Moving to the Northeast - looking for a recruiter/head hunter (rent, headhunters)

[msina]

But at least she tells it like it is. Better to have a realistic view than be disappointed.

[ang.a.watson]

To Acadianlion: I realize that Atlanta is (in your eyes and was from all those that live here) a hot market - but the company I am with and have been with for over 5 years has been laying off for 24 months. I managed a team of 12 and now have 2 team members. I have been told repeatedly that I have nothing to worry about - however I do!! As I suggested in my first statement ATL was a hot market the tides have turned. Unemployment is extremely high - February was 9.3% - I am afraid to search for what it is as of MArch - i heard 10%. At this point I just want out of the rat race. I drive 2.5 hours to get 50 miles. That is my roundtrip commute time and milage. I want off the train.

[flycessna]

I was just looking at some data for the past 30 years (graphs and such). It appears that contrary to the popular belief that Maine, because it does not experience the high growth and bubble markets other areas experience, does not see the extended and deep lows that those same areas experience. Looking at graphs for the last 30 years Maine is often the 1st to see the slow down and last to recover from it. I think as a population we have become a little desensitized because of the fact we do not experience the highs and even during moderate growth there is still a lot of people struggling!

I am not turning you off of Maine. But don’t move here fleeing something else. And don’t come here because of a job. Come to Maine with knowledge and because its something that you truly want and let the troubles you leave behind be a bonus and a job a means to and end.

Also, I would look at Boston and Portland as two completely different markets and life styles. I am from outside of Boston and the surrounding suburbs are wonderful places to live and raise a family……….if you can afford them!!! You can expect to make a lot more money in Boston and their Job market will be much much stronger.

[ang.a.watson]

Flycessna: I appreciate your comments. I am not just looking in the Portland area. I am also looking in Portsmouth, NH; Boston, MA (including the surrounding area - even out tor Framingham); Providence, RI. We love the Boston area but as you mentioned it is pricey. I hope I have not mislead anyone, we are not just wanting to escape/flee to Maine. We have visited Boston and the Portland area multiple times. We love both and would be happy to settle in either area for our mid-life and retirement. We do realize the markets (boston and portland) are very different. I posted here for help first because this was our first choice as a family. My husband is not from the states, he is from Scotland (the weather is very similar to ME). We both prefer distinct seasons to the wonderful humid/hot summers lasting and the 5 days of winter we have here in ATL. There are many reasons we want to relocate to Maine, I just wanted a connection to a local recruiter. I would like to thank all for the input, regardless of the positive or negative slant.

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by ang.a.watson

To Acadianlion: I realize that Atlanta is (in your eyes and was from all those that live here) a hot market - but the company I am with and have been with for over 5 years has been laying off for 24 months. I managed a team of 12 and now have 2 team members. I have been told repeatedly that I have nothing to worry about - however I do!! As I suggested in my first statement ATL was a hot market the tides have turned. Unemployment is extremely high - February was 9.3% - I am afraid to search for what it is as of MArch - i heard 10%. At this point I just want out of the rat race. I drive 2.5 hours to get 50 miles. That is my roundtrip commute time and milage. I want off the train.

Well, sweetie, it's not a "hot market" in my eyes at all. I just know a bit about the demographics and the development of business and industry as it has taken place over the past fifty years...and it sure isn't in New England.

If you are at all concerned about making a living, you should be very sure that if you come to the northeast you can support yourself on your own savings and assets for perhaps a year while you find your way around. The jobs are NOT here, certainly not in Maine, and no headhunter in the world will materialize what doesn't exist.

I don't blame you for wanting to get out of the rat race. Just don't think the rats are any slower here than there. They're just a bit different: poorer, and hungrier perhaps, and employed in fewer industries.

[frogcreekwoods]

So AcadianLion, you are living successfully in Maine, what do you do for a living (general terms)? How about your neighbors?

Not everyone puts "material gain" as the top priority. That is the attraction of a place like Maine.

[mollysmiles]

sorchamac I agree. I am happy that we have work that brings income into our home. With DHs skills and mine we could both be working and hauling home a good chunk of change, ESPECIALLY if we moved out of state. BUT, I am a stay at home Mom, for now, because that is where the priority lies with three teens and a ten year old. Believe me, another paycheck would really benefit us, and I may have to go back to work sooner rather than later.... but in the end, for now, the kids may not get their ipod replaced as quickly as they'd like, but they have much more than that. Quality of life is of huge importance to me, and I don't judge that by my bank account and my material possessions.

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by sorchamac

So AcadianLion, you are living successfully in Maine, what do you do for a living (general terms)? How about your neighbors?

Not everyone puts "material gain" as the top priority. That is the attraction of a place like Maine.

I moved to Maine more than thirty years ago. My first wife had decided that I should go live with moose and bears instead of anywhere near her. The only thing that I had going for me was that I did have a place that I could stay for a while....an old family cottage.

I found that my college education was worthless here...I was overqualified by education and experience to qualify for any of the jobs that were available...either that or I didn't have the degree of technical education that was called for.

So I started my own business doing odd jobs and using my seventh grade shop skills.

Then I started another business...an insurance agency, since very one knew then that you couldn't do that withouit a lot of money. I had NO money, but since every knew that it wasn't possible to live working with your hands all winter which I had managed to do, I started out...policy one, then two then three....and after a year, I bought an agency.

I had a career in the property/casualty business until I got worn out, and then I retired.

But I needed to do something, and I began using my seventh grade shop skills again, only this time it was in property restoration.

Then I did some other things, and eventually, I have retired again. Now I am thinking of starting another career in energy efficient construction.

The point that I am making is that when I was faced with no options, I simple made it up and invented what I was going to do. I had a brief window without child support or other obligations, and I lived for several years in very meagre circumstances. Not everyone wants to go out on a limb as I have, but Maine can be a very cruel place if "security" is something that is very important. In my case the only security was my ability to get out the door and go and look for something to do so that I could eat that night. And I did some very dirty, nasty jobs in order to survive. Not for everyone, as I have said.

Thus when I read in this forum posts by people who want to move to Maine, but want to have virtually all the benefits of where they are moving from, I feel it is important that they understand that moving to Maine may well mean great changes and not just in the amount of snow and ice we get.

[frogcreekwoods]

Thanks for your thoughtful post.

I know you are just being a realist, and it is good to have someone out there who says "are you really, really sure you know what you're getting into to?".

And then people can decide whether they still want to take the plunge, or not.

[flycessna]

PS. I do not know of any recruiter/headhunter's in the state..sorry. But I would have to believe if you do not get anyleads here then googleing might help.