Question: Do you find it hard to find jobs in Detroit?

**trevor** · May-11-10, 11:34 AM

I tried this Detroit Jobs site, and I see new jobs in Healthcare all the time... and less of other jobs. I'm curious to know how people working here find the job market.

**jcole** · May-11-10, 11:43 AM

Really?...

**Detroitnerd** · May-11-10, 11:51 AM

I am happy in my job, so I don't know. I had a friend move here and she found part-time work within a month.

**detroitsgwenivere** · May-11-10, 04:13 PM

I've been looking for work FOR MONTHS. Even went to a community college certificate program through "no worker left behind" to increase my chances of being hired, and nothing. I've covered all the bases I could personally, but the problem is I'm not qualified to fill the positions that are currently available [[or they want you to relocate to Conneticut). Medical/nursing? nope. Office/ administration? Skilled trade? nope. I used to work in automotive assembly, but even those few jobs only pay 8 or 9 bucks an hour now. I loved workin in the plant.....

I applied for the U.S. Census last week, and pray that it comes through, even if it's only for a few weeks.

**1KielsonDrive** · May-11-10, 04:19 PM

Whattttttttttt?????????

**kraig** · May-11-10, 04:56 PM

The DEGC is always looking for Interns. Marathon Oil, Central Transport and the Detroit Salt Mine have work available as well. Meijers and Home Depot are hiring. Just bear in mind that the locations being offered may require a long daily commute. But, it could be a great opportunity.

**Thames** · May-11-10, 05:04 PM

I've said this before here, but I'll say it again, volunteer! That's what I did.

I couldn't find a job so I went online looking for volunteer opportunities and there was a non-profit looking for help in the accounting dept. to prepare for an audit. I applied. I needed a resume and referrals to work for free! Ha!

Anyway, there was another volunteer there helping to prepare for the audit and offered me a job where she works. I still work for free but now I make money too!

**EastsideAl** · May-11-10, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by trevor

I'm curious to know how people working here find the job market.

This is some kind of pathetic joke, right?

Ummm, I would say pretty lousy.

**trevor** · May-12-10, 10:22 AM

I don't care what the statistics say, I want to hear actual stories from real people.

**wazootyman** · May-12-10, 10:33 AM

I'm an employed electrical engineer, and in the last couple of months I've taken it upon myself to do some job searching [[looking for something better). Not only has the local market [[for engineers, anyway) really opened up - I've had two interviews that led to offers, once of which I'm taking starting next month.

It's a bit of redemption for all of those nights in college where I had to hit the library instead of the bar to meet my friends - electrical engineering was a difficult degree to earn. Some luck and good networking have certainly played a role, but one can't deny that education in a high-demand field is critical right now.

**kryptonite** · May-12-10, 11:02 AM

I am fortunate enough to be working. But I don't know a single person in SE Michigan that was laid off who found another full-time job. Most have given up, the lucky ones were able to retire. Others basically are getting by on savings or income of spouse/domestic partner/family.

However I keep hearing that the situation has improved but I have not heard from any of my acquaintances that have gone back to work.

**kraig** · May-12-10, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by wazootyman

I'm an employed electrical engineer, and in the last couple of months I've taken it upon myself to do some job searching [[looking for something better). Not only has the local market [[for engineers, anyway) really opened up - I've had two interviews that led to offers, once of which I'm taking starting next month.

It's a bit of redemption for all of those nights in college where I had to hit the library instead of the bar to meet my friends - electrical engineering was a difficult degree to earn. Some luck and good networking have certainly played a role, but one can't deny that education in a high-demand field is critical right now.

Always good to hear some good news. Congratulations.

**ggores** · May-12-10, 11:33 AM

Receiving weekly updates from a couple job search websites {monster being one}, for the job I do, the trend for hiring positions began to increase after the first of the year, and has continued to the point to where there's not as much worry in finding another one should the current gig be lost. It's gotten so bad, in fact, that I am about to block these updates because the current job rocks and I don't even want the temptation to go for "something better'.

Now, I also have a friend who works in fab shops, I dunno, machining and smoothing metal fabrications and such, a real skilled cat he is. For abour four years he had near-zero work. However, going back to, oh, early March, he's been doggin' it, putting in 60 to 70 hours a week. So that's good. And somewhat surprising. Says most of their work is coming from some place, I vaguely recognized the name, that makes aircraft parts. That's Michigan for ya. Feast or famine.

**lalynch** · May-12-10, 12:15 PM

I have not been able to find a job either. Its been almost two years since I lost my job as an agency administrative assistant at Ford. Things are improving a bit. I've had two interviews the last two months. My agency has submitted me on several jobs this year but nothing recently. My friend who is out of work after being laid off at Automotive Components Holdings [[ACH), the holding company for the Visteon plants, has sent out over 800 resumes since last March and nothing. I've applied for jobs at Meijer's and Home Depot but have not heard anything. I have no retail, restaurant or medical office experience. My degree is in Interior Architecture, Lawrence Tech, but the interior design field has not been good for a long time. Thus, I am looking at various certificate programs at LTU.

One of my unemployed friends finely got employment. It was someone she used to work with at GM. Another unemployed former Ford admin went to school to be a medical office assistant, spending $15,000, but I hear from another friend that works in a doctors office that those jobs only pay $8-$10/hour.

**cman710** · May-12-10, 01:12 PM

The situation overall is obviously pretty bad, but I think it will vary dramatically by individual field and type of education. I have a friend who had worked one summer during law school at a large firm downtown, but then decided to work in New York after graduating law school. Over a year ago, he started looking for a legal job in Detroit at the bigger firms, without luck. In the last few months, he finally heard back from one of them and is starting this June. So while the overall trend is not in a good direction, some people are moving back to the state.

**trevor** · May-12-10, 01:19 PM

My Uncle moved out to Michigan from Colorado a few years ago. He's a computer programmer. The only job he could find that paid enough to support himself, his wife and their 4 kids was running the website for a major pyramid scheme company. He doesn't enjoy his job, and his commute is horrendous, but he's making a living.

**Bigb23** · May-12-10, 01:27 PM

Ggores -

Now, I also have a friend who works in fab shops, I dunno, machining and smoothing metal fabrications and such, a real skilled cat he is. For abour four years he had near-zero work. However, going back to, oh, early March, he's been doggin' it, putting in 60 to 70 hours a week. So that's good. And somewhat surprising. Says most of their work is coming from some place, I vaguely recognized the name, that makes aircraft parts. That's Michigan for ya. Feast or famine.

I've spent alot of years doing the same thing. My old truck can't stand long commutes anymore, but if it is in the right area, I'd like a heads up !
Send me an IM on this board.
Thanks.