Tell me about the job market in Metro Detroit (Lansing: for sale, to rent)

[EckyX]

Hi all,

My partner and I will be placing our home up for sale soon in Vermont, and moving somewhere in the Detroit metro, to be nearer family. Our specific destination hasn't been decided. Initially we were thinking I'd land a job I liked (use the move as an opportunity to change fields) and use proximity to that job as part of our decision on where to rent (at first).

After applying to a few dozen jobs, I'm coming to realize the job market in this corner of Michigan is substantially different than in Vermont. Here, it's an extreme employee's market. Unemployment is basically zero. Businesses are struggling to find qualified candidates, and are willing to higher underqualified people and train them. A business might go months with zero applications, nevermind qualified ones, so they're competing heavily in pay and benefits. In places it looks like you can start making $15-17 an hour making bagels or flipping burgers here right now - that's about what entry level pay is these days.

I was under the impression that the US in general was seeing a similar trend. Maybe not to such an extreme, but that unemployment is very low, and that it's a relatively good time to be hunting for a job in most places.

Of the jobs I've applied to, a handful have called me back. I was told my resume looks promising, but that they're getting literally dozens of applications each day, and that unless I can walk in for an interview tomorrow, I won't be considered. From this I'm gathering that the job market looks very different around Detroit.

Can anyone speak to experience, either hiring or being hired, recently? What's your read on the market? If it's that bad, I'm inclined to believe I won't be able to land a job while I'm still out of state (much less one I really like), and I'm reluctant to move without a job lined up, even with pretty significant savings.

[Bondurant]

Is there a field or industry you are seeking? Depending on what you are looking for I may be able to see what's up, specifically if you are looking at the auto industry or engineering.

[EckyX]

I'd appreciate that.

My degree is in geology, but I haven't used it since college. I'm interested in landing an entry level job in something environmental / remediation / conservation, with water or land or whatever. Mix of office and field work, maybe some limited lab time. Mostly I want to use my degree.

I have work experience in IT and low voltage electronics, and I currently work in access control and as a general swiss army knife people call for any kind of troubleshooting. My current title is "lead electronic security technician" and I'm making around $70k. I'd be fine with taking another job in this field, or possibly even automotive low voltage systems, but I don't have a degree to improve that part of my resume.

I put in some applications to a few government positions, some private remediation companies, some grade school and college IT jobs, one company that manufactures servos, and some alarm system companies, if that helps.

[Bondurant]

Have you debated looking into Lansing? Seems like you might want to look at the state or university level. Have family involved in botany working out of MSU.