[Superman12]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

They actually said they are laying off 180 people, but clients will not lose any services. I don't know if that's half, but it didn't sound like it. It's a reorganization. Las Vegas has better health care than just about any smaller city, and is on a par with most cities of this size and even larger ones. What we don't have, yet, is a really large, established, Medical School to take the interesting cases, but there is always UCLA that's not too far away. Usually the medical services/hospitals here are begging for help.

First of all, Las Vegas is no way is considered a small city!!! I'll agree with you that Las Vegas medical services should be compared to a small city. Our doctors are so good that they reuse needles to make a profit.

Thats Las Vegas for you!

[Superman12]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

They actually said they are laying off 180 people, but clients will not lose any services. I don't know if that's half, but it didn't sound like it. It's a reorganization. Las Vegas has better health care than just about any smaller city, and is on a par with most cities of this size and even larger ones. What we don't have, yet, is a really large, established, Medical School to take the interesting cases, but there is always UCLA that's not too far away. Usually the medical services/hospitals here are begging for help.

Just read the article AGAIN to clarify the facts. You are incorrect. The article does states that Nevada Cancer Institute is laying off 300 employees which is half of their staff because the center is 100 Million Dollars in debt.

[jfkIII]

Buzz...I've got a pocket full of Kryptonite for sale, if you're interested.

[VLWH]

Originally Posted by SCGranny

My daughter moved to Vegas two years ago. She was the Assistant Pathologist in a huge lab. She was in the top 10 out of 350 applicants for a job as a clinical pathologist. She didn't get the job. She did, however, have six months' living expenses saved up, and was nearing the end of that when she applied for another, clinical pathologist, job. She got it for far less than she had been making on the East Coast, but at a livable wage. She worked at the job and after six months, out of the blue, they promoted her to 1st Assistant, making six figures. What helped her survive that first year was 1) she had 6 months' worth of living expenses of savings to take with her; 2) she had a brother living there who is a supervisor in the public transportation dept there, who showed her around, helped her meet people, taught her where to go for the cheapest and best. (Her brother has lived there for 10 years, after he got out of the Air Force.)

There are a LOT of folks who think of Vegas as Mecca, and who end up living hand-to-mouth, struggling just to survive, according to my two children. There are bad neighborhoods, bad schools, places where you don't want to be in broad daylight much less after dark. Those places can be avoided - if you have common sense and enough money to keep you on the sunlight side. The same thing can be said of any big city, though. Those $500K homes that are going for $150K now weren't worth $500K when they were built - it was what the market would bear, and those who were foolish enough to pay $500K for them - and who couldn't afford them any more - pretty much got what they deserved. Again, you can say the same thing about any large city. According to my kids (both over 25) it is a fine town for young, educated, upwardly-mobile couples and singles, and there is no income tax, which makes it sweeter. My daughter has a fiancee now, and moved into his home in one of the 'older' areas of town, that is still charming and has been progressively bought into by younger couples, singles, and smaller families. If you are looking for a place to live with children, you might want to stay away from the "all-made-out-of-ticky-tacky-all-look-just-the-same newer developments, for both price and amenities.

I have been to Vegas several times, and it is fun to visit, lots of great things to see and do - everything from shows and events (our son has a "Faerie" performing troupe that sets up in the Park for the yearly Renaissance Faire; they also travel to other states to perform) to the camping and outdoor fun on Mount Charleston. Your kids will have lots of opportunities to see and experience the great things that Vegas has to offer. Me, I like my farm and the country life, so while I am happy for my kids to be doing well, and I do enjoy the fun, variety, and the excitement, I can only take it in small doses.

Great post. Most positions in the medical field require specialized training. Finding a job would be much easier, even with the high unemployement.

[SCGranny]

<blush> Thanks, Buzz!
Our children were raised to believe that life wasn't meant to be "safe" it was meant to be LIVED. Which is why my DH and I (both natives of Charleston, SC) sold everything three years ago, and moved to our "dream home" farm in Nebraska, 80 miles west of "The Middle of Nowhere" (we know 'cause there's a billboard that says so).

Everyone said we were crazy, we'd come back, we'd hate it, we'd never make it, we'd hate the snow and cold, we'd hate the people, we didn't know what we were doing, we were too invested in that place, how could we leave our families and everything we knew. We just smiled. We'd planned to move west for years, and finally got the opportunity.

Moving to new places with hopes and dreams is fine; but moving there with a knowledge of both the good and evil in a place, will keep you from being one of those starry-eyed Pollyannas who end up angry at the world because their life didn't work out the way they planned/were promised it would. I don't discourage anyone from chasing their dreams - but remembering that they have to chase them with their feet planted firmly on the ground for each step is essential. The opinions of people who hate Las Vegas are just as important as the people who love it - because their experiences are valid, too. One has to weigh the good with the bad, and make his/her own decision. But leaping up and running off to the next new thing - just because it IS a new thing - will only lead to disappointment. No town, no people, no county or state will save you - if you cannot save yourself.

I am fond of Vegas; it is a lot like Disney World to me - lots of exciting, wonderful things happening on the surface, and lots of unsung people underground who keep it working, day to day, whom no one ever sees or knows about. My kids are two of those people, who are happy and content where they are, doing what they do, part of the microcosm.

[jfkIII]

Granny...you are a wise sage.

[SCGranny]

Originally Posted by jfkIII

Granny...you are a wise sage.

Thanks, but ... nah.

What makes people smart is making good choices. How do they know they are good choices? Because they've learned from the BAD choices they've made. I've made a LOT of bad choices - but, I learned from them!

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again - and expecting different results."

[Tires]

Originally Posted by pommysmommy

The job market is bad everywhere in the United States.

No it is not. There are some smaller cities with higher unemployment rates than Las Vegas, but Las Vegas is at the top of the worst larger cities.
Las Vegas is number 351 out of 372 metro areas in the US for jobs.

If you really need a job, why go to one of the cities with the highest unemployment instead of the lowest?
You can still move to Las Vegas when the job market gets much better or to retire.


Around 40 metropolitan areas have jobless rates less than 50% the rate Las Vegas has.
7 metropolitan areas have a unemployment under 5%
Unemployment Rates for Metropolitan Areas


Minnesota Headhunter: Top 10 Best And Worst Cities For U.S. Jobs | Minneapolis #4 Best City


Best U.S. cities for jobs:

1 Washington, DC

2 Boston, Massachusetts

3 Austin, Texas

4 Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota

5 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

6 Baltimore, Maryland

7 Milwaukee, Wisconsin

8 Salt Lake City, Utah

9 New York, New York

10 Hartford, Connecticut

Worst U.S. cities for jobs:

1 Las Vegas, Nevada

2 Riverside, California

3 Miami, Florida

4 Detroit, Michigan

5 Sacramento, California

6 Los Angeles, California

7 San Diego, California

8 Providence, Rhode Island

9 Jacksonville, Florida

10 Orlando, Florida

[airics]

Now compare the cost of living in those cities....NYC, Boston, Baltimore, Hartford, etc. If you have determination you can get a job here. Take anything and continue the search plus no state and local taxes is a huge plus!

[olecapt]

The US employment rate is about 90.5%. Las Vegas is about 86.3%. That says Las Vegas is about 5% worse than the US average.

That does not say Las Vegas is good. What it really says is the overall US is moderately bad and Las Vegas is a little worse.

Sure there are places with 5% unemployment...Lincoln NE, Bismarck, ND, Ames iA, Fargo ND, Iowa City IA, Burlington VT, Midland TX.

See a pattern there? You can't pay people to live in a lot of these places. Heck you can go to scenic Ely or Elko if you want low unemployment only.

Las Vegas is not ideal. If you have a reasonable job where you are you should stay there at this point.

But 86.3% of us are employed and it is not impossible to join that number. Come if it is the right thing for you to do...but with your eyes open and sufficient resources to deal with the difficult climate.