What is the job market like in Seattle these days? (Bellevue: real estate, apartment)

[malachai23]

I haven't lived in Seattle for over a decade... just wondering how the job market out there is doing. If you are a Seattleite, what is your gut feeling about the future of white and/or blue collar jobs around the Seattle area? Do you think the economy has begun to affect the area at all, or do you feel pretty confident that Seattle is continuing to grow and prosper? Which neighborhoods are the most affordable these days (within Seattle city limits)? Are you seeing any of them start to go downhill with the economy? Thanks everyone!

[allforcats]

Nothing is "going downhill" here. Quite the contrary.
The economy here is quite diverse, based on so many different industries, so things keep humming along.
If you'd like to take a look at the job market in and around the Seattle area, here is the combined jobs classifieds of the two leading newspapers, which should give you a good idea:
Seattle area jobs, employment advice and information | NWjobs

[Jennibc]

I think it really depends on the industry. Right now WAMU is laying off a bunch of people (or I should say the company that acquired WAMU is laying people off, although in the paper yesterday it said they were hiring too) and Boeing is predicting layoffs in 2009. There was something in the paper several weeks about rumors regarding Microsoft instituting a hiring freeze and then Microsoft denying it. (Although a friend of mine recruits for MS and she said hiring has slowed WAAAAAYYYY down.) Starbucks laid off a bunch of folks in corporate last summer. My husband company (in the tech sector) just laid off 40 people the week before last -luckily for us he still has a job). There was also something on KPLU a few weeks ago where Nancy Leeson said the higher end restaurants are suffering because of people's reluctance to go our for 'spendy' meals.

As much as I respect Allforcats's opinions on some topics, I think I must disagree here that things are contrary to going downhill - which I would interpret as meaning the economy here is growing. It feels like we are tasting a bit of the recession, although probably not as badly as some other parts of the country.

[Pittgal]

Amazon is now on a hiring freeze and the retail stores all are letting people go which is odd since the holiday season is here they should be hiring. Hopefully things turn around soon!

[MaikeerinWA]

The paper on Thursday that WaMu is hiring a mere 15-20 folks to deal with bankruptcy matters. Meanwhile, thousands are facing the loss of their jobs in the next few months.

WaMu job losses in Seattle could total thousands | Seattle Times Newspaper

In addition to everything else you noted, Paccar is shutting down its Kenworth truck factory in Renton, with a loss of 400 well-paying technical and blue-collar jobs.

Originally Posted by Jennibc

I think it really depends on the industry. Right now WAMU is laying off a bunch of people (or I should say the company that acquired WAMU is laying people off, although in the paper yesterday it said they were hiring too) and Boeing is predicting layoffs in 2009.

[texastrigirl]

Lowes, Home Depot, Target...all hiring right now...so looks like minimum wage jobs are okay in those areas. I had a family member relocate and he is looking for work at those places. I was at Bellevue Square the other night though and it didn't look any different than it did last year at this time. So who knows?? I think everywhere has slowed down but Seattle probably less than other places. But maybe we haven't hit bottom yet or we are on a delay. Fortunately there is diverse industry here so that helps. Many financial mags are saying Seattle real estate both commercial and residential is on the top of the list to come back first. Let's hope right! At least my equity is dropping less in my house than it would have in the market!!

[70Ford]

I'm an IT guy...I guess if you want to call it right, you'd call me a "jack of all trades of telecom."
From setting up user accounts to configuring routers to laying a fat Cat 5 cable and making the connector ('scuse me while I push this through your cubicle, thanks!) I can pretty much do a lot. Can't program, though. Can't design much of nothing. More of a maintenance guy.

I left Iraq August 3rd.

I got serious Sept. 1st.

I've had two (2) interviews since Sept 1st. One (18 bucks an hour) went to a guy with more wireless experience than me...I understand the concept - but the winner had just left a wireless company. They needed someone who didn't have to ramp up...and they told me this. They were impressed with the interview, but they needed the wireless NOC skill set - NOW. The second job was for $26 an hour. I had a telephone interview with a guy and that.was.it. Never heard from him or the recruiter again.

I phoned some buddies back in the sand, sent some emails - and hey! - I'm going back to Iraq Sometime in January. Offer letter's been signed..I just have to do some preliminary steps. It is for a lot more than $18 bucks an hour. My wife doesn't work...and I suppport her decision. I'd rather have her be a mother to our children than a slave to our mortgage. (Just kidding, we rent.) I plan on buying a house in 2012. Was 2011, but I think the actions of our governemnt might stave off the Seattle market collapse for an additional year. Oh well. We need about 60K to buy a home in Seattle...right now I have ~ 30 K. I'm 36. Not 26. Heh.

$18 an hour is slow suicide. In Seattle $26 an hour (without overtime) is somewhat slower suicide. I did make it here before on $25 an hour but I had an (almost) guaranteed 60+ hours a week. It averaged out to about 72K a year.

I have no bills now, except for rent, utilities, car insurance, health insurance (COBRA) kid's crap, random crap, eating out (rarely...but I love me some I-sushi), buying pond worms for fishing and Diet Coke. We spend about 2500-3000 a month to live. I'm pulling 950ish every two weeks in unemployment. I had a long talk with my wife. I'm not happy about where I'm going but I'm damn happy to have a job. For the next year or two, I believe jobs are gonna be scarce.

BTW...I don't have a BA or an AA for that matter. That might be one of the reasons I'm not getting calls. I'm close to an AA, but not yet. Life came first. Kids came first. Wife came first. Jobs (Oh yes! I love working nights and weekends and on call and holidays and 104 hours a week!) came first. That's what Daddy does. Daddy makes the money and makes the monsters go away. If the monsters don't go away, Daddy gets mad. Then the monsters wish they'd never F'd with Daddy's family.

Grrrrrrr.......

[seattlenextyear]

If you don't mind guts, there's still a bajillion health care related jobs.

[malachai23]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I haven't lived in Seattle since 1996 and I swear the market sounds the same now! LOL Maybe a little worse... definitely more expensive. I remember paying $800 for a giant two-bedroom apartment back then. I about died looking at the prices now. They are about double the cost. But do you all think the jobs pay about double now as they did 10+ years ago? I remember having trouble finding a job even back then. What about the neighborhoods - what would you Seattlelites consider the "most affordable" neighborhood right now within the city. I was always partial to the Fremont area but WOW have prices gone up there! I'm making $20/hr now in a place where I own a house for $500 a month and I'm barely making it. <sigh> But then again, my trade pays about double anywhere else in the country. The economy here in Ohio is worse than bad....

[MaikeerinWA]

There are tough, worrisome times in the Puget Sound area, but there is no question that there are worse places to be, from a jobs standpoint. Unemployment in the area was 5.4 percent in October compared to 4.5 percent in September, according to a recent newspaper article. That's not good, but still better (or "less bad") than the state and national averages.

Originally Posted by malachai23

The economy here in Ohio is worse than bad....