Young couple considering move to Portland area--advice?? (Eugene, Detroit: find a job, transfer)

[davefr]

I think you're going about it wrong. In this economy you find the job(s) first wherever they are. Once you have a job secured, then you find a community that best fits your lifestyle.

Just about all of the major corporation in OR are laying off vs. hiring. (ex:Nike, Intel). Marketing jobs are about as tough as they come.

You need to cast a very wide net vs. focusing on specific areas.

[Nell Plotts]

Dave, NIKE just went through the first stage of a major reduction in force. In the best of times it is tough to get a job there and these are not the best of times.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Heres a little look at how things have changed.
I was married in 1986.
We were in our late 20's. Fresh out of school.
We loved the Sellwood and Woodstock neighborhoods and decided either one would be fine.
We were both making about 10 bucks an hour.
Now keep in mind that $1.96 in the year 2008 has the same "purchase power" as $1 in the year 1986. (I just googled that, BTW)

We found a beautiful house on a double lot in a nice area of the Woodstock neighborhood.
It cost us $59,000. We qualified for a loan, and have lived there ever since.
My house has appreciated 6 to 7 times over.


I don't think that I could do what I did in 1986 today. It's not easy to get a start from scratch here anymore.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by subsound

If you had a job where you are at, but I would be careful even if you were offered a job out here. It's kind of the tough lesson that (and it happened in my own company) the last people hired were mostly the first to go when times got tough.

More employment news from the NY Times on Oregon (first part focuses on Bend though)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/18/us...n.html?_r=1&hp

Another irony; my company is hiring people on an allegedly permanent basis then letting them go when they are finished with them in a matter of months. It's interesting that so many of our new hirees are from out of town. They come here thinking they have a secure job and then, poof! job is gone and they are among the ranks of the Unemployed.
I think the locals who need jobs are staying away from applying there knowing how unstable their jobs will be. An out-of-work brother of a friend of mine will not apply for IT openings for this reason. One of my co-workers just walked out one day. She was hired as part time because she was going to school. Then she was told she had to work more hours; and more. When she complained she would have to quit school in order to do that, the company told her she should quit school.
They agreed she would work extra hours as much as she could but we all knew that they would keep her long enough only to train new full time people before they threw her under the bus and fired her. So she quit before all that could happen. The company was furious.
Everyone I know has a horror story about their job if they have one.

[JLR29]

I find it difficult to believe that in a city as large as Portland. that there are no jobs for anyone. Looking at this board, no matter what your field, that area is having job cuts. No matter where you work it sucks. I realize the econom is worse there than in other places, but come on people. The question is should anyone move to Portland. I have been lurking because I am coming out there next month to interview for a job. I have been very excited about it (the job and the city). But jeez, you people make it sound like hell on earth. I live in Southeastern Michigan, which is the unparalleled worst economic area in the country and the mood here is not half as bad as you people make portland out to be. I have many friends in the auto industry. Seriously, there is some definite self-pity going on. I guess my question is: Should anyone move to Portland? Is there any person who is qualified to come out there. Get over yourselves people. If everyone waited till the economy was booming to do stuff, then nothing would ever progress and people would never better themselves. I have read the articles that everyone posts with glee. Yes its bad, but isn't there just some degree of Chicken Little here?

[nanannie]

The people on this forum have nothing to gain with false information. They live there and live the economy. We had to leave Oregon do to a transfer and sold our house for half what we paid, sad but true and it only got worse. Now I hear of friends who have had to just walk away from their homes and their PHDs and Masters and years of experience brings no light in the tunnel .I am back yearly and would love to move back, but Gorgeous scenery does not pay the bills.

[Minervah]

Seriously, there is some definite self-pity going on. No, just simple honesty and not wanting the unsuspecting to fall into a bad situation. I guess my question is: Should anyone move to Portland? Of course it has been said time and time again; come if you have a job and enough money to back you up if you lose that job. Is there any person who is qualified to come out there. Yes see the former comment. Get over yourselves people. If everyone waited till the economy was booming to do stuff, then nothing would ever progress and people would never better themselves. No ever said anything about booming, just to wait until things improved a bit. I have read the articles that everyone posts with glee. This is very insulting. Unemployment is a very serious matter. Just ask the homeless who have lost their jobs, homes and savings. I know I have been there. You should be ashamed for making a statement like this. Yes its bad, but isn't there just some degree of Chicken Little here? Absolutely not!

If you actually read through all the posts, you will see that those who have a plan or a job or both are always given good advice when they inquire as to where to live, shop, send their kids to school etc. It's only those who have stars in their eyes thinking they can come here and life will immediately fall into place for them who are given the warnings. And just for the record, I would not advise anyone to move anywhere right now in these times unless they were moving under the same conditions I suggest they have if they move to Portland.

[sayulita]

Well said Minervah. People do get stars in their eyes. I know I have. This is NOT the time for anyone who does not have a job nailed down to pull up stakes and move. If they have a computer, which they do if they're posting here, they can look at Craig's List, Monster.com etc and see what's available and what's being paid. Nobody is posting with glee. Everyone is feeling the pinch in one way or another and is just trying to help people wanting to move here see the reality of what they might encounter.

[SeattlitefromNC]

Originally Posted by JLR29

I find it difficult to believe that in a city as large as Portland. that there are no jobs for anyone. Looking at this board, no matter what your field, that area is having job cuts. No matter where you work it sucks. I realize the econom is worse there than in other places, but come on people. The question is should anyone move to Portland. I have been lurking because I am coming out there next month to interview for a job. I have been very excited about it (the job and the city). But jeez, you people make it sound like hell on earth. I live in Southeastern Michigan, which is the unparalleled worst economic area in the country and the mood here is not half as bad as you people make portland out to be. I have many friends in the auto industry. Seriously, there is some definite self-pity going on. I guess my question is: Should anyone move to Portland? Is there any person who is qualified to come out there. Get over yourselves people. If everyone waited till the economy was booming to do stuff, then nothing would ever progress and people would never better themselves. I have read the articles that everyone posts with glee. Yes its bad, but isn't there just some degree of Chicken Little here?

You clearly do not understand the scope of what is happening, so let me explain this to you slowly and in terms that you can understand.

There are more people who want to live in Portland than there are jobs. PERIOD. It has been that way for at least five years, if not longer. For every NYT article that gets young hearts fluttering for Portland and thousands of people moving here every year, there are maybe a handful of jobs created in turn. The jobs weren't keeping up with the influx of people moving here when times were good; now, those jobs are going away and there are even MORE people fighting over the few positions that remain.

Back in the summer of 2008, when I stayed in Portland, I was hearing of employers getting hundreds of applications for one position. Now, thousands of people are applying for the same positions ... entry-level on up. It doesn't matter. Things are very, very bad in Portland right now.

And for what it is worth, the story of folks having jobs offered to them only to have those jobs yanked away from them? That is not a new story. It's not even confined to one company. There are many employers right now who are abusing the lop-sided economy at this point. Be prepared to have the situation lorded over you. Be prepared to fight tooth and nail for every opportunity. And be warned. For what you are making light of at this point could come to haunt you if you are not careful.

[JLR29]

Look I am ready to be eviscerated, that's what i get for posting a semi-inflammatory post. I can understand the situation quite clearly. The job situation is terrible in Portland, I get it. All I was saying is that Detroit, which is where I live, is by ALL accounts worse than Portland, and the mood is better here than what I see on this board. Just my opinion, take it for what it is worth (not much). This is not the worst situation in history in either place. Some stupid people will come out without a job, and struggle, it happens everywhere at all times. You have a nice town, it will rebound. Thank your lucky stars you aren't in Michigan, for which I am less optimistic.