Looking for Best coastal city to live in. (Portland, Salem: hotel, house)

[hamellr]

Having worked for ACS for five years, and having seen decreased health benefits each year, no promised performance bonuses (even though I was #1 or #2 each year,) and an annual pay increase of .03%, I wouldn't wish that hell hole of a company on anyone. Working at ACS - Reviews of Jobs at ACS Add in the fact that ACS is actively working to outsource all Call Centers to Mexico right now I wouldn't trust it.

But for a first job, with no need to advance in pay grade or too management, no job reliability and no need to have good health benefits , it's an OK place if you're just looking to get experience. Even then I'd probably go back to Fast Food first.

The problem is that again the Coos Bay is a small town and the job market just plain sucks. You've only got one or two companies to work for. If they go out of business or downsize, the local economy simply can not absorb the number of displaced workers. My family were/are loggers in that area and have issues finding a new job every three-five years as the economy swings around.

[tiffela74]

hummm...im sorry your experience w/acs wasnt good. I dont exactly adore my job, (it IS a call center after all..) but LOVE the bennies. For my family of 5, for full medical/dental/vision no co-pay is 123.00every 2weeks. Plus the 8hrs month of PTO, great vacation pack, and the options for the other bennies to choose from, I like it. Im not one of the top performers, so I average more about 9-10.00hr, but most of my co-workers are making more than that. One on my team, averages several hundred bonus each paycheck in sales alone. I suck at sales, so I dont bonus out like that. darn it. But hopefully with improvement.....
as for them moving the jobs to Mexico, I doubt that. Our call center just took on more, and Sprint seems pretty pleased.
Moveup potential IS there. Two people that started with me, have already been promoted as supervisors.
The actual internal managemnt differs in each call center. Again, Im sorry your experience was negative, but that doesnt mean ALL the centers nor all the employees will have the same.....

Truth, loggers can have difficulties in job market here right now. But there are other jobs available here. Especially if you look outside the box. I wouldnt advise anyone moving ANYWHERE with out a job lined up and secure first. But I also wouldnt tell anyone to NOT move to Coos Bay based on logging opportunities or call center experience from another town.

[tiffela74]

couple pics from last weekend. Down on one of our local beaches. Mostly, I like the rough and wild rocky cliff side beaches, but some days, I want to wander for hours down long stretches of clean sandy beaches w/my shoes draped over my shoulder....this is also one of the places I like to take my lunch breaks.
what amazes me too is this. See the lovely weather? I was laying out there in a tank top. ended up walking for miles w/my pants rolled up and the waves crashing over my feet, this was Sunday early afternoon....not only do you not see any other people, but look close. No footprints. Only mine when I hiked back in. I love that.

[haggardhouseelf]

Originally Posted by tiffela74

couple pics from last weekend. Down on one of our local beaches. Mostly, I like the rough and wild rocky cliff side beaches, but some days, I want to wander for hours down long stretches of clean sandy beaches w/my shoes draped over my shoulder....this is also one of the places I like to take my lunch breaks.
what amazes me too is this. See the lovely weather? I was laying out there in a tank top. ended up walking for miles w/my pants rolled up and the waves crashing over my feet, this was Sunday early afternoon....not only do you not see any other people, but look close. No footprints. Only mine when I hiked back in. I love that.

This is way OT, but we camped at Cape Blanco (Osprey cabin - beautiful view of the ocean!) this past weekend and it was amazing!! We did the Cape Blanco lighthouse tour - so cool. Tiff you are so lucky to live on the coast. How hard is it to get a job at ACS? My husband is still eyeing a position with the company he works for that might become available there at some point. If it opens he's going to pounce on it! My husband also talks about buying a home on the coast... and he can work in the city during the week and come home on the weekends. He really wants to live on the coast, too.

Sorry for the hijack...

[tiffela74]

No worries. Cape Blanco is verrry beautiful i think too!! I agree that Im lucky to live along the coast. Its been a great place to raise our kids, and enjoy life. I couldnt imagine living much more inland than this (Im about a mile from standing on sand right now)
Not very difficult to get in at the bottom at ACS. 35wpm typing, basic computer/phone skills, pass the drug test/background checks, after that, its pretty much up to you. I do know people who were not hired for various reasons, attitude in the interview/less than positive references/stuff like that, and of course, like any other job, once there, you have to be able to KEEP your job. Attendance is a biggie. They don't like slackers working there. Also, if your customer service skills are rotten (you yell back at them) you wont keep a job long. If interested, I tell people to ask if they can go in for an hour or so and just sit w/someone to listen in, and get the actual vibe of the place. Theres a few hundred people working there, you'll be able to get several opions/thoughts.

Theres some good deals on homes here in the Coos Bay/North Bend area right now. I know you guys spend a lotta time camping up/down the coast. Why dont you spend a weekend out here, check out some prices/houses, talk to others who live here, sit for an hour at ACS (lol) and just get a feel for yourselves about the area.

[Hawk J]

Originally Posted by tiffela74

couple pics from last weekend. Down on one of our local beaches. Mostly, I like the rough and wild rocky cliff side beaches, but some days, I want to wander for hours down long stretches of clean sandy beaches w/my shoes draped over my shoulder....this is also one of the places I like to take my lunch breaks.
what amazes me too is this. See the lovely weather? I was laying out there in a tank top. ended up walking for miles w/my pants rolled up and the waves crashing over my feet, this was Sunday early afternoon....not only do you not see any other people, but look close. No footprints. Only mine when I hiked back in. I love that.

Those pics are surely mighty Beautiful Sister Tiff...




Have a Wonderful Day

[haggardhouseelf]

Originally Posted by tiffela74

No worries. Cape Blanco is verrry beautiful i think too!! I agree that Im lucky to live along the coast. Its been a great place to raise our kids, and enjoy life. I couldnt imagine living much more inland than this (Im about a mile from standing on sand right now)
Not very difficult to get in at the bottom at ACS. 35wpm typing, basic computer/phone skills, pass the drug test/background checks, after that, its pretty much up to you. I do know people who were not hired for various reasons, attitude in the interview/less than positive references/stuff like that, and of course, like any other job, once there, you have to be able to KEEP your job. Attendance is a biggie. They don't like slackers working there. Also, if your customer service skills are rotten (you yell back at them) you wont keep a job long. If interested, I tell people to ask if they can go in for an hour or so and just sit w/someone to listen in, and get the actual vibe of the place. Theres a few hundred people working there, you'll be able to get several opions/thoughts.

Theres some good deals on homes here in the Coos Bay/North Bend area right now. I know you guys spend a lotta time camping up/down the coast. Why dont you spend a weekend out here, check out some prices/houses, talk to others who live here, sit for an hour at ACS (lol) and just get a feel for yourselves about the area.

Thanks Tiff! I am keeping this in mind for when - notice I say when? - we move to the coast! Hopefully the place hasn't packed up and shipped off to Mexico or India by then!

[ExNooYawk]

Originally Posted by brob35

I am 24 and currently living in Phoenix, AZ. I have wanted to live next to the ocean my whole life and have decided that the big coastal cities like LA or San Diego are not for me I will be moving in March of '10. This has given me some time to research. As of right now I have decided on the coasts of oregon and am debating between Coos bay or Bandon. the criteria That I am looking for in the city is, easy access to Ocean and beaches and clean. Coos Bay seems more plausible for me because its population is about 60k, and an occupation of a more social la aspect will be more possible such as server, or bartender. I want to get away from the big city, but am worried about living in a place as small as bandon for the simple reason of employment and some type of social life. I have read quite a bit of threads talking about both cities and it seems that coos Bay might be a little more run down. The cost of living compared between these cities and the time it takes to drive between them as well are some questions i have along with all opinions good and bad.

Why not consider Portland? It's not a 'big city' in the true sense of the term. There are a lot of young people there and it should not be too difficult finding a job as a bartender, but don't quote me on that.

Coos Bay is a down-and-out fishing/ex-logging town. I can't imagine a twenty-four year old person being happy trying to make a life there.

Bandon isn't down-and-out but it's pretty small and there aren't a lot of opportunities.

If you can, visit these places during the winter and you should have a better handle on them. I'd go to Portland if I wuz you.

[ExNooYawk]

Originally Posted by Oregonbeachlover

Wow, what an insult. I live on the coast, so I am not living in the "real world"? I caution the OP to visit the Oregon coast and not listen to some of our posters. Yes, the job market is not good...it is not good anywhere in Oregon. If a person looks, there is always something to do anywhere on the coast. I live in Lincoln City, and maybe things are a bit skewed here because Chinook Winds Casino has something different going on every weekend, and the town does cater to tourism so makes sure there is always something going on. I think Eugene or Corvallis both do revolve more around their colleges, and because of that, for some, that scene could get old also.

No one is insulting the coast for what it is, we're just clarifiying what it might mean for a young person to begin a new life in one of the towns. Much as I love visiting the coast every year, I wouldn't advise a young person to move there with hopes of finding a job and a social life. It's not an insult to call it as we see it.

[richpix]

It is possible that some are stereotyping what a younger person might value. I'm not young any more, but I've never been drawn to larger cities and the sort of anonymous social scene often associated with them.

Maybe it would be good for brob35 to be more specific as to what kind of social scene would float his boat.