quick question about gillette ? (Cheyenne: for sale, rentals, hotel)

[zipporacing]

my wife and i have been talking about me going out there to get work and a place to live. my thing is does it slow out there in the winter?(jobs) i will also be looking for a place to plug my van into for heat,is there a truckstop or something like that to take a shower? and wi-fi spots so i can talk to my wife and kids?
i have pretty much faced the facks that i will have to just go out there and show up face to face for the jobs.someone pointed out that why hire someone 1500 miles away when there are people waiting to work right now.
i would also like to thank some people that were a great help,GEORGIAINMT,LANCE,AND A FEW OTHERS,THANKS.
JIMMY

[WyoNewk]

Yes, the job market slows in Gillette substantially during winter months. Gillette's economy is based on energy extraction with a huge number of jobs in construction, so when there's less daylight, the ground frees, and access to the drilling fields is hampered, it doesn't take an expert to predict what happens to jobs related to those industries. Some jobs are cut and many hours are reduced.

That said, instead of finding a job on the first day, it might take a few days, and instead of working 60 hours per week you might be working 30 or 40. You haven't said what type of work you're looking for, so it's hard to say for sure. If it's retail work you want, of course, no time is better than now.

There's a Flying J Truck Stop in Gillette, but I don't believe they have hookups for camping. Neither does Walmart. For hookups you'd need to rent a campsite. Winters can get very cold, and winter is here now. With wind chill factored in, temps can drop well below zero. They haven't yet, but it's a matter of days. I wouldn't recommend coming this time of the year without at least $1000 in your pocket for a hotel room and food until you get your first paycheck. If you get into trouble, there might be some social services help available, but don't plan on it.

Unless you're experienced with some special skills or know someone to pull some corporate strings, you'll have to be here to land a job.

[zipporacing]

sorry i dident say ,but im a mechanic by trade.as much as i hate to say it,but i would rater work in the mine's or oil fields for a while utill i get set up.i know its cold out there,im in the UP of Michigan now,on the south side of lake Seperior..allthough im pretty sure you get more wind? im willing to suffer to better my family!!! i know it sounds bad,but its worth it the long run i hope.
anyway thanks for the help,jimmy

[gfpd8405]

Jimmy,

Check out BNSF they are hiring Diesel Mechanics in Havre, MT and Glendive, MT. Union Pacific is hiring a Mechanic in Cheyenne. Questar is hiring a Mechanic in Blacks Fork, WY. Hope it helps.

Steve

[sunsprit]

Temporary housing ... such as "hooking up" your van ... in Gillette is virtually impossible to locate. The zoning codes pretty much rule this out except at a RV or mobile home facility, and you'll pay for the service.

With the housing crunch there, and the very high paying job market, rentals are at a premium.

The only place I know of right now where you can hook up an RV for a limited amount of time would be the "Cam-Plex", which if the fairgrounds. They have an area set aside in what is an open parking lot for RV's to hook up, to accomodate the housing needs of the area. It's not inexpensive, and they discourage you from staying too long.

We went through Gillette today on our way back from Montana, and it's simply amazing how many retail storefronts are closed ... out of business ... for sale or for lease, and looking in very derelict condition. Even stores in the "downtown" area are closed out. The big problem locally is finding help (forget finding "good" help) for a business at an afforable wage; with housing costs so high, folks can't take lower paying jobs when the extractive industries are willing to pay top dollar with a lot of overtime available.

We did see one thing that was reasonably priced today: we filled up at the Shell station with regular 85 octane gas for $1.55. It's "real" gas, not an alcohol blend, which is what we got at the Maverik earlier in the week for the same price (even though the pump wasn't marked for ethanol blend in the fuel), and a 4 mpg decrease in the fuel economy of our Subaru station wagon on our way Northward.

Fuel was 15cents/gallon more expensive in Moorcraft, and yet more expensive the closer we got away from Gillette on I-90.