How true is this theory (Sacramento, Concord: job market, high school, college)

[marcopolo666]

Since many, many people have no clue where Asperger's is concerned, it might be that is the problem (not YOUR problem, but THIER problem) - not that you are white. That is, of course, if there is any outward sign of the condition.

[Malloric]

Originally Posted by CA2000

I only brought up Asians because they are a race that looks outwardly multilingual - no, neither me nor my friend think there is a large population of non-English-speaking Asians in Sacramento. And what we are wanting to know is if we would be better off living in the Lamorinda area or some predominantly white area in terms of job prospects because of the preference Sac employers have for multilingualism. If it helps, it kind of goes hand in hand with us losing some friends because they thought we were essentially 'lazy hood rats' that weren't looking for jobs, when in fact we were doing just that.

Basically, is Sacramento not a good place for white Aspie guys in terms of job prospects. That is what we are wondering.

The bigger issue is you have no employable skills. I'm white. I speak English and only English. I do not have a problem finding work in either Sacramento or the Bay Area. When I was just out of college and didn't have the same employable skills (although I had five years' experience as a pharm tech), it was far more difficult. I basically had to find companies that wanted someone they could train to do a job. There's a lot of competition for those unskilled jobs where all they want is a college degree. Mine was economics with a minor in corporate finance, which helped a bit. The big employer of unskilled people with economics/finance degrees, however, is public accounting firms. It's very competitive and I was kind, okay really, a screwball. I did fine in the classes I enjoyed and barely passed the ones I thought were stupid. There were a lot of stupid classes.

Now I don't use my degree at all. I have a technical certification that's in demand. I can go to pretty much any moderate-sized urban area in the country and find work easily. Being multilingual certainly helps if you have no job skills and are competing with a glut of other people where speaking another language is an advantage. It doesn't matter so much once you have a job skill that's in demand. They don't care if you can or can't speak another language if they need someone to do the job and have trouble finding people.

Asperger's probably is doing you no favors either, although it's a spectrum disorder so hard to say. I have a cousin with Asperger's who will in all likelihood never work. It's kind of sad but I think he's just kind of given up. He's much more severe. Definitely bright enough but he can't even handle taking classes at a junior college. Certain fields would be easier. Doing something like statistical modeling or analysis where the pros of Asperger's are definitely beneficial and the cons aren't so relevant would make more sense than hospitality.

[calnbs]

Originally Posted by marcopolo666

Two guys can't get a job. They are both white. It *must* be a race issue. Sigh. Fail.

Those who points fingers at everyone but him/herself always ends up exactly where they deserves in life. I grew up poor and I knew poor people who gives excuses on top of excuses and 30 years later, still poor.

I also knew poor people who don't give excuses and go out there and make it happen....Now many of them are very successful, some are millionaires now. I'm not worth millions but I went for poor class to middle class. I expect that the next 10 years, my life will even be better.

There are those who make it happens, and there are those who complain and give excuses to why they can't make it.

[20five]

I feel for you man. The main issue is not being able to find a job for a long period of time. Unfortunately you are being led down paths that really are unpopular to voice, but I hear you. Here's my two cents:

Firstly, you live in Grass Valley. The area is beautiful. You being young, white, and unemployed I think gives the impression to many who see you as probably involved in weed growing/production/sales/etc. It sounds also like your friend who is into horticulture *wink* needs to stop delivering weed to avoid any future drug relapses due to easy access to weed.

Secondly, Sacramento and the surrounding burbs are economically depressed, and lack jobs, unless you want to work in government or restaurants...period. The hipsters in midtown will claim otherwise, but Sacramento is still just a small town. All the job growth around here is in very low paying jobs.

Ah...yes the trades. I have applied to and tested with 4 of the local unions. They all say they are hiring, but the truth is there is no work...at least not yet. Most of the trade type jobs around Sacramento are non-union and they want to pay you $12-$14 per hour.

The Bay Area on the other hand is BOOMING. You would never know they were in the same state if you just landed there. Jobs are more plentiful than job-seekers, hence the higher rates of pay. Good jobs will always be tough to get due to competition, but at least there are opportunities. But the Bay Area is expensive. This can be offset for a while by living like a college student (or an immigrant) and having roommates. Don't fall into the trap of being like the other white people and spending all of your money. Save as much as possible, get yourself an economical beater (do this now actually....you're in California for F-sakes, not Boston.)

Another big problem I see here is you are going to school for a useless degree/degrees. Study something that is marketable. Study science or computers/programming/networking/etc. Study management/project management/business. Study chemistry or engineering (civil comes to mind...have you seen our roadways?) Government? Really? Why would study government when you can get into government jobs with any degree? Change your degree immediately.

Honestly, have you considered the military? They will train you if you insist that they send you to a school BEFORE you sign on the line. They will also give you a ton of support after your time is up. I know guys that have all of their schooling paid for and receive a $2500 per month living allowance. Go Air Force and study avionics or electronics or turbines. Go Navy and study nuclear or power generation. Do you know how much utility companies love to hire these types of ex-military?

Anyway, is it easy to get a job as someone who is bilingual? Yes. Are companies afraid of hiring white people? No. Should you move? Yes. Just my two cents. I too am white, under-employed, and living in this region, and considering my options.

Best of luck.

[beb0p]

Originally Posted by CA2000

In the previous thread I had, something was said about how large and/or coastal towns were seeking more outwardly bilingual employees for public contact jobs because of the large number of immigrants/foreign language speakers that came in - particularly Spanish-speaking. While this would definitely be a problem in say, Sacramento, San Francisco, or Oakland, I don't think it would be as big of a problem other Bay Area towns, especially in the Lamorinda and Concord areas due to their distance from the bigger cities and smaller populations. (Once my friend and I joked that the only reason why BART built stations in Orinda and Lafayette was to allow whites who didn't want to learn computers or activism easy places to find jobs, and that it should have been designated the 'white' line on maps).

Dude, there is no jobs in Lamorinda aside from restaurants, boutique retail, and some government/professional jobs that you're not qualified for. Lamorinda is the quintessential sleepy suburb that do not allow big businesses, where are you going to find a job that pays more than minimum wage?

If you think Concord doesn't have a big non-White population, then you've obviously never been there.

Originally Posted by CA2000

While I doubt my joke has any real value, I am interested in seeing if the Bay Area really does outdo Sacramento in job-finding and hiring. If so, is this part of the reason why the Bay Area is so expensive to live in?

Why don't you start applying and find out.
.

[CA2000]

Why don't you start applying and find out.
.[/quote]

I have been applying.

[CA2000]

[quote=beb0p;47848951]Dude, there is no jobs in Lamorinda aside from restaurants, boutique retail, and some government/professional jobs that you're not qualified for. Lamorinda is the quintessential sleepy suburb that do not allow big businesses, where are you going to find a job that pays more than minimum wage?

If you think Concord doesn't have a big non-White population, then you've obviously never been there.


I can still work in other places like boutique retail and the like. I just want something that I can pay the bills with for now...

[CA2000]

Originally Posted by 20five

I feel for you man. The main issue is not being able to find a job for a long period of time. Unfortunately you are being led down paths that really are unpopular to voice, but I hear you. Here's my two cents:

Firstly, you live in Grass Valley. The area is beautiful. You being young, white, and unemployed I think gives the impression to many who see you as probably involved in weed growing/production/sales/etc. It sounds also like your friend who is into horticulture *wink* needs to stop delivering weed to avoid any future drug relapses due to easy access to weed.

Secondly, Sacramento and the surrounding burbs are economically depressed, and lack jobs, unless you want to work in government or restaurants...period. The hipsters in midtown will claim otherwise, but Sacramento is still just a small town. All the job growth around here is in very low paying jobs.

Ah...yes the trades. I have applied to and tested with 4 of the local unions. They all say they are hiring, but the truth is there is no work...at least not yet. Most of the trade type jobs around Sacramento are non-union and they want to pay you $12-$14 per hour.

The Bay Area on the other hand is BOOMING. You would never know they were in the same state if you just landed there. Jobs are more plentiful than job-seekers, hence the higher rates of pay. Good jobs will always be tough to get due to competition, but at least there are opportunities. But the Bay Area is expensive. This can be offset for a while by living like a college student (or an immigrant) and having roommates. Don't fall into the trap of being like the other white people and spending all of your money. Save as much as possible, get yourself an economical beater (do this now actually....you're in California for F-sakes, not Boston.)

Another big problem I see here is you are going to school for a useless degree/degrees. Study something that is marketable. Study science or computers/programming/networking/etc. Study management/project management/business. Study chemistry or engineering (civil comes to mind...have you seen our roadways?) Government? Really? Why would study government when you can get into government jobs with any degree? Change your degree immediately.

Honestly, have you considered the military? They will train you if you insist that they send you to a school BEFORE you sign on the line. They will also give you a ton of support after your time is up. I know guys that have all of their schooling paid for and receive a $2500 per month living allowance. Go Air Force and study avionics or electronics or turbines. Go Navy and study nuclear or power generation. Do you know how much utility companies love to hire these types of ex-military?

Anyway, is it easy to get a job as someone who is bilingual? Yes. Are companies afraid of hiring white people? No. Should you move? Yes. Just my two cents. I too am white, under-employed, and living in this region, and considering my options.

Best of luck.

Thanks for all of this... but a lot of people have told me that government is a good degree to obtain, and that 'this country needs more journalists'

[JVinci]

Originally Posted by CA2000

Thanks for all of this... but a lot of people have told me that government is a good degree to obtain, and that 'this country needs more journalists'

You've got to be trolling

[CA2000]

Originally Posted by JVinci

You've got to be trolling

No, I'm not. People have said that. And they've also said the media needs better journalists as well.