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Hey all.. Wonderful forum.. Glad I stumbled upon it!
I hardly know where to start. Forgive me if I'm long winded here. I've been reading through prior-posts for days. As of current, I live in NW Minnesota. I'm 24 & single. I went to college for business management/advertising/marketing. I own a home here and have a decent job. When I graduated high school years ago, I moved to Alexandria. I went to college there for a year, then I moved to Grand Forks, ND. I worked with an auto parts store. I became manager there towards the end, before I quit. I lived there for about 3-4 years, then ended up back in MN because of the benefits at my current job. I work with a large electronics corporation in the supply chain management department. The only reason I am there is because of the health insurance. It's basically 100% free. From a flu to open heart surgery, it's free.
But I've become really bored with the area. I'm just ready for a change. Don't know why, but I've had my sights pointed on SD for quite some time. So to make a long story short, I'm wondering if there are any "must work at" places there? Don't matter what city really, I'll move just to get away from here. I know it'll be nearly impossible to find something with the health insurance I have now, but that's a big sales point for me. Working atmosphere is also very important. I really despise the big-corporate atmosphere.. you know the place.. the ones where you are just a disposable nothing. Other than that, I think things are pretty open.
I've been drawn to the western half of SD just because of the climate. I want to stay somewhat close to home, but I also want to leave the disgustingly humid summer days and 20-below winters. I don't want to get away from the snow all-together.. just lighten it up a bit.
So with that noted, does anyone really have any suggestions? Any past experiences on things to go for or stay away from? I'm nearly wide open here.. kind of just looking to start over.. looking for a job that has potential to move up.. Looking for an area that has a lower cost of living (living paycheck to paycheck isn't worth it anymore). Maybe I'm asking too much, I don't know. Let me know your opinions.. I'm really curious to hear. Also if you have any questions about what I'm looking at doing or anything of the sort, PLEASE ask !!
Thanks for even reading this story!
justin
You're better off moving into the Cities or Wisc. The wage scale in South Dakota is very very very poor. If you're living from paycheck to paycheck, you better not move here. Move into St. Paul, get a good cheap place in one of their many fine neighborhoods, make decent money for ten years in any of a thousand jobs and then move to SD, buy a place in the Meade County burbs and put up with SD low wages. Sd is an a dventure but in the long run it does not pay out. It makes no financial sense whatever to move here.
Hmm, well that's good info to know I guess !
I liked living around the cities in MN, but the cost of living seemed so high vs the area's wages. Maybe I'll have to take a second look around there.
The cost of living in much higher in the Cities... Crime and traffic are also an issue.
Sioux Falls has low crime, an excellent education system, and a growing healthcare field. Sanford Healthcare and Avera are the two major health care systems in SF. I know you said you do not like large corporations... Avera is smaller than Sanford. Both are growing (in a sensible way)... Sanford is taking on the combat on Type 2 Diabetes. Sioux Falls has a small town feel with its medical field that you will not find in the Cities or any other larger city.
Here are some links: Sanford Health
Home Page - Welcome - Avera Health (http://www.avera.org/avera/index.aspx - broken link)
Rapid City also has a local regional medical center. I wish you luck on your search!
You are 24 and single. You have one year of college and want a better paying job. Why don't you go back to college while you can and get a degree. That will boost your pay and you can move any place you want to.
uh
You are probably already aware that we have no state income tax so even though we have low wages, we have a lot of benefits that many other states don't have, including our neighbor, Mn.
Danny posted a thread with a list of places in Rapid City that are always hiring. If you don't find it first, I'm sure he will hunt it down for you and post the link so you can go through it. The cost of living may be a bit higher out in the Hills mainly because it does have a better climate and is more scenic.
I'm sure you know this, but we have humidity East River, but your employment opportunities may be better over here. Our unemployment rate is practically non-existent~the last I saw for Mitchell was 2.1%. I was shocked that it's this low.
Sioux Falls may be interesting for you. There are many opportunities there and you'd be closer to family.
Hopefully a few more people will chime in and you can get the area pinpointed and we can get some business names and phone numbers to you. You're already used to the cold so there really are no negatives here for you.
Free health insurance? Stay there. Or at least be sure where ever you end up you've got the same or similar benefit. Try being self-employed and paying $12,000 a year for family coverage. Ahhhh, the joys of business ownership.
You are 24 and single. You have one year of college and want a better paying job. Why don't you go back to college while you can and get a degree. That will boost your pay and you can move any place you want to.
uh
No no, I worded that wrong.. I went to college for a year in Alexandria, then 3 years in Grand Forks!
Free health insurance? Stay there. Or at least be sure where ever you end up you've got the same or similar benefit. Try being self-employed and paying $12,000 a year for family coverage. Ahhhh, the joys of business ownership.
That's a very good point! You're even fortunate to get family coverage at that price. It's impossible to get it if you have health problems. If you do, you have to get it through the state and that's definitely unaffordable. We are fortunate here that a lot of employers do offer group health insurance and many of them start at day one. Most states don't have that luxury~it's just common that employers in a lot of areas don't offer health insurance except with a 3 month to 12 month wait.
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We are fortunate here that a lot of employers do offer group health insurance and many of them start at day one. Most states don't have that luxury~it's just common that employers in a lot of areas don't offer health insurance except with a 3 month to 12 month wait.
