Am I right to feel hopeless about moving back to NEPA? (Scranton: home, job market)

[CarbonCountyLiving]

As I mentioned in a previous thread, I'll be moving back to the Scranton area at the end of Feb or March. I will actually be living in the Factoryville area, so about 15 minutes north of Scranton, but Scranton is still a commutable distance.

Am I right to be terrified that I have zero hope of finding a job? I have a master's degree in journalism and public relations, and about a decade of experience in the field. There are ZERO newspaper jobs to be had, and I will not work for the Times Tribune (worked for them right out of school, they laid off a bunch of people three months after I started, and they treat any employee who won't go out and drink with them like garbage. I have nothing good to say about that publication.) I may be able to freelance a little, but that doesn't have a lot of potential either.

ETA: I should also note that my main career path has been media relations, not journalism, but usually when I tell people what my degree is, they say "OH, go work for a newspaper!" Or the even less helpful "Why don't you write a screenplay/novel/television series?"

I also have administrative experience, so there's that.

So is my only choice to take a minimum wage job at a big box store and go back for some kind of nursing degree or something, since that seems to be in demand up there, or is there a glimmer of hope that there might actually be "some" jobs in the area?

Don't get me wrong, I'm willing to work 4 jobs if that's what it takes for me to save up enough money to get out again, but I'm worried that I won't even be able to find ONE job anywhere.

[bobconan]

Why are you coming back?

[PAhippo]

wondered that too.


Not sure what you really want and/or are qualified for but there's a Pennsylvania magazine you might be able to write for.

Another is Mountain Home although that's more north central.

For free lancing-the Phila paper (forget the name) Sunday section has a magazine type thing, Country magazine and all the off-shoots,

See if you can teach writing, either academically or for enjoyment.

probably not a whole lot of help but might give you more ideas.

[auntieannie68]

Contact all the friends and relatives you can here cause that is how u will hear about the jobs available

[CarbonCountyLiving]

Originally Posted by PAhippo

wondered that too.


Not sure what you really want and/or are qualified for but there's a Pennsylvania magazine you might be able to write for.

Another is Mountain Home although that's more north central.

For free lancing-the Phila paper (forget the name) Sunday section has a magazine type thing, Country magazine and all the off-shoots,

See if you can teach writing, either academically or for enjoyment.

probably not a whole lot of help but might give you more ideas.

Thank you for the help, and I know you mean well, but I'm not really looking for advice about what publications are around the area. I am fully aware of these publications, and have even contacted some of them in the past looking for freelance work. I have been doing this for a long time. Trust me when I say that these places are very difficult to find freelance work with unless you already know people who write for them. Again, I appreciate your suggestion but there is a reason why I mentioned in my OP that I am more focused on media/public relations and communications.

To clarify my post a bit more, I'm asking if it really is as bad as I think in NEPA. It seems like there are zero jobs to be had. And unfortunately I don't really have helpful connections so I can't ask friends and family to help me find anything.

Again, I am asking if I am right to be terrified about moving back. Because right now I really can imagine a scenario in which I don't find any job ever again once I move back up there, and certainly not one in my field or that will make me decent money.

[CarbonCountyLiving]

Originally Posted by bobconan

Why are you coming back?

Financial and family reasons.

[fisheye]

This is a hard job market. But there are opportunities. Just don't lock yourself into a box and claim that this is all you can do. The large pharmaceutical company, by me, is always looking for educated people that can write technical papers. I know that it is not journalism; but it pays the bills and they have good benefits. There could possibly be other jobs associated with journalism in the medical profession or legal profession? As far as public relation's; Kalahari is now hiring for this summer. I know that many of the jobs for the resort will be low paying jobs. But you are talking about a water park that (eventually) wants to have 2000 rooms and I am confident that some jobs will offer good compensation packages.

Just think flexibility and, even if you take a job you hate; always keep your eyes and ears open for better opportunities. Furthermore: Good luck!

[Chefkey]

Originally Posted by fisheye

This is a hard job market. But there are opportunities. Just don't lock yourself into a box and claim that this is all you can do. The large pharmaceutical company, by me, is always looking for educated people that can write technical papers. I know that it is not journalism; but it pays the bills and they have good benefits. There could possibly be other jobs associated with journalism in the medical profession or legal profession? As far as public relation's; Kalahari is now hiring for this summer. I know that many of the jobs for the resort will be low paying jobs. But you are talking about a water park that (eventually) wants to have 2000 rooms and I am confident that some jobs will offer good compensation packages.

Just think flexibility and, even if you take a job you hate; always keep your eyes and ears open for better opportunities. Furthermore: Good luck!

I agree, why not look to use your degree by branching out into Human Resources or Social Services? There are available jobs like this the medical field around here.

That idea represents the biggest of the opportunities possibly out there. If you are steadfast about staying in your field, I would check out places like Mohegan Sun. They are still growing and have to plans to eventually develop over the old Sunshine Market area. Media relations galore there, already needed for the Casino and Horse Racing and then even more for the theme park style stuff they plan in the future.

You also have places like Montage Mountain and Camelback Mountain. These places also utilize media relations and could use someone with a journalistic touch.

I still think with your background, the fastest way to find work would be administration within one of the hospitals here.

[CarbonCountyLiving]

Originally Posted by Chefkey

I agree, why not look to use your degree by branching out into Human Resources or Social Services? There are available jobs like this the medical field around here.

That idea represents the biggest of the opportunities possibly out there. If you are steadfast about staying in your field, I would check out places like Mohegan Sun. They are still growing and have to plans to eventually develop over the old Sunshine Market area. Media relations galore there, already needed for the Casino and Horse Racing and then even more for the theme park style stuff they plan in the future.

You also have places like Montage Mountain and Camelback Mountain. These places also utilize media relations and could use someone with a journalistic touch.

I still think with your background, the fastest way to find work would be administration within one of the hospitals here.

You need a degree in human resources to work in human resources. You need a degree in Social Services to work in social services.

[CarbonCountyLiving]

Originally Posted by fisheye

This is a hard job market. But there are opportunities. Just don't lock yourself into a box and claim that this is all you can do. The large pharmaceutical company, by me, is always looking for educated people that can write technical papers. I know that it is not journalism; but it pays the bills and they have good benefits. There could possibly be other jobs associated with journalism in the medical profession or legal profession? As far as public relation's; Kalahari is now hiring for this summer. I know that many of the jobs for the resort will be low paying jobs. But you are talking about a water park that (eventually) wants to have 2000 rooms and I am confident that some jobs will offer good compensation packages.

Just think flexibility and, even if you take a job you hate; always keep your eyes and ears open for better opportunities. Furthermore: Good luck!

Unfortunately, the tech writers that Sanofi Pasteur seeks need to have backgrounds in science or pharmacy too.