Employment Outlook? (Anchorage: 2014, rental market, insurance)

[movingoutofTN]

I am just curious about the job market in Anchorage. We are moving due a job relocation (hubby). I am just curious as far as employment for me. I have done admin assistant work to being a cashier. Thanks so much in advance for the info!

[Dakster]

Besides Alexsys and careerbuilder - When you get there, hit the job banks and temp agencies. Some businesses use the temp agencies to see if you are reliable and competent before hiring you full time. My wife was going to go that route, but she got lucky and got a full time job with the State- although it took about 6 months to get it. And we are now moving up for her to start work there.

While we were getting settled in and running around Anchorage I noticed businesses were hiring people. The tough part - they wanted people with certifications/skills in what they needed. For example, the State Farm agent we went to was hiring, but you need to have your insurance license. Which is basically paying a fee to take a quick course and a test.

Last resort - As far as non-degreed/certification or general help type jobs, I noticed a few restaurants we went to had help wanted signs out front - as did some retail places. (I am targeting your cashier experience) I wasn't really looking and I can't remember who/what, but for some reason those stick out in my mind. FWIW, We are actually back in our previous residence, packing up to finish the move and getting the house ready to sell. My mind is not remembering Anchorage at the moment.

Anyways, My best advice is to talk to people everywhere you go - and keep your eyes open. Since you are going to be there anyways, I feel safe in saying this to you. There are a lot of opportunities that you can find once you are there. Doors are opened once you are physically in Anchorage. We got a lot of "when you get here, see me" type responses even though we were on our way. I wouldn't recommend someone come up and bank on it - but your situation is different. [And yes - I know for some people that spur of the moment moving up with your last dime has worked out - but I somehow don't think that is the case all the time]

[movingoutofTN]

Dakster, Thanks so much for the insight!

[highlife2]

Alot is going to hinge on the August Ballot measure 1. If Ballot measure 1 passes we have been told it would result in about 33% of people being laid off. So they for sure wont be hiring if it passes.

Even if it fails I think the whackadodles have proven that all it takes is 1000 people to put the entire states economy at risk so if I were the oil companies I would not want to invest milliions with payback time frames as long as 10 years when the socialists can come back in a few years and craft a new ballot meausre and get nieve college students to sign off and we go back through this same song and dance again.

[AK76]

Originally Posted by highlife2

Alot is going to hinge on the August Ballot measure 1. If Ballot measure 1 passes we have been told it would result in about 33% of people being laid off. So they for sure wont be hiring if it passes.

Even if it fails I think the whackadodles have proven that all it takes is 1000 people to put the entire states economy at risk so if I were the oil companies I would not want to invest milliions with payback time frames as long as 10 years when the socialists can come back in a few years and craft a new ballot meausre and get nieve college students to sign off and we go back through this same song and dance again.

What is the "1000 people" in reference to?

Also, since you are in the petroleum industry, what is your perspective on prop. 1, how will(or not) it affect your job?

Why would you vote yes, or no?

[highlife2]

Originally Posted by AK76

What is the "1000 people" in reference to?

Also, since you are in the petroleum industry, what is your perspective on prop. 1, how will(or not) it affect your job?

Why would you vote yes, or no?

The new tax law actually taxes the oil companies more on the low price side but less on the high price side. But the biggest advantage is the new tax is a sort of simpler "flat tax" so that projects can actually assess how profitable a given investment will be, say 10 years out. Aces is super convoluded and requires a small team of tax people to figure out every single year and the projects groups cant confidently assess rate of return on a project. Oil companies are not puppy shelters or soup kitchens, they are for profit companies and what for profit company only wants to make a small profit, everyone in buisness to make money wants the biggest ROR they can get.

The 1000 people I believe is all it takes to get an item on a ballot, I think it is unfortunate that fiscal policy is allowed to be manipulated by ballot measures (not that politicians are much better, but the people are starting to prove they are just as bad as their representitives, I guess thats why they call them representitives lol). Ballot measures in my opnion are more for social issues (like the pot bill).

I have been told by people I know that they were told directly in a meeting that if ballot 1 passes they can expect to see a 33% down sizing. Which means hiring will be nil.

Also military is about to be massivly downsized (which I agree with, its about time we stop killing young people for oil assets). The military BAH is what drives rental prices sky high so as they downsize the base personel more people will live on base and the rental market will be forced to react.

I think the rent is too high and I make good money so I know it has to be cripling alot of people.

[AK76]

Originally Posted by highlife2

The new tax law actually taxes the oil companies more on the low price side but less on the high price side. But the biggest advantage is the new tax is a sort of simpler "flat tax" so that projects can actually assess how profitable a given investment will be, say 10 years out. Aces is super convoluded and requires a small team of tax people to figure out every single year and the projects groups cant confidently assess rate of return on a project. Oil companies are not puppy shelters or soup kitchens, they are for profit companies and what for profit company only wants to make a small profit, everyone in buisness to make money wants the biggest ROR they can get.

The 1000 people I believe is all it takes to get an item on a ballot, I think it is unfortunate that fiscal policy is allowed to be manipulated by ballot measures (not that politicians are much better, but the people are starting to prove they are just as bad as their representitives, I guess thats why they call them representitives lol). Ballot measures in my opnion are more for social issues (like the pot bill).

I have been told by people I know that they were told directly in a meeting that if ballot 1 passes they can expect to see a 33% down sizing. Which means hiring will be nil.

Also military is about to be massivly downsized (which I agree with, its about time we stop killing young people for oil assets). The military BAH is what drives rental prices sky high so as they downsize the base personel more people will live on base and the rental market will be forced to react.

I think the rent is too high and I make good money so I know it has to be cripling alot of people.

Thanks for the input.

As to the required number of signatures, it changes from year to year. I knew it was more than 1000 but could not remember how it was calculated.

Here is an explanation: Laws governing the initiative process in Alaska - Ballotpedia

Collecting signatures

Each initiative and referendum state employs a unique method of calculating the state's signature requirements. Some states mandate a certain fraction of registered voters while others base their calculation on those who actually voted in a preceding election. In addition, many states employ a distribution requirement, dictating where in the state these signatures must be collected. Beyond these overarching requirements, many states regulate the manner in which signatures may be collected and the timeline for collecting them.
Number required

See also: Alaska signature requirements The number of signatures required is based on the total number of votes cast in the last general election. For both initiatives and referendums, signatures equal to 10% of these votes are required.
Year Initiated statute Veto referendum 2014 30,169 30,169 2012 25,875 25,875 2010 32,734 32,734 2008 23,831 23,831 See law: Alaska Statues, Sec. 15.45.140
Distribution requirements

See also: Distribution requirements Signatures equal to 7% of the total district vote in the last general election must be collected in each of 3/4 of the 40 Alaska House districts.
An older, less restrictive, distribution requirement was changed by a legislatively referred ballot measure on the November 2004 ballot, the Distribution Requirement for Initiatives Act. That measure was approved with 51.7% of the vote. The older requirement was that proponents must collect petition signatures from each of 2/3 of Alaska's 40 state House districts--only one voter needed to sign from each of the 27 districts.
See law: Alaska Statutes, Sec. 15.45.140; Alaska Distribution Requirement for Initiatives, Measure 1 (2004)

[Chilkoot]

Good post Dakster.

It didn't take long for this thread to get hijacked. What a waste when the information had very little to do with the ops post.

The unemployement rate in Anchorage is below 5% and there are tons of admin/cashier jobs available currently. Certainly more difficult in the winter.

As for slope work, the past 3 years has seen more people working on the slope than at any other time. There's lots of work, particularly with the right skills.

[AK76]

Originally Posted by Chilkoot

Good post Dakster.

It didn't take long for this thread to get hijacked. What a waste when the information had very little to do with the ops post.

The unemployement rate in Anchorage is below 5% and there are tons of admin/cashier jobs available currently. Certainly more difficult in the winter.

As for slope work, the past 3 years has seen more people working on the slope than at any other time. There's lots of work, particularly with the right skills.

Comments about the oil field/industry, which employs a large percentage of Alaskans, what affects it and what may affect it in the near future are apropo to the conversation, as is the comments regarding housing and the cost of such.

The link and <snip> I posted was for reference to a correction of misinformation to an earlier post.

There is no hijack.

[stiffnecked]

If you've got cashier experience try to get on with Costco. They pay good and have benefits. I talk to a couple of employees at the Costco on Debarr and they've both been with the company for 20 years. If you don't mind actually working they say it's been a great place to work.