Employment (Portland: find a job, school, to live)

[The French Maid]

Michael,

I have lived in Portland for over 7 years now.. I am a Cali transplant via Arizona.

My husband has been POUNDING the pavement for months now looking for a job. Now, he is looking for a CFO job and those are not easy to come by anyway but Portland doens't have the best reputation when it comes to jobs. So don't feel bad... just keep it up...

[NoCalgirl]

My advice is that if something okay comes along in the beginning, definitely take it. Then at least you will have income coming in while you look. I heard of it taking some people a year to find work, I didn't have that kind of time so I am back in the Bay Area after struggling to find work for 5 months in PDX. Good luck, hope you find what you are looking for. Also, if you are willing to live in Seattle, they have a much bettter job market.

[michaelpdx]

Originally Posted by NoCalgirl

My advice is that if something okay comes along in the beginning, definitely take it. Then at least you will have income coming in while you look. I heard of it taking some people a year to find work, I didn't have that kind of time so I am back in the Bay Area after struggling to find work for 5 months in PDX. Good luck, hope you find what you are looking for. Also, if you are willing to live in Seattle, they have a much bettter job market.

After all of my hopes of moving up to Portland, I have decided to throw in the towel before I even get there. It was a nice dream but, all the crud that goes along with the city is just not worth it for me. 5 months to get a job? I can't even get a temp agency to get back to me.

Its really kind of sad that I can't even get anyone to talk to me about my resume because # 1 I'm from California and # 2 by me moving to Portland, I must have some evil plot to take over Oregon or some other silly thing.

So to anyone else headed up there, I hope you make it!

[LynneR]

Awww. don't give up, Michael - especially if you really want to live here. I'm having trouble finding a job too, and I've already moved here (I'm also from CA). But I just keep answering ads and sending resumes, and I know I'll get something eventually. There's always retail work for the holiday season, if nothing else.

I have a serious problem with these temp/employment agencies. I signed up 4 months ago and haven't gotten one call. BUT....they continually send me emails with job listings that I am totally qualified for, and ask me to forward them to a friend. Yeah - maybe when donkeys fly out of my butt I'll forward them. Seriously, I don't know how they stay in business.

[michaelpdx]

I guess for me, the whole thing with Portland, is the "hiring managers" have no idea who they are just turning down, I'm sure that there are a lot of us that
are very skilled intelligent people who are more than eager to work and we work hard.

I personally do not want to get to Portland and just hang around for a few months, I would like to get out and work, contribute to my new community. I guess thats just me, I can't just sit around and wait.

5 months even 2 months is way too long to wait to get a job, even a temp job.

I just feel now, why bother

[pcs265]

I'm not tempting to get religious on you, lol... All I can suggest to you a brother is to believe God for what you desire to accomplish in life... Trust him, he will direct your path. I don't know how your relationship is with Christ. Just being honest. Ask God to give you some direction. He will do just that. Believe him for it without any daults!!!

[Lillietta]

II personally do not want to get to Portland and just hang around for a few months, I would like to get out and work,

I agree because Portland would take on a whole new dimension for you, and the way you now feel about it would change.

[tiffela74]

heres an off thought...might be a dumb one, but....what about if you started out w/a company in Calif (or wherever ) and did a transfer?
I hate to see anyone lose their dream like this. And as for the companies sending lists and asking you to forward them to your friends?!?!? Id look into a lawyer to see if there is a discrimination case for this! Thats just so beyond wrong!
I do think a lot has to do though, in general, with the current market, not so much from where youre from. Hey, when my husband lost his job, it took him a year to find another, and he's got generations here in Oregon. Course, we didnt take just anything that was offered either. He was looking for something pretty specific. Belive me, you want a min. wage job, theres plenty of those around and some dont even care if youre a legal citizen of the US or not, much less if youre from Oregon!
Anyhoooo, just some thoughts.

[Kedwamo]

I am new to this forum and am also pondering a move to the area, hopefully around early '09. But after reading some of these posts, I guess I'm a bit concerned that I will have a problem finding work, too. I am working on my degree (advertising) and would really like to find something in that particular field once I get up there. So, my question: Is the economy just not that good up there?

If I had to, I guess I'd just get a job at grocery store or someplace like that just to get me by until something better came along, because honestly, Portland sounds/looks like the town of my dreams. Some of these posts, however, are really spooking me out! Is it really that bad? I guess I'd just like to know what I'd be getting myself into once I get there. But I'm really glad I found this forum. Awesome information! Thanks!

[suncat]

Originally Posted by michaelpdx

I can't even get a temp agency to get back to me.

Its really kind of sad that I can't even get anyone to talk to me about my resume because # 1 I'm from California and # 2 by me moving to Portland, I must have some evil plot to take over Oregon or some other silly thing.

I'm sorry. Please don't take it personally. Portland is so bad that way, and I don't understand how they can't even be bothered to return calls. It's so rude, and unfortunately, pretty common around here.

I've never seen such a xenophobic place.