Jobs in Portland? (homes, job market, school)

[twiggy]

Thinking about a move to Maine. Husbands a plumber and I am an accountant. I've heard it's hard to make a living up there, any advice? Other towns better for our line of work than Portland? Oh, and by the way, I'm from Phx, AZ. Never lived in snow! lol Would anybody happen to be from the west and how do you handle the snow? I like the cold in winter but our winter is probably a joke to someone in Maine. I laugh when someone in New England say's they have a hot summer. lol I imagine your laughing at me right now. lol It's ok, just let me know if I will survive. I'm coming from the land of dirt, I can take it. Fall foliage will probably give me a heart attack with all the color, and clean air, don't know how I'll survive that. lol
Let me have it.

[dazui]

Accountant can find a good job,I think.You can find some company and have a try.It's good.ha ha,I like snow,so just enjoy it.You can feel exciting when you come across it.So just enjoy all of them.Everything!

[oceanfit185]

Right now Portland has pretty low unemployment, something like 3.6 %, compared to a national average of 4.6%, forgive me if I’m a little. But the point is Portland has jobs.

I think that number might be a little deceiving; I know a lot of people with college degrees working at the local video store or what not. So they are technique employed, but they are still actively looking for work and competing in the job market. But with an accounting degree you will probably be OK.

The big employers are in the area are Unum, Idexx Labs, National Semi Conductor, Maine Medical Center, and state and local government jobs. But I probably missed some quality large employers in that list.

Those employers all have websites you can sign up at and apply to openings as they come up. Also JobsInME.com - Local Maine jobs, careers and employment (Home). Is a good website. Its where I got my current job and I also got a number of interviews from posting on it.

The summers in Maine aren’t nearly as hot as AZ. However, we have humid summers and Mainers are generally less equipped to deal with heat. We just don’t need things like central air and swimming pools in our back yards. So when it does get hot, it can suck. Also after a few winters, 90 will feel like an oven. But being from AZ, you will probably laugh at the summers.

The winters can be tough. The cabin fever and short days can wear on you over 8 months. But generally speaking people up here are well equipped to deal with snow. The roads are usuaily cleared or at least drive-able with in hours of a snow storm. You can seal up your windows and most homes have a good heating system.

Once you learn to drive in the snow you will be fine. Despite what you may think you probably wont need a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Snow tires, maybe chains, will be more than enough.

You might even enjoy the snow. You can down hill ski, cross country ski, snow board, sledding, make snow forts, snow ball fights, snow days from school… all good stuff. Also, something about a fresh coat of snow is really pretty.

If I had to describe the weather in Maine with one word it would be “extremes”. It can be extremely cold, extreme snow storms, crazy storms that come out of no where, what seams like weeks of rain, but then it can be extremely beautiful. The old expression is “if you don’t like the weather in Maine, wait five minutes”.

Its something you will have to see for yourself. The south west has its own charm and perks. You have to make up your own mind

[twiggy]

Yes, I see. I bet once use to the cold I will also sweat in the summer. I like change so I will probably like the change in weather. I wait all summer here for the monsoon season for some rain and lightning. I like natural excitement . Weather, leave color, smells, all of it. Thanks both for the good advice. I will check the websites. Thx

[rossco17]

Someone living in Maine can probably correct me if i'm wrong, but i think the biggest adjustment will be the length of winter, moreso than the coldness of it. For the locals, what time of the year does it start getting downright chilly (40's)? Early November? What about Spring - when does it start warming up (60's) May?

thanks

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by rossco17

Someone living in Maine can probably correct me if i'm wrong, but i think the biggest adjustment will be the length of winter, moreso than the coldness of it. For the locals, what time of the year does it start getting downright chilly (40's)? Early November? What about Spring - when does it start warming up (60's) May?

thanks

I've lived here for some time now, and I think the whole subject of winter is overstated. Maine has four distinctly different seasons. But sometimes spring is slow to arrive, or cold and wet which makes winter seem longer.

Here on the coast we notice that a change in the weather begins around the middle of August. Days are bright and very warm, but nights will begin to get chillier and chillier. September is an absolutey gorgeous month, but again, toward the end of September, leaves are turning color and both days and nights will be cooler. Expect light snow anytime after October 15th, although anything more than a light dusting out of the mountains will be unusual. Anytime after mid November, expect real winter.

Spring will start sometime around March first. The first warmish days can appear anytime after that, but nights will be cold, and winter is far from over. Some of the biggest snow storms that I have experienced in Maine have been in April, and I can remember Mays that were colder than March.

The influence of the North Atlantic is very dramatic here. I think the best comment to make about Maine weather, is that it will change and most likely do what you least expect it to do, or want it to do. Right now we are "enjoying" what seems to be a very cool, wet summer. The first year that I was in Maine as a permanent resident was 1977, and we had snow on May 1st, followed by hot sunshine. June was cold and very wet, but July, August, September and October were all beautiful and very, very warm months. I was working on an island at the time, and we had the first snowfall around the end of November that year.

Each will be different so enjoy the ride. The weather at least, is free!