Job market, any positives? (Chicago, Oregon: college, live, stores)

[pdxatx]

I know the economy is bad; I lived in Seattle last year and lost my job. With my severance, I decided to risk it and stay with a friend in NYC and find work. After a month (of getting many calls but being picky with whom I interviewed with) I was offered a job. Three months later, I was offered another job at $10,000 more a year.

During this time, I applied to posts that look interesting and got interview offers, so here in New York, I’m doing fine.
I really don’t like New York; it’s too expensive and large. I don’t like being near Times Square and tourists asking me where the World Trade Center is. A visited Chicago a few years ago and go back a few times a year. I made a lot of friends here and would live to make the move in July of 2011.

I keep reading how HORRIBLE the job market is here. I know it’s worse than New York (New York got pumped with a ton of Wall Street bailout money), but has anyone had a positive experience?

I work in technical fields, usually as a field technician for various companies. I used to be an AutoCAD drafter and I have a Bachelor’s degree. I keep seeing people complaining that they can’t get jobs at K-Mart, but when I go into these stores I see people dressed like a thug asking for applications. Sorry, but maybe your knuckle tattoos and criminal record is the reason.

Please enlighten me or at least, humor me.

Please, if you post a positive/negative experience, explain broadly your background and education.

[dlb8685]

I'm just one person but I got a job in 2008 that I didn't really like and I've been hanging on tight. There have not been many people leaving my company at all.

However, I do know a number of people who have found jobs in the past year. If you're up to a certain level of qualification, which it sounds like you are, then you will likely find something. The issue of course is that it may be far from what you are looking for and/or you may be underpaid.

I don't have a lot of knowledge about your field. One thing that may make the Chicago rate look high (11.5%) is the massive number of people in Chicago with low education levels. I would say 11.5% in Chicago is a better market than 11.5% in Portland, Oregon for instance (my brother and mom are moving there and I've been researching), just because Portland has such a higher proportion of college educated people and a lot smaller underclass.

[jdiddy]

If I can extrapolate my tiny slice of Chicago onto the rest of it, if you have a degree, things have definitely been picking up. Of course, its picking up from a deep bottom, but all the friends of mine who were laid off the past few years have found full-time positions and the pay-freezes seem to be lifting.

[Thepreacherswife]

The professional services may be starting to pick up. I just got hired by one of the big accounting/consulting firms; there were 12 new Chicago hires in our group.

[one00proof]

Just fyi, the reason accounting hiring is on the upswing is because the higher positions are being let go and they're pushing down higher level work to the associates and seniors.

[emathias]

We're hiring:
* java developers (seniority is flexible as long as you're smart)

We're considering hiring soon:
* application support staff for server-based java apps
* junior people with at least some linux and/or java experience

I've known people who've recently gotten jobs in:
* C# development
* network administration

I don't currently have any unemployed friends.

[MannheimMadman]

I was hired back in February; the only downside is that I'm underpaid. I don't seem to mind this too much as it is an entry level position and something on which I can cut my teeth. It took a long time to get this thing, but it is possible.

My company also hired some others around the same time. All of them were degreed type of positions. I think that if you have something to offer, someone will pick you up eventually.

[urbanjunglist]

It's a numbers game, much like anywhere else i suppose. I am a producer, AV/event and video/tv/film is my background. I have had pretty steady work as a freelancer, but not steady enough to enjoy life... just gettin by. But, if I am not working for a freelance client, I am carpet-bombing the city with my resume looking for full time. The last month I have approached at least 100 opportunities.... 2 interviews... nothing landed yet... and I am good (pretty well known for being a performer in the industry). It is rough out there, but I think it's a matter of tenacity, and maintaining a good attitude even when things are difficult.

Like I said, numbers game Sooner or later something will hit. But overall, I would say Chicago still has a ways to go. Good luck

[Thepreacherswife]

Originally Posted by one00proof

Just fyi, the reason accounting hiring is on the upswing is because the higher positions are being let go and they're pushing down higher level work to the associates and seniors.

I don't know about that. Out of the 12 Chicago people there were 4 managers (including me) and a senior manager. Right now our specific group has less of a pyramid than a diamond shape, with a small number of staff and and partners/directors and larger numbers of seniors and managers.

The Big4 firm that I left had two or three rounds of layoffs depending on which group you were in, and they worked their way up from the bottom, taking out mostly staff and seniors at first. As things continued to be crappy, they started cutting higher positions. When I left they were out of staff and seniors to cut and started moving up to managers/directors/partners. Now they're scrambling for first-year staff.

[lh2010]

The job market isn't great, I was laid off about a year and a half ago and it took me forever to find another decent job. That said I have had some buddies who landed great jobs and didn't take them long.

My current job isn't my dream job but like someone else mentioned, I'm sticking with it. I feel like I could go out and get a better paying more satifying job thats more of a challenger for myself but I get paid not enough but decent and have benefits and I'm afraid goign to a new company if things take a dip for the worse again being the new guy I'd be the first let go where as my current job though not ideal is extremely secure.