Finding a job...*any* job? (job market, pharmacy, pros and cons)

[Heart&Mind]

H&M here, with another question about RI.

From what I've been reading on this forum, trying to weigh the pros and cons about moving to Rhode Island, the # 1 con is that, apparently, the job market is terrible in this state.

However, I've also heard another POV on this: that "white collar" jobs (office wok, marketing, management, etc.) are relatively easier to find than "blue collar" ones (which, apparently, took the hardest hit).

How true would you say this is? That one would have an easier time finding office work than, say, union work? What about temp agencies? Looking for work out of state, like in Connecticut or Massachusetts?

[boulevardofdef]

Originally Posted by Heart&Mind

How true would you say this is? That one would have an easier time finding office work than, say, union work?

That's definitely been my experience. Most of the manufacturing jobs that made this state are long gone, but Rhode Island actually has a surprising amount of major corporate presence for a state of its population (seventh smallest in the country). CVS (largest pharmacy company and 12th-largest corporation in the country), Citizens Bank (15th-largest bank) and Hasbro (third-largest toy company in the world, second-largest in America) are all headquartered here -- those are major players. There's a large presence for other companies such as Fidelity and Bank of America, too. If you look at states with comparable population sizes -- the closest are Maine, New Hampshire, Montana and Delaware -- they don't boast nearly so much corporate presence, Delaware's tax-shelter status aside.

[CoventryDude]

It's not scientific but I know more blue collar folks who've had trouble finding jobs than white collar.....I know more long term unemployed blue collar people than white collar....of course, I know a lot more white collar people who have moved out of state for jobs, too. Electric Boat is a large manufacturer. Almost all of the factories are gone now, moved overseas.