moving to Portland within 1 year (insurance, hotel, to live)

[Brigit775]

I live in Reno NV and will relocate to Portland . I am trying to find a place to stay that is pretty central . I don't drive and use public trans a lot . Looking for something inexpensive to live . Furnished studio for the beginning is good enough for me until I learn to find my way around and get situated . Currently I work for a large Hospital in a clerical position . How many hospitals are in the area ? It doesn't have to be a hospital job , I also have a background in Hotel/Restaurant and Fitness .
Pretty open to suggestions . Want to get away from Reno and get back into the green and beautiful . I am aware of the rain , does not bother me much . I prefer that over the darn storms over here anytime . Any pointers would be appreciated . I am really excited to move and would love to do it NOW if I could .

[Nell Plotts]

You work in a hospital in a clerical position, post on a forum and can't make a list of hospitals in Portland metro by searching the internet? I am not sure you have the skills to be competitive in the Portland market. That observation may be a unkind but it is real, you need to have great administrative skills because competition for the good jobs is fierce.

Most of the large hospital systems post their openings on the internet. Smaller clinics will put them on craigslist.

Stop for a moment and reflect on people who have worked in your hospital who moved to Portland. Contact them to see if they will network for you. The temp services may have medical admin temp jobs from time to time. Contact them to find one who specializes in the medical market to get a feel for opportunities.

[christiner81]

you might have a hard time with central and inexpensive. are you willing to have a roommate?

[Brigit775]

Nell ... I do know how to do job searches . I just want to get some info for now , to sort of get a feel for the place . I moved around a lot on the past and I am looking for a place to settle . I don't consider you unkind . You are entitled to your opinion .

Christiner .. yes I am considering that as well . When I first moved to Reno I did exactly that .

[Minervah]

Central and inexpensive are mutually exclusive in Portland. Studios can run to $1000 a month unfurnished.

The roommate idea is a good one. Public transportation is great in some areas, usually the more expensive ones and bad in others. The hospital group I would check first out is Kaiser Permente. I am told it is a great place to work and they are all over the city. Providence and Legacy hospitals are good to work for too. The problem is finding an opening.

Hotel/Restaurant and Fitness are going to be really tough. I would focus on the hospitals and clinics.

[davemess10]

There is a lot of information in the Portland forum. I would suggest you just start reading it. It will give you a better feel of the city, then you can come back and ask us a little more specific questions.

[Brigit775]

Thanks everyone . I checked some of the Hospital sites . Kaiser is a good one and I know a few people in the Pacific region that work there so that may be a big help . I am checking in on the forum every few days , in general doing a lot of research . I absolutely understand that the job situation is not an easy one . I live in the worst state in the nation when it comes to work . BUt I am a pretty determent person and know I will find something . Thanks for all the pointers

[Jackalope78]

Even clerical positions in healthcare are going to be very competitive. 10+ applicants for every opening. I'd advise against moving here without a job secured ahead of time. Determination is nice, but the market here is a cold reality.

[Nell Plotts]

Only 10? Usually that is the number of applicants a recruiter sends to a manager for consideration. My guess is that they receive at least 50 qualified applications.

Keep in mind that some employers use an applicant sourcing system that scans resumes, ranks them based on pre-established criteria. Those that do not make the cut are essentially invisible to the hiring officials. Read the announcement carefully.

[Minervah]

One of the problem for the poor HR departments is that people will often apply for jobs whether or not they qualify because they are desperate for work. At one job I had, a very tiny ad in the classifieds brought in fifty applicants in just one day. It was a very small branch office and specific experience and knowledge was specified in the ad. But that did not deter people with no experience whatsoever.

I like to suggest to people just starting out in Portland to sign up with a temp agency. They will hopefull match the person to the job and it will get your foot in the door for full time work. If you have specific skills in clerical work in a hospital such as coding and insurance, you may have a better chance than someone who doesn't but it will still be a competition.