of the summer outside getting tan while playing.
The schools can be good. Theyre not Catlian Gable, but we tested my kids against requirements in an upper Portland, and a Washington school and they all scored very well...(i did this because I was worried my kids might be getting a lower education, so we had my inlaws, who teach in Clackamas and Portland help w/the comparision testing)
obviously, its not for everyone. But its nowhere near as bad as some people claim. And believe me, I was totally against moving here when we did!! I only did it under distress and w/the full agreement to move back in a year if I felt we were at a lower quality of life. Im so glad i didnt listen to the doomsayers against Coos Bay.
But hey, if you like it, stay, if you hate it, move. Joys of being free, eh?
Tiffany