Which PDX job markets are slowing?

[GB1]

Originally Posted by SeattlitefromNC

What makes this even worse is that you have college graduates, and even grad school graduates, competing for the same $9/hour job.

I would urge people to either move here with a job already in hand, or prepare themselves to work as they have never worked before to find employment. And even then, one has to wonder if it is even worth it. I'm seriously reconsidering my move (and I'm employed!) because the employment market in this city is ... bleak. Very bleak. And people need to hear that.

It's not the only reason I moved away, but it's the main one. Just got tired of scuffling for crumbs and watching my credit card balances creep up for basic necessities.

It's a combination of factors:

- the lack of open jobs

- the lack of good-paying open jobs

- the incredible competition for good-paying open jobs

I think it's the third one that's the real killer. When you do find an open job, and then find yourself competing with hundreds of people for a single position (and that's not exaggeration or hyperbole -- hundreds), it's corrosive to the spirit. Employment is in the doldrums all over America, but at least there are other places where you might be competing with a dozen people instead of 200 for a decent wage.

(And this may come off as Rush Limbaugh stuff, though I'm far from him in my beliefs, but damned if I didn't have people in Portland telling me how to get Oregon Trail [food stamps], free clinic, rent assistance, and all the rest -- when all I wanted was to work as I'd done all my life, and am doing again. I don't begrudge anyone charity or aid, but I was the last person in the world who should be getting it, and it surprised me with the ease and alacrity it was offered. Find an old person or an underprivileged kid for all those social services -- all I wanted to do was work.)

[John Shaft]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

I for one would like to know which cities/states have significantly better employment outlook than Oregon/Portland. Even better than repeating the mantras of low wages and scant opportunity in Oregon would be actual suggestions of alternatives.

H

Sorry that I came to this party late, but here's a personal experience example:

In 2000 I took an entry-level professional job in Dallas.
In 2007 I took another entry-level professional position in Portland in a different industry. While different industries are somewhat apples to oranges, the expected skillset, the ability to work on my own, etc., for the two positions were pretty much comparable.

IDENTICAL salaries. In other words, the 2007 salary in Portland is seven years behind the 2000 Dallas salary. And that's not even factoring in the differences in housing, cost of living, taxes, etc.

[Leisesturm]

If the only thing a person cared about was simply finding the highest salary they could at a given job then yes, a city like Dallas with an economy bolstered by oil revenue or a city like N.Y. bolstered by... hype (did I say that?). You didn't stay in Dallas and I didn't stay in NYC. Sometimes it is about more than money. However, my original question stands. Where is it better? I do want fair comparisons of identical professions and a larger sampling.

H

[John Shaft]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

If the only thing a person cared about was simply finding the highest salary they could at a given job then yes, a city like Dallas with an economy bolstered by oil revenue or a city like N.Y. bolstered by... hype (did I say that?). You didn't stay in Dallas and I didn't stay in NYC. Sometimes it is about more than money. However, my original question stands. Where is it better? I do want fair comparisons of identical professions and a larger sampling.

H

I believe I just gave you a specific example of your original question: to provide examples of areas with a "significantly better employment outlook than Oregon/Portland." You simply dismissed my example and redirected your argument to vague notion of "better."

By the way, you are waaaaaaaay off base if you believe that Dallas's economy is fueled mainly by "oil revenue."

[blackrabbit]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

If the only thing a person cared about was simply finding the highest salary they could at a given job then yes, a city like Dallas with an economy bolstered by oil revenue or a city like N.Y. bolstered by... hype (did I say that?). You didn't stay in Dallas and I didn't stay in NYC. Sometimes it is about more than money. However, my original question stands. Where is it better? I do want fair comparisons of identical professions and a larger sampling.

H

I just posted an example of what my company pays Cisco engineers. Portland is 35% less than Seattle, Atlanta or Dallas and more like 50% less than in SF.

Portland is nice but if you can only afford to live in a trailer then its hard to appreciate the mountains................

[John Shaft]

Interestingly, CNBC today published its "Best States for Business" list for 2008. They use several criteria for making their rankings. Oregon is #20. Not bad, but certainly not the best.

MSNBC - America's Top States for Business 2008 - Overall Rankings Front Page

That #39 cost of living and #35 economy rating did not help. Interestingly, OR's quality of life was ranked #26. (New Jersey's, at #1 quality of life, does cause me to question the overall credibility of this list.)

Forbes' 2007 list ranks Oregon #28...with the quality of life ranked at #38 (???)
Table: The Best States For Business - Forbes.com

I DID find a 2008 "best states for small business ranking" from some organization called SurePayroll that ranks Oregon as #5.
SurePayroll Insights Survey: SurePayroll Announces Top Ten States for Small Businesses in 2008
The criteria they are using is uncertain.

Anyway, there you have my limited research. I'd have to conclude that Oregon ranks "pretty good" for the employment scene, but there are certainly organizations that rate other states "better."

[John Shaft]

Another update: Forbes' 2008 "Best Cities for Young Professionals" ranks Portland #21 for big cities...I believe out of 40.
In Depth: Best Cities For Young Professionals - Forbes.com