Job market for older applicants (Seattle: university, closing, living)

[expdxer]

Hello--I am looking for insight into the Seattle job market for non-technical workers who are over 45. I am thinking of moving from the East Coast to Seattle but I am not the typical just out of college demographic. My background is in editorial and administrative jobs in publishing, nonprofits and government. Has anyone out there made such a move without a job in middle age?

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by expdxer

Hello--I am looking for insight into the Seattle job market for non-technical workers who are over 45. I am thinking of moving from the East Coast to Seattle but I am not the typical just out of college demographic. My background is in editorial and administrative jobs in publishing, nonprofits and government. Has anyone out there made such a move without a job in middle age?

It sounds like you have a number of fields covered. Something should turn up. You can start checking the University of Washington employment center to see if anything comes up that could fit. From there, you can look for something you might find more interesting/suitable/challenging. A university job (try Seattle University, too) is a good safety net from which to launch a more serious job search. There are some non-profits in town that would fit your interests too, dealing with government and international relations.

[Hemlock140]

I moved here at 40, and bought a business which I ran for 16 years until the recession. Within a year of closing it I was able to get a good job in quasi-government at age 57 and have been promoted twice since then. In our particular kind of work, specialized experience is important, with lower paying jobs requiring at least 3 years, most 8-15 years. From what I have seen here, non-profits and government jobs are more plentiful than editorial/publishing, but due to the very high cost of living, it's been hard for many/most coming here without a job.