If Texas is soo great, why is it so cheap? (Dallas: health insurance, apartments)

[CalGal953]

We've actually looked all over the state. My boyfriend recently had a job interview in Austin and still has yet to hear back from them. He has looked elsewhere in the state and hasn't found a single job. I haven't found anything in the state either. (And he lives in Richardson, only I live in Grapevine.)

We would go back to school for more advanced degrees, but we have no money to do so, and my boyfriend has a college loan to pay back and can't afford to take on more loans.

[catman]

College is horrendously expensive now, since tuition was deregulated in state universities. I can scarcely believe how expensive it is.

[tallrick]

Originally Posted by nooneknowsmyname

I completely agree about the inequitable tax situation with respect to California property taxes. In my neighborhood in the SF Bay Area, there are people who paid 12-14K for their houses in the mid 60s and because their property taxes were frozen under Prop 13 are paying next to nothing on their houses which are now worth 550-600K. Their neighbors, who purchased their houses in the late 90s and early 2000s at prices ranging from 500-600K are paying substantially higher property taxes. And all receive the same benefits. Meanwhile the schools in California, which is a very rich state, are suffering from lack of funds and California schools, once some of the best in the US, are now among the worst.

If the new buyers refused to pay the high prices the problem will be solved. What kind of person does it take to pay 600K for a tiny shack? Those 12-14K homes are worth 120-140K if inflation is applied to appreciation.

[Trainwreck20]

with a bachelor's in Biology looking to go into environmental science

We have hired at least three or four people during the last two years that had a BS in a science (one might have been biology, not sure) and either interest or experience in ES. The problem is, it is hard to keep them...they market is very competetive, especially in Houston .

[PanTerra]

Volume!

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by houstoner

Yeah, I'd have to agree there's something else going on there to account for the poster's not landing a job in two years. Texas cities may have their faults, but lack of jobs isn't one of them!

We recently hired for a position and it was TOUGH to pick from the many qualified applicants. The first person we hired did not work out and we called the others and this had been less than 2 weeks. Of the 5 we called EVERY ONE OF THEM HAD A JOB already. We spread the word some and found someone later that week.

Here are some points that might be hurting both of these applicants:
1. Two years without a job at all. Your YOUNG and college educated and if neither of you are working ANY job no matter now menial it may be your NOT going to get hired. If you have been offered a job that was entry point and would have worked its way up you should have taken it PERIOD! By now you could have already been promoted several times if you showed the effort and drive.
2. In many positions and usually what the target age is for someone looking for that job the gap in employment is no big deal. But we are talking two YOUNG 20-somethings that are NOT married and don't have kids at home they have taken time off to care for.
3. Your in one of the LARGEST and HOTTEST markets and if your creditentials are good and your job history stable there is no reason why you don't have a job. Just look on the Dallas forum at how many people are coming here w/ similiar backgrounds and have several job offers. Your going to have a better chance of finding a job HERE in the Dallas area than you are in your "beloved" California. You think it is tough here........ yikes. Companies there are moving HERE.
4. If your going into an interview and saying you can't wait to get back to California.......... I'm NOT going to waste my time hiring you.
5. Did either of you do internships while in college? If not you SHOULD HAVE! That is a MUST! If you did and did not get offered a job with those companies call someone up there that you know and tell them to shot straight with you and tell you why. Let THEM be honest and open and take every word they say without trying to counter it.

As I've said, there has to be more to it otherwise you both would have a job and would have had several offers. Take a job, ANY job. Most people nowadays get hired AWAY from their current job because the prospective employer or someone that works for that company has dealings with you and likes the way you work.

[tycobb2522]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

Grapevine is a bedroom community (suburb) of the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex. DFW International Airport is at the doorstep of Grapevine. While many "professional" jobs might not be IN Grapevine there are plenty of areas that do fit those careers. It was once a sleepy little "farm" town that has now been encroached upon by the booming economy in this area.

There could be OTHER factors that go into play in why someone has not gotten a job. Good people in this area get hired and often have several offers. One needs to step back and look from the other side. If you were an employer, would YOU hire someone like you? Not saying there is anything wrong w/ someone at all just that there has to be something behind one has not gotten a job offer in 2 years (especially a couple if they are BOTH looking surely one of them could have found something by now).

Actually, although Grapevine is definitely a suburb, I'd hesitate to call it a 'bedroom community'. Grapevine has a population of right at 50,000, and a daytime population of 134,000. Grapevine has become a legitimate employment center, and is becoming more so with each high-profile development that is brought in, and there have been many since the mid 90's.

Grapevine is virtually built out as far as residential construction, yet continues to attract major retail, hospitality, medical, and technology developments, and with them the jobs continue to increase. So to the poster who asked if Grapevine is booming: yes, it is most definitely booming.

I have absolutely no answer for the girl that can't find a job; motivation or lack thereof perhaps? Unwilling to take work that she feels is beneath her? I don't know, but I know very few college educated people who legitimately are looking for work that can't find it...

[CalGal953]

Well, right now I am not looking at California, even though I miss it terribly and did not move to Texas by choice. I am looking here in Texas and in Missouri, which is also doing okay economics-wise, especially in Kansas City.

And as for internships, it is kind of too late for us to consider those and we can't exactly change history.

Another problem for us is that my boyfriend has Asperger's Syndrome, so his job choices outside of computer science are extremely limited since about 95% of jobs require "excellent verbal and written communication skills". I am in the process of being diagnosed with autism myself so my choices outside environmental biology are very limited also. We still have yet to find jobs that are not so heavy on "excellent verbal and written communication skills".

And I am looking for jobs that have decent health plan benefits since I am asthmatic and my boyfriend has Ehler's-Danlos. He has had to go to the ER several times in the last 2 years and ended up with about $6000 in medical bills.

And I am extremely motivated in finding a job, yet I still can't find any that have sufficient pay and benefits and are good for autistics.

[houstoner]

Originally Posted by CalGal953

Well, right now I am not looking at California, even though I miss it terribly and did not move to Texas by choice. I am looking here in Texas and in Missouri, which is also doing okay economics-wise, especially in Kansas City.

And as for internships, it is kind of too late for us to consider those and we can't exactly change history.

Another problem for us is that my boyfriend has Asperger's Syndrome, so his job choices outside of computer science are extremely limited since about 95% of jobs require "excellent verbal and written communication skills". I am in the process of being diagnosed with autism myself so my choices outside environmental biology are very limited also. We still have yet to find jobs that are not so heavy on "excellent verbal and written communication skills".

And I am looking for jobs that have decent health plan benefits since I am asthmatic and my boyfriend has Ehler's-Danlos. He has had to go to the ER several times in the last 2 years and ended up with about $6000 in medical bills.

And I am extremely motivated in finding a job, yet I still can't find any that have sufficient pay and benefits.

Did you write this with help? You seem to have "excellent verbal and written communication skills" from where I'm sitting.

A lot of stuff they put on job descriptions are for The Ideal Candidate. You can bs your way through some of it, I would think especially so if you're in the sciences or IT. My partner is in IT and cannot spell to save his life, yet he's gotten by all right thanks to (technology!) spellcheck and other lifehacks. He types as fast as I do, but he never took a class and doesn't do it "correctly". He taught himself and types in a very weird way. But it works!

Have you looked into career counseling, or your local disabilities office? They should be able to assist you in focusing your job search. Perhaps think outside the box a bit. With your backgrounds and disabilities, couldn't you work in a technical library, for example? They usually have decent pay and good benefits.

[CalGal953]

Originally Posted by houstoner

Did you write this with help? You seem to have "excellent verbal and written communication skills" from where I'm sitting.

A lot of stuff they put on job descriptions are for The Ideal Candidate. You can bs your way through some of it, I would think especially so if you're in the sciences or IT. My partner is in IT and cannot spell to save his life, yet he's gotten by all right thanks to (technology!) spellcheck and other lifehacks.

Have you looked into career counseling, or your local disabilities office? They should be able to assist you in focusing your job search. Perhaps think outside the box a bit. With your backgrounds, couldn't you work in a technical library, for example? They usually have decent pay and good benefits.

I wrote that above post on my own, though it took me some time because I had to check over the paragraphs very carefully. And how do you know I have excellent "verbal" communication skills, when we can't exactly talk to each other via voice on here?

I have looked into career counseling, and my career counselor suggested I check the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services. I am doing so, but the processes are painfully slow. I just took an evaluation test there and will have to wait two weeks before I can get more help in finding a job with their help. I am looking at technical library jobs though I haven't had luck in finding jobs there either.