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After living here in Milwaukee for the past 7 years (I moved here from Indiana), I've decided I want to move. Reasons include wanting a different job (I work as a file clerk for the city govt... what's happening in Madison doesn't exactly thrill me) and wanting a different local culture (someplace with a better educated populace, less Rust Belt-problems, a more diverse job market/economy/local culture, etc.).
So far, I've narrowed down my choices to Seattle, Minneapolis or Chicago (a Canadian city like Toronto would be a choice as well, but too much of a long shot I figure...). As I live near Chicago now/been there a zillion times, I'm familiar with there. However, I'm less familiar with Minneapolis (only been through it via train) or Seattle (also only been through it, en route to Portland, where I did live for awhile). Planning a trip to Seattle in a few weeks to look it over (the city I'm leaning more toward), but thought I'd look into other cities as well.
Thus, thought I'd ask a few questions about Minneapolis:
1. In what ways does it differ from Milwaukee? And does it differ enough to justify moving there from here (or versus someplace further away like Seattle?)
2. Work-wise, I'd like to do either something clerical and/or make use of my nonfiction writing skills (I have a BA in professional writing from Purdue, and currently blog/write some freelance articles), such as technical writing, copywriting, etc. Is there much demand for those areas in the Twin Cities now? How is the area doing for temp work? I know the unemployment rate seems fairly low...
3. Is the cost of living much different from Milwaukee? I have some money saved up for a move, of course.
4. How does it compare to Seattle or Chicago in your opinion?
5. I assume it's reasonably friendly there?
I have money saved up for a move. My current plan (if I went with Minneapolis) would be to visit first to see it for myself/secure an apartment, then move and search for a permanent job (while trying to work as a temp, and possibly secure a second job as well). If it matters, I'm a single African-American male in his mid-30s, with no car (I'd be taking the bus). Having lived virtually my entire life in the midwest, I'm also used to winter weather (and not much of an outdoorsman, so fishing, etc. won't interest me). I've also applied to various jobs there (and in Seattle, Chicago, etc.), but no response so far; suspect nobody will hire me without living there first.
Thanks for your input!
Last edited by anthonynotes; 04-16-2011 at 08:52 PM..
I'm heading to bed in a minute so will leave the longer answers for others (or for tomorrow), but for what it's worth: I rarely see Minneapolis and Milwaukee compared, and my impression is that they are very different type of cities. I don't know enough about Milwaukee to comment on that, but I think the generalization/stereotype is that Milwaukee is more blue-collar in feel, while Minneapolis has a bit more of a yuppie vibe. Minneapolis is often compared to cities like Denver, Seattle, Portland, and Austin.
I think the temping scene is decent these days. I know people who have successfully found good temp-to-hire positions in recent times.
I live here without a car, but the public transportation leaves a lot to be desired. It works well in most of the city itself and in many of the inner-suburbs, but you might find some of your job options limited if you don't have a car to get to many suburban locations. On the other hand, there are still a lot of jobs downtown (Minneapolis or St. Paul) or at other relatively convenient locations, so it might not be a huge deal. If you work downtown and live somewhere like Uptown (or points in-between) you could easily live without a car. There's a car-sharing program, too, with steadily increasing locations (HOURCAR). This is also a very big city for biking.
A couple of my friends are technical writers and they seem to have done just fine finding employment, given that there are dozens of large corporations in the Twin Cities that need writers. One of my friends also freelances writing and publishing "vanity" biographies for people, typically kept as family heirlooms or just to honor someone. Your resume, of course, needs to be current and varied.
The Twin Cities are almost the same size as Seattle and both are much larger than Milwaukee, so you'll have increased opportunities for arts, sports and entertainment. I would give the edge to the Twin Cities in those categories though.
I think you'd probably do well if you chose to live in Minneapolis (or possibly St. Paul). I think the combination of your clerical and writing skills puts you ahead of the game for a lot of clerical positions around here. A couple of potential industries you might want to target for permanent positions (there are a number of temps around that likely could put you on temp and/or temp-to-hire positions as well):
1) Legal/law firms- although a lot of the positions that are clerical in nature target people with certain certifications (legal secretary, paralegal, etc.), I think your BA + writing skills and desire to work in a clerical setting would make you at/above those candidates (although can't say for certain as I haven't worked in this field). There are a ton of law firms in the downtown core of Minneapolis, and they pay well for clerical/secretarial positions. There are other companies in suburban areas as well- Thomson West, which has its own ZIP code or two in Eagan, MN- would be a good place to target for technical writing and clerical positions. I know a few people who work as copywriters there (writing copy for various legal/law firm websites, etc.).
2) Nonprofit Sector- there are many nonprofit/govt organizations in Minneapolis-St. Paul with local, national, and international focuses. Although times are tough for nonprofits and many are shrinking right now, there are still needs for reception/clerical/etc. positions, of which again I think your writing skills would be viewed as a great plus. The fact that you've worked in government positions in the past would similarly serve you well in this area. Nonprofit Job Board | Minnesota Council of Nonprofits is a good website for this area.
3) Financial operations- these are more monotonous/drone type positions that may or may not pay as well, but there are a number of financial institutions that hire people for clerk/filing/clerical positions. Many of these go through the temps, but others (like the Fed Reserve) don't. Wells Fargo and US Bank are some of the biggest operators in this area.
Lastly (and I'm really not trying to turn this into a political thread so my apologies in advance if that happens)- if you have ever been active with any groups affiliated with being a person of color (e.g. Black Student Union at college, writers groups, etc.) I would make note of this on your resume. I'm not saying that being a person of color gives any sort of preference in hiring or makes it easier for anyone by any means (in fact, more often than not it's just the opposite)- however, my perception is that some of the big companies in the area occasionally have difficulties fulfilling affirmative action requirements, etc., esp. for more professional positions- so it could help you to stick out in the huge pile of applicants as someone they decide to call in for an interview if they're debating between you and a similarly situated applicant. Similarly, local nonprofits that primarily serve persons of color often employ concerted hiring efforts to ensure a significant amount of diversity at all levels of organizations. Good luck w/your decision-
P.S.- Mpls fits the bill very well for all of the things you identified as "wants" in your first paragraph...
The Twin Cities sound a bit more cosmopolitan/less "Rust Belt dead end" than Milwaukee does (or at least a better-educated populace...).
I've also heard that the Twin Cities are reasonably gay-friendly/fairly well integrated racially (versus segregated/"white flight" living patterns of Milwaukee); is this true? These two factors would also be a plus for me.
Also, how friendly are the Twin Cities toward transplants/outsiders? Another thing I dislike about Milwaukee is how provincial/small-minded too many people here seem to be; I have coworkers who treat the idea of even going to Chicago (90 miles away) as some sort of "epic journey" not to be undertaken...
...Also, how friendly are the Twin Cities toward transplants/outsiders? Another thing I dislike about Milwaukee is how provincial/small-minded too many people here seem to be; I have coworkers who treat the idea of even going to Chicago (90 miles away) as some sort of "epic journey" not to be undertaken...
The Twin Cities/Minnesota are extremely friendly and will open up their lives and homes to new comers. Unless of course we get a bad vibe from you in which case we'll just ignore you, tell others to do the same and hope you leave us alone.
I am also an African American male looking to relocate to the area this summer to begin work on a teaching degree at Augsburg College. I have researched the TC area for about a decade, and read many of the local publications (Star Tribune, City Pages), which is to say that I am pretty familiar with the area, at least on the surface. I have a BA in political science, but I have never really used it (it has been pretty worthless since 2007). What are the employment prospects for political science grads? I have looked at positions with the state, nonprofits, and the City of Minneapolis, but nothing ever came of it. Quite honestly, since I will be taking evening and weekend classes, a 9-to-5 clerical or transportation position would suffice (I have a CDL-B as well). I am also looking to rent an apartment near campus for roughly $500-$700 per month. Would that place me in a decent neighborhood? I prefer living in a racially and ethnically diverse neighborhood in South or Northeast Minneapolis.
I am also an African American male looking to relocate to the area this summer to begin work on a teaching degree at Augsburg College. I have researched the TC area for about a decade, and read many of the local publications (Star Tribune, City Pages), which is to say that I am pretty familiar with the area, at least on the surface. I have a BA in political science, but I have never really used it (it has been pretty worthless since 2007). What are the employment prospects for political science grads? I have looked at positions with the state, nonprofits, and the City of Minneapolis, but nothing ever came of it. Quite honestly, since I will be taking evening and weekend classes, a 9-to-5 clerical or transportation position would suffice (I have a CDL-B as well). I am also looking to rent an apartment near campus for roughly $500-$700 per month. Would that place me in a decent neighborhood? I prefer living in a racially and ethnically diverse neighborhood in South or Northeast Minneapolis.
You shouldn't have problems with the job or the apartment. I'd live right by Augsburg if I were you; easy proximity to class, plus centrally located for work (with very easy access to downtown). You could go with Seward for a quieter neighborhood, or Cedar-Riverside for more activity. Both are racially and ethnically diverse. I believe you should be able to find a studio or 1-BR in either area for within your budget. As far as job, you might want to consider temping to start; many of the positions seem to be temp-to-hire.
Forgot to ask about that as well: what does a decent one-bedroom apartment go for in the Twin Cities? Here in Milwaukee I'm paying $500/mo. for a mediocre small studio apartment in one of the city's nicer neighborhoods. Some statistics online seemed to suggest I'd be spending something in the $700-$800 range...
Also: do Twin Cities denizens visit Canada much (or at all), or get visitors from Canada? One reason i was considering Seattle was being near Canada...
You shouldn't have problems with the job or the apartment. I'd live right by Augsburg if I were you; easy proximity to class, plus centrally located for work (with very easy access to downtown). You could go with Seward for a quieter neighborhood, or Cedar-Riverside for more activity. Both are racially and ethnically diverse. I believe you should be able to find a studio or 1-BR in either area for within your budget. As far as job, you might want to consider temping to start; many of the positions seem to be temp-to-hire.
Thanks for the information; I would've asked more about neighborhoods, but my cell phone was acting crazy, and was restricting me from typing any further.
I have my eyes on the Longfellow neighborhood as well, and was wondering if that was close to Augsburg. From what I can tell on the MSP board, Cedar-Riverside is diverse enough, but my issues are dealing with a load of college-aged students. I dealt with that a few years ago as an older student at the the U of Northern Iowa, and definitely do not want to experience that again.
What are transportation options like? I'll be bringing a car, but am disinclined to use it during (and after) large snowstorms---and being from Iowa, I can deal with anything up to about 8 inches...lol. The LRT seems nice, but momentarily limited in scope, but it'll do. What about the bus system? I hear some bad things about it. Okay, fire away...lol.
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