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Lower figures can be a promising sign, but back when my husband was out of work, we saw many such articles when the rates dropped a little. Most of these figures were rubbish, or at best, very misleading.
Dropping rates may be meaningful if you see this pattern over a period of time (and I see this may be happening per the article), but often, this drop is not that significant. A state needs to take other factors into consideration. How many people dropped off the unemployment rolls because they used up their benefits? (That's a huge point .... one frequently overlooked in these articles.) Unemployment benefits do not last forever, and once you use them up, you've essentially disappeared in terms of the unemployment figures. Those figures almost always include those still collecting benefits, not those who can not.
How many felt forced to retire early, or just gave up entirely? A very large percentage of the long-term unemployed over the last decade or so are baby boomers (per many articles), and some are near the age when they can collect for Social Security, albeit at a much lower amount than if they somehow persevere until several years later. Many find themselves with little choice ... retire on a shoestring budget or get nothing at all.
Lastly, what TYPES of jobs are being created? That's another biggie articles like these miss, and it is a crucial point. Retail jobs are great, for instance ... don't get me wrong. I have worked many a retail job or seasonal job to earn extra money for my family, gave it my very best effort and have been thankful for the work. And I have no doubt I might have to do it again. But unless you are lucky enough to find an extremely generous retail company (I guess there might be one in the RDU area. Somewhere.), you are not going to be making a whole lot more than minimum wage; particularly if you are re-entering the retail field after being out of a professional or manufacturing job for a long time, and it's been years since you've worked a register. I speak from experience on this one. Someone trying to support a family on a retail job .. well, good luck on THAT one.
For a state's economy to grow and flourish, it needs a healthy dose of manufacturing and professional jobs in various fields (not just a couple), as well as retail and construction jobs. I truly hope that does happen here soon, but I certainly don't see it here now.
Lower figures can be a promising sign, but back when my husband was out of work, we saw many such articles when the rates dropped a little. Most of these figures were rubbish, or at best, very misleading.
Dropping rates may be meaningful if you see this pattern over a period of time (and I see this may be happening per the article), but often, this drop is not that significant. A state needs to take other factors into consideration. How many people dropped off the unemployment rolls because they used up their benefits? (That's a huge point .... one frequently overlooked in these articles.) Unemployment benefits do not last forever, and once you use them up, you've essentially disappeared in terms of the unemployment figures. Those figures almost always include those still collecting benefits, not those who can not.
How many felt forced to retire early, or just gave up entirely? A very large percentage of the long-term unemployed over the last decade or so are baby boomers (per many articles), and some are near the age when they can collect for Social Security, albeit at a much lower amount than if they somehow persevere until several years later. Many find themselves with little choice ... retire on a shoestring budget or get nothing at all. Raleigh is a popular destination for a number of people. It is not just jobs but other factors that makes the Triangle more popular than some of the areas SOUTH of here.
Lastly, what TYPES of jobs are being created? That's another biggie articles like these miss, and it is a crucial point. Retail jobs are great, for instance ... don't get me wrong. I have worked many a retail job or seasonal job to earn extra money for my family, gave it my very best effort and have been thankful for the work. And I have no doubt I might have to do it again. But unless you are lucky enough to find an extremely generous retail company (I guess there might be one in the RDU area. Somewhere.), you are not going to be making a whole lot more than minimum wage; particularly if you are re-entering the retail field after being out of a professional or manufacturing job for a long time, and it's been years since you've worked a register. I speak from experience on this one. Someone trying to support a family on a retail job .. well, good luck on THAT one.
For a state's economy to grow and flourish, it needs a healthy dose of manufacturing and professional jobs in various fields (not just a couple), as well as retail and construction jobs. I truly hope that does happen here soon, but I certainly don't see it here now.
All good points and some other sides to the coin. If one works in a high COL area like many in the North East. Your SS benefits will be based on probably a higher income level because of the higher COL in that area. At that point your SS benefits or pension or any retirement income based on a higher income area will go farther here with a lower cost of living and most importantly housing cost.
Unemployment benefits do not last forever, and once you use them up, you've essentially disappeared in terms of the unemployment figures. Those figures almost always include those still collecting benefits, not those who can not.
Your post had very good points to consider but you will need to revise the part cut out above. Unemployment figures (rates) are not based on who is collecting unemployment benefits and who is not. It's based on who is actively looking for work and cannot find it based on basically a poll. You can actively look for work well after running out of benefits and you will be factored into the unemployment rate. Now some people from higher cost of living areas can move here and then give up looking for work especially if their spouse is working. This is one way our population can increase without negatively affecting the unemployment rate. In fact this case would most likely help our unemployment rate because it's adding consumers.
Everyone native to Raleigh originated somewhere else if you follow the family tree far enough back.
I just don't get the disdain for people who want to move to this area. I guess some people are so ego-centric they think they have more of a right to enjoy this area because they grew up here. Pretty sad IMO.
Would you rather be tops in job losses? Just another reason to complain I guess.
Thank you for posting this. People need to hear it. Not only those native of Raleigh, but of any area.
Everyone native to everywhere in the US originated somewhere else if you follow their family tree far enough back. Set aside for the moment that most of that immigrating and subsequent moving was done by people with useful skill and in times of economic expansion (as it really doesn't help the rest of the rant)... I just don't get the disdain for people who appear to not have jobs where they are now nor jobs where they're headed nor enough resources or even skills to support themselves in the interim. I just don't get it why these people aren't welcomed with open arms by the people who pay the taxes there and contribute to the food banks there. Nope, I just don't get it.
Maybe someone else will remember this. But seem to recall in previous threads people saying that local companies won't even consider you for a job if you didn't already live here. Does anyone remember that? Is that true? If so doesn't that sorta answer the thread? If not then it doesn't. Will you get the same consideration for employment living elsewhere and applying here?
Does anyone have data that actually profiles the range of transplants who come here without jobs and post in public forums about seeking them? Yes there are the poor migrating from location to location with histories of social welfare behind them. But are they truly the ones posting to this forum asking advice about the area?
Your post had very good points to consider but you will need to revise the part cut out above. Unemployment figures (rates) are not based on who is collecting unemployment benefits and who is not. It's based on who is actively looking for work and cannot find it based on basically a poll. You can actively look for work well after running out of benefits and you will be factored into the unemployment rate. Now some people from higher cost of living areas can move here and then give up looking for work especially if their spouse is working. This is one way our population can increase without negatively affecting the unemployment rate. In fact this case would most likely help our unemployment rate because it's adding consumers.
There is much merit in what you are saying. We are currently part of the Census Bureau cohort group that the Bureau of Labor Statistics gets its data from the questions are interesting and we always get asked are we looking for work and the answer is always the same no but we get asked still. It is a tricky proposition especially for folks in their 60's who are not working. When is it true retirement and when is it out of work and if living elsewhere would you be looking for work. You can truly retire here with a very good life but not as much so elsewhere or you might be partially retired there looking for work.
Everyone native to everywhere in the US originated somewhere else if you follow their family tree far enough back. Set aside for the moment that most of that immigrating and subsequent moving was done by people with useful skill and in times of economic expansion (as it really doesn't help the rest of the rant)... I just don't get the disdain for people who appear to not have jobs where they are now nor jobs where they're headed nor enough resources or even skills to support themselves in the interim. I just don't get it why these people aren't welcomed with open arms by the people who pay the taxes there and contribute to the food banks there. Nope, I just don't get it.
If there are no jobs for them here AND no jobs where they're coming from, why are the folks back home not donating food and resources to the unemployed who live in their cities and towns?
Not saying I'd kick a person that's down, because I wouldn't. I just think it makes more sense for people to move to cities where jobs are available in their field (even if that field is "fast food fry cook") than to move to an area they read was good to move to, only to find that it's just not true unless you have a college degree and plenty of money. Make sense?
If there are no jobs for them here AND no jobs where they're coming from, why are the folks back home not donating food and resources to the unemployed who live in their cities and towns?
Not saying I'd kick a person that's down, because I wouldn't. I just think it makes more sense for people to move to cities where (more) jobs are available in their field (even if that field is "fast food fry cook") (and more than the existing local population can fill) than to move to an area they read (or just 3rd hand heard) was good to move to, only to find that it's just not true unless you have a college degree and plenty of money. Make sense?
It sure does. Pass it along.
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