PDX Folks! any tips on finding a job?

superbassman2000 · #1 10-05-2011, 07:36 PM

So for those of you playing along at home, I took a vacation to portland last month, and I've got to say--both my girlfriend and I are in love with the place! Seriously, we are ready to move there tomorrow!

anyways, while we are ready to go immediately, we don't want to be dumb about it, and want to make sure that at least one of us has an ok job. She is an accountant and I have my degree in management with a bit of retail management.

Does anyone around there have any leads on any jobs out there, or maybe some good resources on finding jobs in the PDX area?

Selta · #2 10-05-2011, 07:47 PM

Are you stuck on PDX or just PacNW? If just PacNW, Seattle is always another choice, too, for job hunting.
Otherwise, my experience has been that it's much easier if you have someone in a place that can put word in for you/your partner and work it from that angle. Good luck on your search!

superbassman2000 · #3 10-05-2011, 07:50 PM

I'm really shooting for Portland. We went to Seattle too but we both thought it was more of a vacation spot than a place to live everyday.

bongomania · #4 10-05-2011, 09:08 PM

Welll.... My wife and I fell in love with PDX five years ago, bought a house here, quit our good-paying jobs in SF, and moved up. She didn't get a job for the first two years. I have gotten a string of crappy temporary gigs with inadequate pay and insulting treatment, with gaps of like six months between crappy jobs. I'm job-hunting again right now, and basically telling every interviewer "why yes I would love to take a graveyard shift in your warehouse for $10 an hour, it would be an honor!" Then it turns out I lose the position to somebody with an MBA.

Portland is great otherwise, but the job market is utterly brutal.

superbassman2000 · #5 10-06-2011, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Welll.... My wife and I fell in love with PDX five years ago, bought a house here, quit our good-paying jobs in SF, and moved up. She didn't get a job for the first two years. I have gotten a string of crappy temporary gigs with inadequate pay and insulting treatment, with gaps of like six months between crappy jobs. I'm job-hunting again right now, and basically telling every interviewer "why yes I would love to take a graveyard shift in your warehouse for $10 an hour, it would be an honor!" Then it turns out I lose the position to somebody with an MBA.

Portland is great otherwise, but the job market is utterly brutal.

It does look like its pretty intense as far as finding a job (hence me reaching out to tb for tips). Do you mind me asking what industry you work in?

Valiant Bandit · #6 10-06-2011, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Welll.... My wife and I fell in love with PDX five years ago, bought a house here, quit our good-paying jobs in SF, and moved up. She didn't get a job for the first two years. I have gotten a string of crappy temporary gigs with inadequate pay and insulting treatment, with gaps of like six months between crappy jobs. I'm job-hunting again right now, and basically telling every interviewer "why yes I would love to take a graveyard shift in your warehouse for $10 an hour, it would be an honor!" Then it turns out I lose the position to somebody with an MBA.

Portland is great otherwise, but the job market is utterly brutal.

Amazing isn't it? I thought I was a shoo-in at getting a casino job out here in Vegas...BOY was I WRONG.

I've gotten many,many, many job interviews out here in Vegas, and still I'm working for K-Mart. I never would've thought that I'd be 27 and working at K-Mart, but at least I have a job.

My neighbours below me just moved here from PDX and they said the job market was brutal in PDX. *Shrugs* Why they'd move to a state that has the highest unemployment percentage in the country is beyond me. Honestly if you have a good job and you're comfortable where you are, I wouldn't move until (If it ever does happen.) the economy rebounds and the job market picks back up.

And no I don't want to hear "TEH EKONOMIE IZ GETTIN BETTUR!"
No, it's not.
If you doubt me, come visit me in Vegas. I'll take you down Las Vegas Blvd. and show you all the homeless & unemployed people.

What about getting a time share out in PDX or something along those lines? This way you can visit there, get a job interview/get a job and still be secure back where you live without taking the huge risk of going all in?

bongomania · #7 10-06-2011, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superbassman2000

It does look like its pretty intense as far as finding a job (hence me reaching out to tb for tips). Do you mind me asking what industry you work in?

Mainly buying and inventory management in grocery or food production. My last interview was for a buyer position with LSG Sky Chef, they make all the in-flight meals for airlines.

superbassman2000 · #8 10-06-2011, 07:40 AM

That's a cool sounding job! Like I said before, I am currently in retail management and while I'd love to break from it, it might be a handy backup, just in case

john grey · #9 10-06-2011, 08:28 AM

Unemployment and under-employment is much worse in the USA than is currently publicized. It's VERY common to under-report unemployment figures just as it's a common issue to be cautious with Stock Market drops.
The common generality is that if you live in a city where there is a large University, the job market can be even lower than one with some distance from a large school as the students are very often part of a supplemental work force.

Employment problems during the last several years have gotten worse and worse in the USA in part because we have lost a large percentage of our manufacturing to a cheaper overseas market or the exploitation of areas with no environmental protections.
However the Coastal portions of the nation have historically been worse than the interior.

Pilgrim · #10 10-06-2011, 10:27 AM

Get job first, then move.

Stumbo · #11 10-06-2011, 10:37 AM

If you have good jobs now, why not wait until employment picks up? I know you're excited about finding a cool place to live but IMO, I'd wait until things pick up. It's easy to blow through your savings if nothing turns up.

superbassman2000 · #12 10-06-2011, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stumbo

If you have good jobs now, why not wait until employment picks up? I know you're excited about finding a cool place to live but IMO, I'd wait until things pick up. It's easy to blow through your savings if nothing turns up.

I think I mentioned this before, but we aren't going over there without jobs. It seems like the job market is pretty tight, but that doesn't mean I am not going to look/ask around either. The nice thing is that I don't have that great of a job now so the bar isn't set that high on what job I am willing to take lol