damnportlanders: Hi guys,Just how bad IS the unemployment

...... (

raiindreams) wrote in

damnportlanders,
@ 2008-01-02 01:41:00

Hi guys,
Just how bad IS the unemployment rate and economy in Portland nowadays?
I'm a possible / hopeful transportee to Portland. I've wanted to move for a few years but I know how terrible the unemployment has been in Portland since forever.

I really NEED to move this year, make a change. I'm sick and tired to death of Minneapolis.

I LOVE Portland culture, style, transportation, and tons of other things but if I can't get a job well then.......

So whats the likelyhood of me finding a run of the mill job in either health care of clerical?

Or should I move to Pittsburgh? lol

(Post a new comment)

	iratepuppy 2008-01-02 07:46 am UTC (link)
	Sure, everyone says that in January, but when the thaw rolls in and everyone's running around in shorts at 40 degrees you'll love it there again. (Reply to this)(Thread)

raiindreams
2008-01-02 07:52 am UTC (link)

hahaha true about the shorts in 40 degrees but trust me i don't want to leave because of the temperatures. I want to leave for pure change, for new friends, new opportunities, new lifestyle. I desperately need a fresh start. I haven't done anything "wrong" here, it's just old and stale and dull. I'm a girl that needs change now and then or I just lose interest in everything.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	iratepuppy 2008-01-02 07:57 am UTC (link)
	Yeah, I moved to Minneapolis at one point for the same reason. There are just enough similarities so you won't feel too out of place, and enough differences to make it interesting. (All weather aside, I mean.) I highly endorse this cultural exchange. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	raiindreams 2008-01-02 07:59 am UTC (link)
	exactly. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	fvinnash 2008-01-02 05:53 pm UTC (link)
	Eeew. I don't know. I've always hated Minneapolis, regardless of what was going on with the weather. HATE. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	lunadragonfly 2008-01-02 07:52 am UTC (link)
	What is it you're tired of in Minneapolis? My husband is from there and says there are quite a few similarities between the Twin Cities and Portland. And I can't imagine leaving MN for Pittsburgh, ack, so maybe I'm the wrong person to ask. (Reply to this)(Thread)

raiindreams
2008-01-02 07:54 am UTC (link)

haha.. lets see.. I mostly want to leave Minneapolis because I've been here my entire life and I'm the kind of person who craves change.

Not only that but there isn't any sort of environmental, animal friendly, alternative type groups/places/anything around here.

I can't list why I just know I WANT change and I WANT to move to Portland.. the only thing that is holding me back is the thought of maybe not being able to get jobs.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	palebythesea 2008-01-02 08:02 am UTC (link)
	Not only that but there isn't any sort of environmental, animal friendly, alternative type groups/places/anything around here. Say whaaa? Man, I feel like I couldn't walk two feet without tripping over a critical mass rally or enviro-pirg minion or a co-op vegan bake sale when I was there this summer. Maybe you're just in the wrong part of town. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

raiindreams
2008-01-02 08:05 am UTC (link)

lol maybe. We have 1 decent vegetarian / vegan restaurant and it has a very basic menu.
We have a few grocery stores but that's it.

I've met some vegan people but they were all hard core christans and didn't like me because of my vague spiritual beliefs.

Maybe I am missing it. haha.. who knows. 100% of my friend are carnivore, environmentally careless, conventional people and I'm bored with it. I'm not like any of them.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

iratepuppy
2008-01-02 08:10 am UTC (link)

You'll find that our vegans are rarely hardcore Christian.

Other than that...well, Minnesotans in Portland are often disappointed that it's not quite the liberal environment they expected. Our reputation isn't ENTIRELY undeserved, but it's a little overhyped. Just so you're prepared. If you've got a couple months worth of savings and don't mind a little temping while you get settled, I say come on over.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	a_rockett 2008-01-02 08:35 am UTC (link)
	agreed. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	lunadragonfly 2008-01-02 09:14 am UTC (link)
	Yeah I always thought it was kind of funny, my inlaws and their friends (in MN) had heard all about what a crazy hippie haven Portland is and they almost seemed surprised to find out that we have to wear shirts and shoes to work here and everything! Heh. (Reply to this)(Parent)

palebythesea
2008-01-02 08:10 am UTC (link)

wow, yeah, that really surprises me! I feel like I had the complete opposite experience there. Everyone I met seemed to be very greeny-hippy vegans, which of course did seem odd in the meat-and-potatoes-type Midwest, but since everyone said that mpls and pdx had sort of soulmate status I figured it made sense. I went to a few nice veg restaurants when I was there, too. What part of the city are you in?

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	varro 2008-01-02 04:50 pm UTC (link)
	Isn't veganism a form of hardcore religious belief? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	raiindreams 2008-01-02 05:08 pm UTC (link)
	Not even remotely. It's a belief that all animals should be treated equally, and should be treated no less poorly than humans, but it's not at all religious. Vegaanism is simply about choosing to not use any animal products in your life because you feel that animals shouldn't be used for food or drink or clothes. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

varro
2008-01-02 06:43 pm UTC (link)

As opposed to vegetarianism?

Doesn't make sense, especially to someone well-versed in law and the theories that set up classifications in society, and how certain "suspect" classifications (immutable classifications that are the source of discrimination, but ultimately have no legitimate effect on someone's ability to participate in society) like race, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, should have protection and equal rights.

Species definitely doesn't fall into the suspect classification, or even into a lower category.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

raiindreams
2008-01-02 07:39 pm UTC (link)

vegetarians use animal products every day in their life, drinking milk, eating cheese, wearing leather.

*shrugs* I'm not looking for you to switch nor am I looking for your approval. . Choose what you wish, I choose to protect animals and treat them kindly. Why shouldn't an animal have fair rights to not be kept in tiny cages and not even have the opportunity to have a HAPPY life. Shouldn't all creatures have the right to a happy, healthy, safe life?

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	lokidecat 2008-01-02 08:25 pm UTC (link)
	because you feel that animals shouldn't be used for food Too bad in nature they don't feel the same way. I respect your choice, truly and without sarcasm. But I do find veganism an unnatural behavior. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	raiindreams 2008-01-02 09:00 pm UTC (link)
	That's alright, we're all allowed to make our own decisions. :) But that's why I think it's a great thing because we're humans, we're intelligent enough to choose what we eat and what we wear for warmth and how it affects other creatures. :) (Reply to this)(Parent)

	lunadragonfly 2008-01-02 09:32 pm UTC (link)
	I agree, but I love a lot of unnatural behaviors myself. For instance, picking fights on the intarwebs. :p (Reply to this)(Parent)

	lunadragonfly 2008-01-02 09:08 am UTC (link)
	That's what I was thinking. Plus all the people I online-know from Minneapolis are hippie veggie types. And I'm not even a hippie or a veggie myself. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	a_rockett 2008-01-02 07:54 am UTC (link)
	I actually have known quite a few people that have moved to Portland from Minneapolis, and within 5 years, they've all moved back. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	raiindreams 2008-01-02 07:58 am UTC (link)
	seriously people.. minneapols = NOOOOOO I'm SICK of it here. Way way way way sick of it. I've never liked it. It's not my kind of people. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	a_rockett 2008-01-02 08:10 am UTC (link)
	Portland might not have your kind of people either. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	lunadragonfly 2008-01-02 09:11 am UTC (link)
	Exactly. Portland also has a somewhat deserved reputation for being hard to break into socially, so while you may be surrounded by thousands of people just like you in pdx, they may all be plugged into their ipods on the MAX and not terribly willing to make room for you to sit down, let alone have a beer or a coffee with them. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	varro 2008-01-02 04:52 pm UTC (link)
	Uh, what is your kind of people? If you can't find it in Minneapolis, you're likely not to find it in Portland - we have similar cultures of outdoorsiness tempered by severe weather, only Minnesota Nice is replaced by West Coast passive-aggressiveness. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	raiindreams 2008-01-02 05:10 pm UTC (link)
	Ummm.. Minnesota nice is a lie, trust me. I still don't get where people get that but it's not true. Why is everyone so convinced I'm too narrow-minded or something because I can't find "my culture" it's kind of sending a true Texas hick up to Minnesota, or a true NYer to Kansas city. We're just not a good fit. Period. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	fvinnash 2008-01-02 05:55 pm UTC (link)
	Nono. Minnesota nice exists - just not in Minneapolis. People there are rude and always in a hurry, and god help you if your MSP waitress got your order wrong - it's your fault, you know, because you look funny. Yeah. Hate of the Minneapolis. Get thee out of there! (Reply to this)(Parent)

lunadragonfly
2008-01-02 06:02 pm UTC (link)

The problem is, if you have that much trouble finding "your type of people" in MSP, you're just as likely to have trouble pretty much anywhere else. It's like the gay kids who move to San Francisco and think "now gay friends will fall out of the sky on me, I'll be swimming in social opportunities" and then find out SF is just another big city, with the same kind of people they always hung out with, just more of them--and cliquey, to boot. I mean, move if you want to, it's just kind of fallacious to believe that the problem is the city. More likely the lack of social opportunities is because making friends is a skill that you still need to work on.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	raiindreams 2008-01-02 07:40 pm UTC (link)
	shrugs I disagree. But that's alright. I think it has a lot to do with having the culture in the area. You're bound to find far more friends in an area that is known for certain things. I wouldn't go to NYC looking for country fans nor would I go to San Antonio to find rap fans. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	_dilate_ 2008-01-02 08:39 pm UTC (link)
	Portland nice is usually fake also. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	lunadragonfly 2008-01-02 06:00 pm UTC (link)
	Minnesota nice is pretty passive-aggressive, IME. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	dawniecakes 2008-01-02 09:27 pm UTC (link)
	Amen to that (Coming from a former Minnesotan) (Reply to this)(Parent)

palebythesea
2008-01-02 07:59 am UTC (link)

If you go to temp agencies, you'll probably be able to find something in at least clerical work. Health care work is kind of vague, so I'm not sure what you're gunning for there. I don't know how much you expect/hope to make, but keep in mind that the cost of living in Portland is much higher than Minneapolis (but relatively cheap in relation to anywhere else on the West coast), so I'd recommend having some savings to go off of because it seems from what I read here that most people can expect a few months of joblessness upon arrival. Previous job experience and such will probably mean a lot towards getting a nicer, better paying gig quicker.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

raiindreams
2008-01-02 08:01 am UTC (link)

health care = nursing assistant. I was a nursing student but HATED it, but I have 2 years nursing assistant experience. Plus clerical experience before the NA experience.

I just want enough to be able to afford an apartment and pay my bills and maybe get back into school to finish off my degree in Information Technology where ever I can get in.

Thanks for the information.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

palebythesea
2008-01-02 08:05 am UTC (link)

Sure thing. Craigslist is always your friend for jobs and apartments and such, but temp agencies seem to have the highest ratio of successful long-term hire. I might be wary of looking at the IT field here, because even if there is a vast proliferation of jobs for it out here, there is an equal or higher pool of (over)qualified applicants. At least that's what all my IT friends tell me.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	raiindreams 2008-01-02 08:07 am UTC (link)
	Don't worry, I wouldn't look for an IT position in Portland, I know that is a really bad field to look into in the city. I'd move to Seattle at least or somewhere else once I got my degree, I'd have to. But for now I can stick to clerical or something that just pays enough and doesn't drive me mad (aka: health care) (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	palebythesea 2008-01-02 08:13 am UTC (link)
	Sounds like you've got a good gameplan. If you've got enough saved up, I'd say come on out as soon as you can muster. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	glowing_fish 2008-01-02 11:10 am UTC (link)
	Its not bad now. In 2002, it was. But now, tolerable. Of course, who knows that turns the economy is going to take? But its probably as safe here as anywhere. (Reply to this)

	varro 2008-01-02 04:48 pm UTC (link)
	You'll have an...interesting time in Pittsburgh. Lots of health care jobs, especially at the UPMC hospitals or Mercy, but looking at your profile, there is only a very, very small vegan community in Pittsburgh. People there like their meat. (Pittsburgh-to-Portland here, and I'm thinking of going back...) (Reply to this)(Thread)

	mr_sunyata 2008-01-02 06:33 pm UTC (link)
	Pittsburgh-to-Portland here too. I do miss my huge extended family there, and they miss me, but I would rather live here and visit there. Happy New Year, Yinzer! (Reply to this)(Parent)

plasticrapping
2008-01-02 05:06 pm UTC (link)

Portlands economy is fine.

Entry level jobs are plentiful and easy to find. High end jobs you'll be fighting with a lot of other people so pack a bad ass resume and experience, and don't just hold out on the hopes that the one job you wanted will pan out. Apply like a mad man (Woman?).

Rent's affordable compared to most major cities, foods cheap, public transport is amazing.

The cities worth checking out. It's also not that hard of a social nut to crack. Persistence is just key.

(Reply to this)

	lokidecat 2008-01-02 06:52 pm UTC (link)
	Pittsburgh sucks. Period. If you are in Portland and want a job, you can find a job. It may not be glamorous or what you wanna be when you grow up, but there are lots of places hiring for livable wages. Hell, look at our minimum wage, while yours in Minnesota is $5.25 - $6.15, ours is $7.95. So even flipping burgers full time you make about a grand a month. (Reply to this)

	neurophyre 2008-01-02 07:37 pm UTC (link)
	I've heard one of the best sectors to find a job out here is health care, but that's thirdhand info. (Reply to this)

twilite_embrace
2008-01-02 08:05 pm UTC (link)

I love how when you post in here asking about employment opportunities, and just happen to mention youre unhappy where you are, you get a bunch of people who respond about the latter part of the topic. I understand how you feel with the need for change. Sometimes its wayyyyy necessary. Just sucks having a bunch of people come down on you when you werent looking for their advice on whether you'd be happier here, but if you'd be able to survive financially.

As far as finding a job, its really not too bad. I moved to Portland in May and had 4 or 5 jobs lined up in a couple weeks. And its not like I have an amazing resume, just kinda average. I would say monster.com was one of my best resources. Good Luck!!!

(Reply to this)(Thread)

raiindreams
2008-01-02 08:20 pm UTC (link)

I officially LOVE you.
I get so tired of posting in communities on LJ where I ask a question about one thing and happen to mention 1-2 other points and everyone pounces on me for the 1-2 other small points I made. grrrrr I'm not asking whether or not the culture is what I expect it to be!

<3333

Wow that's great that you had that many jobs lined up!!! That's an excellent sign. Thanks so much for your perspective on it! That's a good reply I can actually USE!

(Reply to this)(Parent)

	lokidecat 2008-01-02 08:27 pm UTC (link)
	Most of the post had to do with employment and moving. In fact, I think the first three initial comments were regarding the OP's unhappiness, and the other like.. 6-7 were about the economy and employment. Sure the threads went off on a tangent, but that's what happens when you feed the trolls. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	raiindreams 2008-01-02 08:58 pm UTC (link)
	True, I should make an icon that says "dont feed the trolls" to remind myself. (Reply to this)(Parent)

dana_pants
2008-01-03 03:24 am UTC (link)

Welcome!

I don't have too much to say that others haven't said, but having visited Minnesota again after moving away two years ago, I can understand why you want to get out. The cities have changed... the vibe is off, or maybe the bloom is off the rose, I dunno. I'm from the range, and I always loved Minneapolis when I was younger... until I moved to Portland. I wouldn't dream of wanting to live in Minneapolis now, Portland is like MPLS but better. =P In my humble opinion, of course!

Though, as everyone has said, don't expect to get anything glamorous right out of the gate in your job search. Portland's job market isn't bad, but it's hard to break into if you don't come prepared to take a less-than-perfect position until you can get better.

If at all possible, start putting in apps before you come, so that you already have the ball rolling. I honestly think that the key to the Portland job market is persistence... I know that seems totally unnecessary to say, but so often the people in my life who lament the job market are the same ones who have a laundry list of "I won't do that" jobs ("I won't do food service/retail/blah/blah/blah")... sure, we all have things we don't want to do, but having a negative focus isn't a good way to start a job search, you know?

Anyways... good luck with the move, if you decide to make it!

(Reply to this)

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