Walmart Greeter w/ PhD...aka...Portland unemployment (health insurance, employment)

[subsound]

If you have a layoff settlement, good savings, good prospects/good skills, a good plan, and even a job...why not move and try it out? It would be difficult without a job in that situation with the saturated market, and just to be cautious if you did have a job too before moving, but not impossible. I did it, I got a job and moved out here form Denver. I knew I would always want to see what it was like to live in the Pac NW if I didn't take it...and got a nice 50% raise to boot.

I think it would be harder to find a job outside of your expertise, since there are 100,000 odd people out of work across the board (10% based on the estimated Portland census population). Enthusiasm to learn is nothing compared to some one who knows what they are doing, are experienced at it, and have the education in it over anyone who could learn on the job...especially when you can pick an choose with so many applicants.

I think most of the warning is for those who want to pack up their clothes and drive up without a clue, and think they can snag a minimum wage job quickly and without trouble, and survive on it till they make it (either as an artist, musician, or anything else) because they are "special".

[LeftCoastee]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

If airport access is your prime consideration, and you live in CA, then you could save a bundle in either OR or WA. Frankly, getting to SEA can be a PITA unless Burien or Normandy Park meets your needs. Access to PDX is much easier, particularly if you use the MAX.

The next consideration may be the demand for your skill set if you lost your job. MS is reducing its force but I don't know in what skill sets. Competiting against those folks in a tight job market could be tough. I have no idea about the Portland market for software engineers. The other issue is your professional network as that is how most people make contacts that result in job offers. If you are currently in SJC I would ride out this economic dust-up there.

My $0.02.

Thanks. I currently travel to / from / between LAX, PDX, SEA, SFO and the surrounding areas. I spend quite a bit of time in those areas and like Portland for its lower cost of living, ease of access to all things outdoors, it's urban planning, and public transportation. None of which I have now in Marina Del Rey (Los Angeles) other than easy access to the water and LAX. I already pay high state income taxes so that will not be a shocker if I move there. We may look to rent in Camas or Vancouver for the first year until things settle. I get the benefit of no income tax, struggling rental market, and proximity to Portland to find a place to settle down.

I am actually in a software sales support role. I make sure our client's needs are being met all while trying to convince them to spend a few hundred thousand dollars on more software.

If I lose my job while living in Portland, we are fortunate in that we can pick up and go where a job may take us. Thats one benefit to having no kids and living in a 1,000 sq.ft. house....mobility.

[LeftCoastee]

Originally Posted by subsound

I think most of the warning is for those who want to pack up their clothes and drive up without a clue, and think they can snag a minimum wage job quickly and without trouble, and survive on it till they make it (either as an artist, musician, or anything else) because they are "special".

Agreed. And they are the ones who need to be scared off by the cold hard facts. If Portland is someone's dream, then by all means strive for it. That could mean years of preparation. It should be a goal, not a whim.

[Minervah]

By "humble" I mean looking at every possible option for obtaining employment in whatever form it may be. If someone gets laid off, they typically do their job search for the exact or very similar type of work.

We agree here to a point. When I was out of work I began looking in my field and then anywhere and everywhere. I admit Wal-Mart wasn't an option because I don't live near one but other stores of that type certainly were. Again it was the younger people who seemed to be getting the "lower level" jobs. I started out as car hop when I was in my 20's so even Mickey D's was not ruled out.

My facts about the difficulty of getting a job of any type comes from my experience as well as the many people in job-support groups to which I belonged. Most were "older" past 40 who would have gladly taken a Wal-Mart greeting job. Some had MBA's, IT degrees and were mostly college educated as was I. But a job is a job. I think in these times people aren't so proud when it comes to a paycheck.

There has been a shift for the better though. I am actually seeing the older folks working at fast food restaraunts. If I ever get up the nerve, I would love to ask them about there backgrounds. I do remember just a couple of weeks ago the Portland Tribune wrote about some people with Phd's who were unable to find work and who were looking at any possibilites not only in their fields but anything that would give them a paycheck. From what I have seen and read, out-of-work people are well past the "I have to have a job in my field" stage.

You will see for yourself when you move here. I think you might be surprised at what people have been and are going through to get work.

[LeftCoastee]

Very good points. Thank you for taking the time to state them.

Originally Posted by Minervah

You will see for yourself when you move here. I think you might be surprised at what people have been and are going through to get work.

I am sure its bad, but I'm also glad to hear people are fighting instead of sitting back and letting society bail them out. I currently live in a city rife with material posessions, overspending, and entitlement. Couple that with a bad economy and you get the state we're in now. I don't see that many people going to extremes to find employment here.

[Nell Plotts]

I think your employer's customers will be in a maintenance mode for a year or two. You should be fine making the move. I agree, renting is wise for the time being.

WA is a good place to start so long as you are on the payroll. If you are an independent contractor better to live in OR. [State tax structure, WA has a B&O gross sales tax.]

[LeftCoastee]

I am an employee, not a contractor, so living in WA should benefit me.

There are still large corporate purchases in this economy. In some respects, there is a bigger opportunity. Customers are looking to streamline and minimize costs. There is also the issue of federal regulation, Ex. Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA, etc. They don't go away in a bad economy. We have a large global financing arm as well so it can be very attractive for a customer to buy right now. We are weathering the storm quite well.

In fact, we are working to close a deal with a large insurance company based in Portland. Times are tough, but corporations must invest in infrastructure to be successful.

[PhxNative09]

LeftCoastee - sounds like you guys are doing great. Let me know if your company is looking to hire a .NET/SQL developer up in the PNW.

[LeftCoastee]

Originally Posted by PhxNative09

LeftCoastee - sounds like you guys are doing great. Let me know if your company is looking to hire a .NET/SQL developer up in the PNW.

I wouldn't say we're doing great, but we're not suffering as much as some. We are tying to look at some of Obamas proposed infrastructure (IT) overhaul as opportunity.

I am a mere peon. One of 380,000. Many of my good friends have been let go. I was fortunate in that I was able to keep my job. I'm just proceeding doing the best job I know how as if my life depends on it.

The unfortunate thing is that my company is shipping most non-customer facing jobs overseas, so if you're a pure developer, there's not much chance to get in.

One thing I will say is that if I was a programmer waiting for work, I would be investing a lot of time learning anything and everything about healthcare IT.

[Nell Plotts]

Well, come on north. Just watch the drive from Shasta Lake to Ashland, it gets icy some times.