Transplants Any Regrets? (Portland: condo, houses, unemployment rate)

[Oregon Trailing]

It seems several people on this forum have noted that staffing agencies don't contact them back. This sounds strange to me, as I know many people will head there first when having difficulty finding a job, or at least that's what happens here. Is this an all over OR thing, or are the staffing agencies in certain areas just independently owned and fairly lousy, or..? It just sounds so counter-productive for business, but maybe the few posting are particularly unlucky... I also see a fair amount of jobs listed on craigslist on a daily basis and wonder if those jobs are just going to natives rather than new transplants or what. Are there any transplants from the working class who -didn't- have such difficulties getting employed in their first months after moving? Just wondering~

[oldtintype]

I actually have never had a problem finding employment. I've worked in various types of jobs both professional and service. I took some crappy jobs when I first moved here and then got "better" employment by taking my time and applying to places I really wanted to work. Maybe it's more competitive now but I think it's definitely true that many jobs go to locals, but it really depends on what type of job. I think some people are just unrealistic or unwilling to work outside their field, some people are looking for jobs that are really just hard to find. I also think people get stuck on a specific wage and yes, wages are definitely lower here than places like the Bay Area, that's a fact. For a while, a few years ago, jobs really were hard to find. 9/11 did a number on the area, but things have improved a lot.

[Kathleenh54]

Another aspect of job hunting is the time of year. During the summer employees may be taking advantage of their vacation benefits. In the Fall, they start to look for jobs, and when they get hired, there's a vacancy created. By November and December when the holidays are looming, the job market may get quiet again until January.

Job hunting is a dreary exercise and I wish all you seekers some very good luck. Hopefully this process will become a distant memory someday.

[brentington]

My wife and I will be moving to Portland next summer. We will be lucky in that we will be able to stay with family rent free until we get on out feet out there. Does any one have any input on the Nursing or Automotive fields out there? My wife is an RN with about 13yrs experience and I have about 5yrs experience as both a technician and a service adviser.

[insanityincredibly]

Well, I don't know about the nursing or automotive service industries, and I'm not even in Portland. We're in the same place though, my fiance and I. We're planning on arriving there in Portland about the first week of October. I've been involved in most phases of residential construction for a few years and I'm hoping to get hooked up with one of them remodeling contractors, or tile setting or framing or drywall or painting or finish work. Thing is, I've hardly seen any mention of these fields while "flipping through the pages" of these threads, I guess we're an elite few=) Overall point is that we're friggin scared now that the ball is actually rolling and we're pretty much all but there. We have a few grand to get started with, and a credit card with a few more if it has to come to it, but it won't last forever and it seems like Portlands some sorta economic ghost town or something, how can that be with 2 million people in the area?? We're coming from the Big Island in Hawaii where if you're not Japanese or some sorta pacific islander with darker skin, you don't get good jobs. I've been here all my life so I really know how it is. But I guess being in Portland we'll just be another couple of white people, so it might be harder to get by. I know people are people, but I've taken the brunt of racism all my life so now I guess I'm a little racist in some ways, sorry. Anyway, we're another scared couple looking to end our stagnation in the place we were born and raised and start a new stagnation in beautiful gloomy Portland, yay. I think we'll survive. I think some of us in this same situation should get more aquainted, if ya'll don't think I'm a friggin wacko by now......alright, good day to all.

[oldtintype]

Moving to Portland the first week in October is going to be hard for you adaptation wise, coming from Hawaii!!! That will be the start of the dark season. Word to the wise--before you decide you can't handle the weather, stick it out for one entire year. After a Portland spring/summer you'll see the benefits of the rain.

Anyway, given that there are at least 4 cranes I can see out of my window alone, and that building here is happening like crazy all over, I can't imagine that you'll have that much difficulty finding work. Have you contacted the unions?!

[nancy thereader]

I hope there will be some open land left in Portland. On Long Island , there is not an acre that is not totally developed, mostly in the past 15-20 years.

[5chevin5]

RN in Portland, you will do great....
Automotive in Portland....hmmmmm they do have cars!!!

Just dont work for the big car sales guys ...I hear (from friends)they are a little egocentric

You both should do fine....

5

[MJD503]

Originally Posted by brentington

My wife and I will be moving to Portland next summer. We will be lucky in that we will be able to stay with family rent free until we get on out feet out there. Does any one have any input on the Nursing or Automotive fields out there? My wife is an RN with about 13yrs experience and I have about 5yrs experience as both a technician and a service adviser.

I'm in the medical field as well, I would have her check out the websites of the following:
Providence Portland Hospital (all the usuals)
Legacy Emmanuel Hospital (Close in, Trauma 1 center, burn center, psych..etc)
Oregon Health Sciences University or OHSU (trauma 1, one of the only medical training centers in the state, horrible parking,VA is located next door)
Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital (located in yuppie area, neat building, laid back)

As with most other parts of the world, she should find a RN job easily in whatever area she desires. The pay is pretty good for RN's even compared to larger cities. Check online for the individual hospitals websites, they list open jobs, pay and a lot of the RN gigs offer bonuses!

Hope that helps!

[Lillietta]

[I hope there will be some open land left in Portland.

In the most expensive areas the huge houses are a little further apart from each other than they are in other residential areas. To me they seemed crowded but then in the Twin Cities houses set nicely apart, in many neighborhoods. I have friends in Long Island (Miller Place) whose houses are not that close together.