Made it to Grants Pass... (transfer, wages, quality of life) - Oregon (OR) - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

orygun · 08-24-2007, 12:50 PM

Been there done that for many years Stemicuta. And in many different parts of Oregon. The southern part probably has the most depressed economy. It may take a long while but don't give up if you really want to live there. Keep applying and doing what you are doing. If it is any consolation my spouse looked for solid work in Spokane, Washington and it took 5 months to finally get something solid. The temps were no good and so many employers were just liars, didn't respond or whatever.

Escape Wisconsin · 08-24-2007, 09:18 PM

Try Medford...I applied for a job at Lithia Motors and got an offer. And I am here in Wisconsin. I would try the state and the county jobs as well.

pw72 · 08-24-2007, 09:30 PM

One thing that nobody has mentioned here, is the NW job market is somewhat provincial. Outsiders probably will be put on the bottom of the stack compared to those already living and working in the area. (Perhaps less so in Seattle/Portland, but in the smaller areas there is a great apprehension about outsiders.) Why? Probably due to the geographic and climate differences, but there is also this so-called "Northwest State of Mind", that many employers look for. Bottom line...either move into the area first, and if that doesn't work, study how others act and behave, and your chances will go up. Is it fair? No. Reality? Yes.

ConeyIsBabe · 08-27-2007, 06:32 PM

Harry and David is hiring now; maybe it is below $10 per hour but IT IS A JOB! The cost of living is low in Grants Pass.

Steamicuta · 08-28-2007, 02:29 PM

You really think that cost of living in Grants Pass is low?! I just got back from an interview with a local company. They need someone for Customer Service and office support. 35 (thirty five!!!) people applied for this one job... How sad is that?! They were interviewing 9 people and they'll narrow it down to 3, who will be interviewing with the whole department. It's quite pathetic if you think about it. A simple office job... 35 applicants; they are doing two interviews. The job market is in a deplorable state here... It just amazes me that there are so many people looking for work out there. Whoa...

Rosa canina · 08-28-2007, 02:59 PM

There is nothing at all wrong with "starting at the bottom" after you knowingly move to an economically depressed area and are, in your own words, not worried about rent and food because you are living off friends. You could at least get one of the jobs that you feel are "beneath" you in order to support yourself.

Oh, and you probably won't be getting that "simple office job" you applied for. They are no doubt looking for someone who is going to treat that job with respect and doesn't consider it "pathetic" that a lot of people would apply for it.

Sorry to sound harsh but I'm pretty sure that if you drop the attitude about certain types of work not being good enough for you, you'd find something. If you want to stay in southern Oregon, my suggestion is to do exactly that, and then treat that job with the respect it deserves while continuing to look for something more to your liking.

That is exactly what I intend to do when I move back to my home town in Oregon. I'm quite aware that I won't find work immediately that is suitable to my qualifications and education, but I'll bring a good attitude to whatever I do find and do the best job for them that I can, and I intend to enjoy it very much.

That sort of thing builds on itself, you see. Strangely enough, so does sitting around whining because life isn't handing you what you want, when you want it, and looking down your nose at what is available.

Sorry but this rather burns me up. People move to the semi-rural PNW because they want a certain "lifestyle", yet they aren't willing to sacrifice a thing for that or rise to the challenge of the difficulties sometimes involved in living here.

For the poster who talked about returning to Florence, I'll bet you could get a job at the casino there, and I believe that they have an online application process--though I could be wrong there. It's worth a google search though.

freedom · 08-28-2007, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rosa canina

There is nothing at all wrong with "starting at the bottom" after you knowingly move to an economically depressed area and are, in your own words, not worried about rent and food because you are living off friends. You could at least get one of the jobs that you feel are "beneath" you in order to support yourself.

Oh, and you probably won't be getting that "simple office job" you applied for. They are no doubt looking for someone who is going to treat that job with respect and doesn't consider it "pathetic" that a lot of people would apply for it.

Sorry to sound harsh but I'm pretty sure that if you drop the attitude about certain types of work not being good enough for you, you'd find something. If you want to stay in southern Oregon, my suggestion is to do exactly that, and then treat that job with the respect it deserves while continuing to look for something more to your liking.

That is exactly what I intend to do when I move back to my home town in Oregon. I'm quite aware that I won't find work immediately that is suitable to my qualifications and education, but I'll bring a good attitude to whatever I do find and do the best job for them that I can, and I intend to enjoy it very much.

That sort of thing builds on itself, you see. Strangely enough, so does sitting around whining because life isn't handing you what you want, when you want it, and looking down your nose at what is available.

Sorry but this rather burns me up. People move to the semi-rural PNW because they want a certain "lifestyle", yet they aren't willing to sacrifice a thing for that or rise to the challenge of the difficulties sometimes involved in living here.

For the poster who talked about returning to Florence, I'll bet you could get a job at the casino there, and I believe that they have an online application process--though I could be wrong there. It's worth a google search though.

Amen! I was going to say that, but it wouldn't have been so eloquent, and the Forum police would have given me a naughty pin. So I am glad it was you saying it so well.

Godspeed

freedom (I wish I wrote this post)

inkymonk · 08-29-2007, 08:56 AM

Bravo, Freedom!!

Steamicuta · 08-29-2007, 01:03 PM

Oh God, people! Lighten up! Thank you for all your input and for those who are quick to judge and attack, think twice before you do it.

Rosa canina · 08-29-2007, 02:13 PM

No one was "judging or attacking" you; simply providing some realistic advice.

If you stay in that area, it's going to take you awhile to find the sort of job that you want. What you do with your time until then is entirely up to you. You can make the best of it or you can continue to complain about how you aren't getting what you want.

It really isn't the end of the world to take a job that you feel is beneath you. I've spent a lot of my life in parts of the country where the trade off to just being lucky enough to live there is that there aren't a lot of high paying jobs.

Your graduate degree isn't going anywhere. It'll still be there when the right opportunity comes along for you. In the meantime I fail to see one thing wrong with advising you to look into what is available.

You never know. You could go to work part time someplace at a lesser job than what you feel qualified for and a month or two down the line, that company could have another opening that suits you perfectly.