Forbes Magazine on Pittsburgh's Job Market

Last week, Forbes Magazine published its list of ‘Best Cities for Jobs in 2008’.

Taking into consideration cities' unemployment rank, median income rank, income growth rank, cost of living, and unemployment rank, Pittsburgh ranked a dismal 74th on the Forbes list.

That means that almost three quarters of cities in America are a better place than the Steel City to find a job.

Our city’s job growth rank is a particularly frightening 88. Out of the top 100 cities in America, almost 90 percent have better job growth than Pittsburgh.

Update

It's been several months since I last updated this blog, primarily because I've been job-hunting -- in Pittsburgh and in other regions.

The truth is, I'm not particularly hopeful at my prospects for staying in the Western Pennsylvania region.

Since this is an update, here's what's happened since my last posting:

Ron Painter, head of the Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board, finally replied to my email query -- 33 days after I initially contacted him.

He apologized for the delay (33 days??!!!) and explained in his email reply that the TRWIB dealt with the “macro” of the labor market – trends, data, budgets, and transitions.

Ron asked Margie Lubet, TRWIB communications manager, to contact me and share her insights about finding a job in communications. Unfortunately, her insights consisted mostly of her telling me about job-hunting Web sites that I already knew about.

She refused my offer to converse face-to-face, even though I said it wasn't a problem to travel downtown to meet her. I even offered to buy her lunch. No thank you, she said.

I ended the phone conversation with Ms. Lubet feeling like a complete pariah.

***

I hand-delivered a copy of my resume to state Sen. Sean Logan's office in Monroeville. Although Sen. Logan was not there, I held a brief conversation with the staff person in the Logan's office.

I asked her, "So, do you get a lot of résumés?"

Her reply was quite telling. "More than you would know."

***

I read in the newspaper that the Democratic Committee of Allegheny County was holding a pre-election rally in Harmarville. What a great opportunity to network!

One inside the banquet hall, I worked my way over to and introduced myself to the executive director of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee.

I knew there were some difficult races coming up, so after some brief chit-chat, I explained that I was looking for work, but that I would be willing to volunteer on the campaign if he would help me get a job -- not a political job, just a job that paid a living wage -- after the elections were over.

We exchanged business cards and I followed up with an email to him that same evening.

I never heard from him again.

***

I would be remiss if I didn't include my favorite interaction.

In October, Ron Folino, candidate for Commonwealth Court, introduced himself at some political get-together at which I was in attendance. After some brief chit-chat, he asked me what I did for a living.

"Well, I've been job-hunting for a little more than a year. If I can't find a job soon, I'm going to have to move from Pittsburgh; I may end up in D.C."

"Oh!" he chirped. "Do you have any idea where in D.C. you're going to live?"

Was this guy THAT clueless?

"Um....I'm not sure," I stammered.

"Well, hey...I sure hope you stay in Pennsylvania long enough to vote for me!"

And with a quick handshake, he was off.