Non-Oregon Jobseekers Beware!
Something about Portland is starting to bothering me. There seems to be a secret pact among employers here to give preference to Portlanders and Oregonians when hiring.
Prove me wrong, children, prove me wrong.
A little bit about me. I have lived in a lot of places and never have I had as much trouble finding viable employment, but since I have been in Portland, I have been struggling to find a decent job. I applied at a photography studio as a production coordinator (my last full-time job before I moved), and after two interviews, I didn’t even get a call back thanking me for coming in, twice. That is a little impolite, regardless of whether or not I was the best person for the job. Come on, at least call the job seeker back to let them know. I waited two weeks before giving up on that one.
I interviewed for a bartending job recently and the owner of the bar/restaurant told me that my “weakness” was that I had never bartended in Portland before. Considering the service I seem to get at most bars (Jeffrey at Kay’s is the exception), how is not having Portland experience a “weakness?” If I were running a bar here, I would welcome new Portlanders, but then, after two bartending gigs in this town, I can officially say that Portland has killed my fondness for tending bar. Making drinks used to be fun until I started doing it in PDX.
Let that be a warning to all of you service industry pros: Portland is a different beast entirely. I have started referring to it as “amateur night.” If my employer isn’t expecting me to wear a halter top and more make up, they seem to be more concerned about saying they are a manager rather than managing.
But I digress…again.
As a new Portland resident, I do just want to address the nepotism and Oregon-native-preferential hiring practices. You know, I didn’t move out here just to take a job away from an Oregon-native. My boyfriend got a job, and I followed him because I like him. Does that make me any less qualified for a position?
A Portlander told my boyfriend that it takes a good two years to get established here. I have been here for nine months and four jobs later, I am still searching for a job that doesn’t objectify my femaleness or dick me around otherwise. I am frustrated, to say the least. But hey, I am hoping to start grad school soon, so wish me luck in getting accepted at Lewis and Clark. Maybe my University of Michigan education will finally pay off. (Side note: A bachelors degree is not enough, and not looked at any more favorably than a high school diploma. A shame.)
So, to all of you thinking about moving to Portland, Oregon, or those of you struggling like me to find your niche, it may take a while. Be prepared for that.
Portland, Oregon, hiring, jobs, seekers, nepotism, bartending, production coordinator, Lewis and Clark



July 31st, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Yikes… I just moved here 2 weeks ago b/c my husband got a job. Your post is kind of scary for a girl like me.
July 31st, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Stephanie, I wish you much luck in your job search. I keep hoping that it is just me and I am cursed, but I know a few other newbies that are struggling, and that is why I made it a point in yesterday’s post. Hopefully, you will not run into the same problems that some of us are.
September 15th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Wow, tell me about it. This could explain a lot. Sounds like you may be from around MI like myself. Moved here in April and I still haven’t found anything. I am a graphic designer, and I used to publish my own magazine so I figured that’d count for something.
Apparently not as much as being around here. I keep coming in 2nd out of 200 or so applicants. Second still isn’t good enough to get a job though.
My wife found something after a few months, but I here that there the design industry here is completely saturated.
Ick. Thank god for freelance.