Welcome to Portland

Brandon716 · #1 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 4:01 PM**

I've been through a lot in the past few years, lived last summer in Pittsburgh, moved back to Nashville for a few months, lived in Chicago this spring, moved back to Nashville because of unforseen circumstances. Applied for a Canadian work permit to try for a job in Toronto, that didn't work.

So given light of the past, I wanted to try something I had been avoiding due to distance, so yesterday I arrived in Portland and I'm currently looking for work and seeking to settle and find some stability that I've yet to find. LOL

Driving through the country from Nashville through St Louis, Kansas City, Lincoln, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, and Boise to get to Portland was quite an experience. I swore I'd never drive that far again, but I couldn't exactly pack enough to live on and fly out. LOL

Anyway, I'm here and I'm going to be busy looking for a job and apartment in the coming weeks, but I'm GLAD TO BE IN PORTLAND!!

Lets just make this a more permanent visit than my short stays in Pittsburgh and Chicago and Toronto.

WESTSEATTLEGUY · #2 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 4:14 PM**

Welcome to the Northwest!!!! We are glad to have you here.

arbeiter · #3 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 4:38 PM**

Yeah, the Northwest sucks.
Just kidding.
What made you pick Portland?
And what happened with the work permit?

Urbanguy · #4 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 6:56 PM**

Welcome to Portland Heckles! You made it just in time for the rain!

brandonpdx · #5 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 7:01 PM**

Welcome! Summer lasts until October. Pick up a snowboard in the winter and the rain just means more snow!

Brandon716 · #6 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 7:27 PM**

Thanks guys. I'd actually like to try snowboarding for a change, instead of just talking about it.

Why Portland? The real question is why NOT Portland. Its a premiere city in the USA. 'Nuff said. Seattle is great too.

Was in San Francisco for Pride this year, looked around the area (not just the city) and I just can't afford it. SF isn't necessarily my first choice for the west coast though, I love the NW.

The work permit? Pfft. Canadian immigration is no different from American immigration. It makes no sense. Need I say more?

Now about this snowboarding thing... If anyone wants to show me come winter, I'll be happy to try.

Okstate · #7 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 7:51 PM**

Are you staying in a hotel until you find an apt.?

Brandon716 · #8 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 8:23 PM**

I'm renting a weekly hotel suite, will be looking for perm housing once I get a job. I just got an interview secured for tomorrow and will be visiting several staffing firms next week.

arbeiter · #9 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 8:47 PM**

Good luck, I've heard not so great things about the pay scales and job market in general in Portland.

MarkDaMan · #10 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 9:25 PM**

^that's a bunch of rubbish. Portland's economy is actually very healthy right now and depending on what you are looking for, you should be able to find a decent job and pay that allows you to live comfortably in Portland. Of course our 'pay scale' is less than SF, Seattle and other large cities, but our cost of living is much less too. Although rising. My friend just got a job offer and turned it down. The company contacted her back and offered her more money so she took it. My understanding is that in several fields potential employees have the upper hand.

Let me know what you think heckles after going through the process.

brandonpdx · #11 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 9:56 PM**

it is rubbish and I'm living proof.

arbeiter · #12 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 10:02 PM**

Well, it's simply what I've heard.

PacificNW · #13 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 10:08 PM**

Heckles...it's difficult for "some" who live in Belltown to find anything positive to say about PDX...they look for the negative grap..

Good luck...what field of work are you seeking employment?

PDX City-State · #14 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 10:35 PM**

Portland isn't a company town... If you want to do your own thing here, you'll find your community and a lot cheaper start-up costs and barriers to entry. It's an unbelievable breeding ground for entrepreneurs and there's a reason why it has attracted so much talent and become something of the national media darling in 2007. (The New Times has profiled PDX nine times in 2007.) Portland's time is now and it feels good to be a part of it. It's big enough to be dynamic and small enough to partake. Enjoy it while it lasts.

arbeiter · #15 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 11:43 PM**

Dude, just because I live here doesn't mean I exactly like Belltown, and I love Portland. You are an annoying lot if you can't stand the slightest bit of opposing viewpoints.

PacificNW · #16 Posted: **Aug 16, 2007, 11:59 PM**

I will accept annoying. Is it too hard to be encouraging to someone who just moved to Portland with, I assume high expectations? Why the negative input about salaries and the job market? If this is true, let him find out himself...like I suggest you do. Cheers... Belltown is actually a cool district of Seattle....a lot of positive changes happening there.

Brandon716 · #17 Posted: **Aug 17, 2007, 12:16 AM**

LOL, I'll stay out of the arguments of economical matters. Portland doesn't have ghettos galore and its doing just fine, which is part of why I like it here.

I'm looking for entry-level access database or help desk jobs, but I'll probably end up in something completely unrelated at the rate my job hunts have gone.

At this point I don't care, I like it here and I've never had a job I love so location is more important than job right now. As long as its livable I'll be fine.

One major, major difference about my move to Portland is that I don't know anyone. Every other place I've been to, I've had friends or acquaintances to know before hand. So who knows? I'm up for building something new and having fun!

WESTSEATTLEGUY · #18 Posted: **Aug 17, 2007, 1:08 AM**

^^

LOL. Welcome to the NW forums where all we do is Bitch and Argue.

PDX City-State · #19 Posted: **Aug 17, 2007, 1:22 AM**

Quote:

Welcome to the NW forums where all we do is Bitch and Argue.

We all live in the NW...we have nothing to bitch about.

To Seattle and Portland

PacificNW · #20 Posted: **Aug 17, 2007, 1:54 AM**