Jobs in St. Louis, are there any? (Troy, California: 2009, homes)

[STL Aviator]

Originally Posted by chicagoerin

Sorry, but I have lived in Chicago and have been looking for a corporate job in St. Louis for years. In my profession I could move to most any metro area and find a great job, except for St. Louis. Comparing the executive level/professional job market in Chicago to St. Louis is laughable. They are not even in the same stratosphere.

I've lived in Chicago too. I was born and raised there and lived there prior to moving to St. Louis. Zoom mentioned unemployment and that is what I addressed. The BLS data shows that over the past 10 years, St. Louis has generally had lower annual unemployment than Chicago. Unemployment for April of this year was the same in St. Louis as in Chicago(5.3%). The preliminary data for May indicates that unemployment in Chicago was higher for that month than in St. Louis(6.3% vs. 6.0%). Average annual unemployment in Chicago was higher than in St. Louis from 1998-2006. 2007 was the only annual exception in the 10 year period, with Chicago reporting annual unemployment of 4.9% versus 5.3% in St. Louis that year. The St. Louis job market is certainly different from Chicago's. Chicago has a much bigger economy overall. That doesn't necessarily make it better, just bigger. You are more likely to find a greater variety of industries represented in a larger market. St. Louis' economy is definitely weighted towards the financial and healthcare sectors.

[STL Aviator]

Originally Posted by STLCardsBlues1989

unemployment is a problem everywhere, isn't it?

Unemployment has risen most places. National unemployment rose from 5.0% to 5.5% in May. Certainly some areas fare better than others. Areas in the midwest tend to fare more poorly than elsewhere.

Ultimately, job growth determines the fate of a region's economy. While job growth has been consistently negative in Detroit since 2000, St. Louis has seen positive growth in recent years. Over the past 10 complete calendar years(1998-2007), St. Louis has experienced total employment growth of 3.5%. Not stellar, but not awful either. By comparison, Detroit saw it's employment shrink by 7.9% during the same period. This is why comparing St. Louis with Detroit doesn't make sense. St. Louis hasn't been a fast growing city for a century. It tends to be a slow growing region with some ups and downs.

[ShadowCaver]

Originally Posted by STL Aviator

Unemployment has risen most places. National unemployment rose from 5.0% to 5.5% in May. Certainly some areas fare better than others. Areas in the midwest tend to fare more poorly than elsewhere.

Ultimately, job growth determines the fate of a region's economy. While job growth has been consistently negative in Detroit since 2000, St. Louis has seen positive growth in recent years. Over the past 10 complete calendar years(1998-2007), St. Louis has experienced total employment growth of 3.5%. Not stellar, but not awful either. By comparison, Detroit saw it's employment shrink by 7.9% during the same period. This is why comparing St. Louis with Detroit doesn't make sense. St. Louis hasn't been a fast growing city for a century. It tends to be a slow growing region with some ups and downs.

IMHO, I'm no economist, but I'd believe that such type of trend is a positive - nice, steady growth, w/ minimum variation.

[chicagoerin]

Good points STL Aviator!

[sukiebn]

Thanks for all the info. Maybe we better just stick it out here. I really love St. Louis and miss my folks, do not have any friends here, but if InBev buys AB(or even if AB just cuts jobs) then my husband may just be another beer guy looking for a job. I will just have to visit more often. Just out of curiosity how do you find a recruiter and who are the reputable ones?

[ShadowCaver]

Originally Posted by chicagoerin

Good points STL Aviator!

I agree, very good. (rereading my post from last night, seemed a tad cold... not intent )

sukiebn - from my experience, post a resume on one/some of the various on-line sites, and they will find you! I've a few that I work with, can PM you their info too. Keep in mind, 'tis better to have the recruiter work for you in a manner where their fees are being paid by the company, not you - unless a person is in situation where they don't mind, or have to.

[gracie552]

Originally Posted by stlsmoore

You sure you're living in the St. louis area what makes you think that?

I agree...St. Louis sucks...the crime is bad...all you have to do is drive into the city and that says it all. Run down businesses, dirty streets...yes, there are "nice" parts of the city/downtown area, but they're few and far between. Everywhere you go in St. Louis...it can be nice on one block and then totally ghetto on the next block. It's scary!

[ShadowCaver]

Originally Posted by gracie552

I agree...St. Louis sucks...the crime is bad...all you have to do is drive into the city and that says it all. Run down businesses, dirty streets...yes, there are "nice" parts of the city/downtown area, but they're few and far between. Everywhere you go in St. Louis...it can be nice on one block and then totally ghetto on the next block. It's scary!

I know!!! I have to close my eyes every time that I drive through there!





Yea,,, you are so correct - makes ya wonder then just where the following photos were taken, or what these people are working upon...
Downtown St. Louis Partnership - Beautification
Panoramio - Photos of the World
for just two examples.

Granted, StL is not perfect, there is indeed crime, there is definitely scary places - however, there are many people working quite hard to improve, to make this city [like most all cities, anywhere] better and safer. FWIW - I would love to find any place, any city or town or burg that does NOT have some part of it that is not dirty or unsafe... do you know of any?

[aragx6]

mmmm Troy ... http://www.forsalebyowner.com/images...21344773-2.jpg

My paradise.

[stlsmoore]

Originally Posted by gracie552

I agree...St. Louis sucks...the crime is bad...all you have to do is drive into the city and that says it all. Run down businesses, dirty streets...yes, there are "nice" parts of the city/downtown area, but they're few and far between. Everywhere you go in St. Louis...it can be nice on one block and then totally ghetto on the next block. It's scary!

Troy, MO

-1

Sorry it's just hard to take someones word about what's "ghetto" or "run down" from someone that far out from the city.