Starting Over
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Kind of NSOR...Michigan people
I know a few of you live in Michigan...I just recently visited for the first time, liked what I saw. Just wondering how the job market is up there for someone with a BA in Communications?
I'm gathering some of my thoughts and wondering maybe in the not so distant future if I could move up there. Not definite, but thinking about it. There's no jobs here where I live in Pa, and the job I have is dead end, and it might give me a chance to clear my head and start over. There's a lot of drama with burned bridges here, for me.
It would probably be in the Lansing area, or Muskegon, or Lake Odessa area. Not really 100% sure, but I also know of some jobs in the U. P. but I don't know if I want to be up that far..
Thanks in advance.
Aye karramba.
Re: Kind of NSOR...Michigan people
I would ask if you've been living under a rock, but I already know the answer to that.
Michigan has the #3 highest unemployment rate in the nation, as well as one of the worst real estate markets. It is a great place to live, but outside of the major cities Detroit/Lansing/Grand Rapids jobs are even harder to find. Aslo, the winter time sucks here unless you really love snow/cold weather.
What is your employment background?
I do live under a rock, thank you for asking. I'm well educated, but I don't watch or read the news because it depresses me and I've always had that problem, so yeah.
My employment background, let's see. I got a job for a DVD production facility doing technical work with high end clients (ie: Universal, Fox, Disney) right out of college, and worked there for 4 years before they laid off. I worked one on one with clients, I was Disney's go-to for video issues.
Otherwise, I've been free floating from job to job...I was a mail carrier for USPS for a while but hurt my back, and right now I work for the Commonwealth doing clerical work, but it's not using my education, nor is it mentally or financially stimulating.
I'd like to get back into the Communications field, if possible, but I have a customer service background as well.
Where in PA do you live? Maybe you can find something in state so that you can keep working for the Commonwealth with a transfer or something and not have to completely start over. There's a lot of great areas in PA.
You seem to be choosing the most difficult paths to success lately...
If you have experience with film production companies and would like to get back into that, Michigan might actually a good place to be, despite the overall unemployment rate. A few years ago, the state implemented some substantial tax incentives to attract the movie industry to the state. The program was modified recently to be less awesome for producers, but the legislature is considering other revisions (although the tax breaks probably still won't be as large or easy to get as they were originally).
I don't know where you live now, but yeah, the winter here can be pretty brutal, especially if you're not used to it. I would definitely take your current mental health issues into consideration.
I like this idea. Yes. Yeah I'm from Northeastern Pennsylvania. The winters here are kind of brutal as well, maybe not to the point of MI winters but I know what it's like to have bitter cold and snow.
I am trying to keep my current mental health issues at the top of my list of priorities. This is why I am trying to research and find out what I can handle and what my options are before jumping the gun and moving on.
I'm from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. I've been here my entire life. I need a change. I need to live away from here for a bit before I could figure out if this is where I'm going to stay and settle.
I know I'm choosing difficult paths, but subtle changes don't usually help me. I'm not jumping into anything yet, just looking around and getting ideas. I'm just so frustrated.
I'm not from Michigan, but I'm trying to get up there! I've been looking for jobs in the dreater Detroit area since late May, with NO bites. No interviews, no call backs, and only 1 email actually giving me a rejection. It's not an easy market.
That said, I love it up there (obviously)! It can't hurt to look at apply, but don't get your heart set on anything moving fast. I would suggest networking groups...like pp said, it's hard to get anything without knowing someone there. Good luck!
I agree with the others, MI is not a good place for jobs right now. I used to live there and it has gone down hill.
Why not try Texas or another southern state since you don't like the cold? There are a lot of jobs in Texas.
This is good advice. Certainly look for employment here, but absolutely do not move without a job offer.
Thank you. I know a few people up that way that would be able to help. I'll also be making some trips up there in the near future.
I am also well educated and am working a shitty job at a grocery store to pay the bills. Looking can't hurt but I wouldn't get your hopes up.
I already live with my boyfriend.
We're taking some "us" time lately. Individually we're doing our own thing and seeing our own friends and spending time apart. Yeah we sleep in the same bed, but as of lately we made a decision to take some time doing stuff for ourselves. So we'll see how that goes.
I'm not about to just up and break up with my boyfriend because we have some own personal issues. It's not like I'm abused or we're fighting all the time because we're not. So I have some stuff I need to work out and so does he. I don't see why we can't continue to have a relationship and each work on our crap outside of the relationship. I left a marriage I was unhappy in before being really ready to leave and it messed me up. I don't want to make that mistake again.
I live in Muskegon. H and I have pretty stable jobs. I don't personally know of people struggling because they lost their job and cannot find new ones. In fact, my company is hiring, and I think H's company is hiring.
Someone mentioned that the housing market sucks - but that is only true for people who bought in the mid 2000's.
I own 3 houses, 2 of which were purchased in the last year and a half. It's a great market for buyers. 
Rental homes are harder to come by. When we advertise an open rental, we get A LOT of applicants almost immediately. But I think apartments are in less demand.
I love living 3 minutes from Lake Michigan in the summer. Its absolutely gorgeous. But, I hate snow and ice and freezing temperatures, so the winters are realllly long for me.
Anyway, Michigan is great, overall.
Gasp, I was wrong.
Ok, so *I* don't personally know anyone struggling in the job department, but apparently people who bought in 2000 are underwater on their house. I stand corrected.