Ogden Jobs - Bleak or Not? (South Weber: insurance, job market, wages)

[webbedfeet]

I’m set to move to the Ogden area – South Weber to be exact – in roughly 4 months. I am 30, female and from Seattle where I was born and raised. I’d like to think that I am fairly well prepared for the move. I have 4 months f living expenses saved and I have been researching and studying the area as much as possible. For obvious reasons I was absolutely delighted when I found this website. There are questions that only inhabitants of Utah can answer.

Right now my main concern is employment. My background is in the insurance and healthcare industry – I currently work for Preferred Provider Orginazation (PPO). As you can imagine Seattle’s job market is fairly competitive and around here it can take anywhere from 3-12 months to find a good job. What should I expect in the Ogden area? How far in advance should I post my resume? I know that most of the good jobs are in SLC but I’d prefer to avoid any major commute. I’m certainly going to miss our public transportation system.

I originally had high hopes I would be able to land a job prior to moving, but during my research I came to realize this was a somewhat lofty goal. Medical benefits are extremely important to me therefore I’d like to steer away from small businesses that usually don’t offer much in the way of medical coverage.

My living situation in Utah will be much better than it is here in Seattle. My cost of living will be cut in half which means I don’t need to earn as much.

Any ideas or advice is greatly appreciated. J

[coolcats]

I don’t know about Ogden, but on the East side of Salt Lake, Regence Blue Cross Blue shield has a large operation. You’d be about 40-50 miles from Ogden. Does it have to be Ogden? What about some place in between?

[webbedfeet]

No, it doesn't have to be in Ogden but I'd really like to keep the commute to less than 20 miles.

I'd really like to get a better understanding of the job market. Is it slow or average? If I start sending out my resume in in April and move at the end of May what are the chances I'll have a few interviews lined up in June and August? It's not really even all that important that I stay in the insurance/healthcare industry. My main concern is to find employment with benefits.

[coolcats]

Well the good news is Utah has the lowest unemployment in the nation, so the job market is really tight. The bad news is wages are still below average. Your timeline should work well. You might land a job sooner. It still does take time to find a good job. I probably applied at a dozen places before landing a good job.

[webbedfeet]

Well I already have a few promising employers in mind that are located in Odgen. I'll post my resume to Career Builder & Monster a few months before moving and see where that gets me.

Thanks for your feedback