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The Portland metro area has two Fortune 500 companies − Nike and Precision Castparts. The majority of Portland businesses are small to midsized, meaning they employ less than 500 people. Portland doesn't have Seattle's business might − no Boeing and the high-tech wealth of Microsoft and other software companies. It used to have a large wood products business, but that industry while still important to the state's economy, has diminished.
Manufacturing is especially important in Oregon, where as recently as 2007, high-tech manufacturing accounted for about 10 percent of economic output − eight times the share nationally. Yet since 2007, Oregon has lost about 40,000 of its 200,000 manufacturing jobs. National contract manufacturers have left the state in droves, heading overseas or to lower-cost domestic locales. RadiSys Corp. has moved the last of its Hillsboro manufacturing to Asia. Suntron Corporation closed its Newberg plant, laying off 190 workers. Solectron Corp. closed its Hillsboro plant and laid off 160, moving work to California and Mexico. Benchmark Electronics Inc. closed in Beaverton, laying off 180 and moving work to plants in Minnesota and Texas.
Intel still employs about 15,000 - 16,000 in the metro area and continues to invest in new plant expansion. Some large high-tech companies thrive. Beaverton-based Merix Corp., for example, was sold in 2010 to Viasystems Group. The St. Louis-based giant primarily assembles circuit boards abroad, but retained Merix's Forest Grove electronics-assembly plant for defense business, quick-turn jobs and prototypes. Hillsboro-based TriQuint Semiconductor, with 845 Oregon employees, makes components for wireless communication. It has added more than 800 employees company-wide since 2006, and plans to add about 160 more this year for a total 2,760.
Solar panel companies have taken over the chip plants as this industry is growing and retrofitting a chip plant to solar panel is relatively inexpensive. Oregon has used subsidies and other incentives to attract solar companies. Japan's Sanyo Electric Co. employs about 200 at a Salem solar plant. Germany's SolarWorld employs about 900 workers in Hillsboro.
Many services-based ecosystem have bloomed in the last few years: micro breweries, bike shops, advertising agencies and apparel firms. It's a business ecology that prizes progressive social values and livability, not raw wealth and power.
Portland is big into shoes mainly because Nike has created a pool of talented shoe designers in the area. Shoes companies in the Portland area include Danner, Lacrosse, Columbia Sportswear, Keen, and Le Coq Sportiff. They do the design here but almost all the manufacturing is done overseas. But it takes more than designers to make a successful shoe company. For example, a special skill-set is necessary to understand and negotiate the contracts with Pacific Rim companies for the manufacturing.
A good example of taking this business ecology one step further into actual manufacturing is United Streetcar, LLC (a subsidiary of Oregon Iron Works, Inc.). United Streetcar and SKODA have partnered to produce modern, efficient, American-manufactured streetcars and to be a pioneering force in increasing urban transit options throughout the United States. In 2009, United Streetcar completed manufacturing the first Buy-America compliant modern streetcar for the City of Portland, Oregon. These cars will be on the streets of Portland in 2010. Many other cities in the USA have expressed an interest in purchasing United streetcars.
Thomas Friedman: How to Get a Job
Underneath the huge drop in demand that drove unemployment up to 9 percent during the recession, there’s been an important shift in the education-to-work model in America. Anyone who’s been looking for a job knows what I mean. It is best summed up by the mantra from the Harvard education expert Tony Wagner that the world doesn’t care anymore what you know; all it cares “is what you can do with what you know.” And since jobs are evolving so quickly, with so many new tools, a bachelor’s degree is no longer considered an adequate proxy by employers for your ability to do a particular job — and, therefore, be hired. So, more employers are designing their own tests to measure applicants’ skills. And they increasingly don’t care how those skills were acquired: home schooling, an online university, a massive open online course, or Yale.
One of the best ways to understand the changing labor market is to talk to the co-founders of HireArt (www.hireart.com): Eleonora Sharef, 27, a veteran of McKinsey; and Nick Sedlet, 28, a math whiz who left Goldman Sachs. Their start-up was designed to bridge the divide between job-seekers and job-creators.
People get rejected for jobs for two main reasons, said Sharef. One, “you’re not showing the employer how you will help them add value,” and, two, “you don’t know what you want, and it comes through because you have not learned the skills that are needed.” The most successful job candidates, she added, are “inventors and solution-finders,” who are relentlessly “entrepreneurial” because they understand that many employers today don’t care about your résumé, degree or how you got your knowledge, but only what you can do and what you can continuously reinvent yourself to do.
Read the entire story by clicking here.
Source: 'How to Get a Job' by Thomas Friedman, Published May 28, 2013. New York Times.
National Web Sites for Finding a Job in the Portland Metro Area
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All Job Center Job Viewer/Resume Broadcaster automatically retrieves job listing from major job search engines, broadcast resumes to multiple positions, automatically compose cover letter according to job description, automatically dispatch job to specific folder, and automatically highlight keywords. Job seekers can use All Job Center to work off-line, organize jobs and submit multiple applications with one click.
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Best Driver Jobs They work with a number of carriers that haul freight in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
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BestJobsUSA A site with many claims - it displayed over 1,000 jobs in Portland for "all categories." Check out "America's Best Places to Live and Work" - Portland is number ten.
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Career Journal Sponsored by the Wall Street Journal, this site is targeted at the upwardly mobile professional. Relocation information and a salary calculator. Free. PC Magazine "Editor's Choice" in May 2002.
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Career Builder Searched for all jobs in Portland under the Quick Search and stopped counting at 100 plus. You can post a resume, career resources, and three methods of searching. No advanced registration to search for a job.
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Career Jet Career Jet gives job seekers access to a large selection of jobs that are sourced from various internet sites.
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Craig's List It's free!
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Dice Dice is a online Information Technology ( IT ) job board with high tech permanent, contract and consulting jobs. Dice found 962 IT jobs in Portland.
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Flip Dog Very colorful and big tabs to click on so easy to navigate.
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Green Jobs Learn more about fields like ecotoxicology, marine biology, pollution prevention, and urban forestry.
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Job-Applications Job seekers resource that provides printable and online applications for financial institutions, airlines, retail and department stores, pharmacies, grocery stores, etc. In addition, they have useful employee videos.
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Job Apps It's a site that provides downloadable applications, jobs in the viewer's local area as well as salary information. They have profiled over 2,000 companies in the past.
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Jobs All jobs/all category/Portland Oregon: Search resulted in 80 jobs.
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Job Direct They claim they are the leading web-based job search site for college and entry-level professional positions. You can signup for a e-mail job alert by location and profession. Registration required - you build a resume and career path.
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Job Search USA Founded in 2006, the site has about 25 jobs (January 2007) posted for Oregon. The site makes it easy to find job postings.
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Indeed Indeed's complimentary and comprehensive search engine for jobs provides the latest job opportunities.
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Monster Monster is a well known site. Monster displayed upwards of a 1,000 jobs in the Portland area.
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Net-Temps Primary a site to find a "contract job" but also full-time perm positions listed.
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Poached Jobs A jobs site specific to the restaurant industry.
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Renewable Energy Jobs in the renewable energy field.
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Top Jobs Applications TJA offer sa variety of careers in retail stores, restaurants, fast food stores, pharmacies, ice cream parlors, department stores and grocery shops.
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Trucking Jobs Truck driving jobs are listed at the site with many of America’s trucking companies.
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USA Jobs Online This site combines jobs from many job search engines such as Monster, Hot Jobs, etc.
Local Web Sites for Finding a Job in the Portland Metro Area
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Creative Staffing: Mathys+Potestio Mathys+Potestio provides creative agencies, design firms and corporate marketeers with creative talent on a contract, contract-to-hire, or direct hire basis. For key hires, they offer retained search services. The company also promotes employee empowerment and growth by helping clients manage their talent resources.
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Edge Link A boutique firm offering personalized services in IT staffing and recruiting.
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EmployPDX A local job classified ad Web site that's efficient and affordable for both employers and job seekers. It new in early 2013 so only a few jobs are listed but more will be coming because of its ease of use and low cost for employers.
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Jobs Dango Their slogan is "Northwest jobs for Northwest people."
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Locanto Locanto is a free classifieds site where people can search, browse, and post jobs in and around Oregon. People can also post their resumes on Locanto to be found by local employers.
- Mac's List Portland’s source for jobs in the city and throughout Oregon. You can also receive job information by subscribing to their free weekly newsletter published every Tuesday, or follow us Mac's List on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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Oregon Business Magazine They list the "100 Best Companies in Oregon to Work For."
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OregonLive OregonLive is affiliated with The Oregonian (Oregon's largest newspaper). You can connect with the Help Wanted ads from The Oregonian. OregonLive also has a career section where you register, post your resume, etc.
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Oregon Tradeswomen Dedicated to promoting success for women in the trades through education, leadership and mentorship.
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Portland Business Alliance A non-profit "Chamber of Commerce" type organization. They sell a number of publications to help job seekers such as the Largest Employers of the Portland/Vancouver Metropolitan Area. Click on "Publications" at their Web site to order.
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Portland Business Journal They have jobs posted by 27 different categories.
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Portland Recruiter Company maintains 15 plus "recruiter" sites (e.g., Seattle Recruiter, etc.) in major US cities.
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PDX Jobs Commercial search firm that lists only a handful of jobs. For example, only three high tech jobs were listed. Registration required but they do offer a visit..
Portland Metro Area Largest Employers
- Intel Corporation - 16,500
- Providence Health Systems - 13,500
- Safeway - 13,000
- Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) - 11,300
- Fred Meyer Stores - 10,500
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest - 8,747
- Legacy Health Systems - 8,500
- State of Oregon - 6,700
- Nike - 5,500
- City of Portland - 5,498
- Portland Public School, - 5,047
- Wells Fargo - 5,000
- U.S. Bank - 4,138
- Portland State University - 4,000
- United Parcel Service (UPS) - 3,900
- Beaverton School District, 3,886
- Portland Community College - 3,400
- Vancouver School District - 3,228
- Southwest Washington Medical Center - 3,200
- McDonald's Corporation - 3,000
- Portland General Electric (PGE) - 2,652
- Farmers Insurance Company of Oregon - 2,500
- Standard Insurance Company - 2,500
- Volt Services Group - 2,500
- TriMet - 2,495
- Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon - 2,495
- Albertsons Food Centers - 2,351
- Freightliner - 1,500
Source: Portland Business Alliance
Not-For-Profit Web Sites for Finding a Job in Portland
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WorkSource Oregon WorkSource Oregon offer a variety of services including: skill training resources, workshops and tools all designed to help you find a new or better job in today's competitive job market. Oregonians looking for work should connect with their nearest WorkSource Oregon Center to find WorkSource Oregon staff and services dedicated to helping Oregonians get back to work. Visit your local center today. Here is a link to the different WorkSource Oregon Center Locations.
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Oregon Bioscience Association OBA's mission is to promote the growth and quality of the bioscience industry in the State of Oregon and ensure it achieves its full economic and social potential. OBA is a non-profit association with membership open to any company, organization or individual with an interest in biotechnology, medical devices, or the life sciences.
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Portland OR Job Compendium The opening page states, "Welcome to my jobs page. This is not meant to be beautiful -- just usable". That is an understatement as the site is very usable and helpful - numerous links to job hunting sites and employers.
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Oregon Employment Department Lists job opening throughout the state of Oregon.
Women and Diversity Sites for Finding a Job
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Career Women Career portal by and for women. Post your resume, search CW job bank, career women resources and more.
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Diversity Search Diversity career portal for minorities, females and other diversity job seekers and diversity recruiters.
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Femfessional Femfessional is a savvy business woman characterized as positive, open-minded, driven, professional, ambitious and desirous of forming strong strategic connections with similar minded professional women to benefit each other personally and professionally and to benefit their community.
Green Job Resources
Employers in the Portland area that are devoted to green technology: Portland Energy Conservation Inc. (electricity generation), and Vestas (wind power).
Online Job Boards
Social Networks
Green Drinks Beer, conversation, and a chance to network with other environmentally minded people. The group meets at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month, first floor, Ecotrust, 721 N.W. Ninth Avenue. Green Drinks also meets in Oregon cities such as Eugene, Hood River, and Vancouver. Find your city at greendrinks.org/index.php
Education Institutions to Help you Prepare for a Green Job
Government grants can help pay for training. In most cases, laid-off workers enrolled in an approved program can continue to receive unemployment benefits. To determine eligibility, find the WorkSource Center near you at www2.worksourceportlandmetro.org.
Employers in The Portland Area
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AT&T The world’s largest communications company.
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Fred Meyer Known as Freddie to the locals — this is where many Oregonians purchase their food, hardware, garden supplles, etc. Freddie is a subsidiary of Kroger.
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Freightliner Makers of heavy duty trucks. The corporate office and largest assembly plant is located in Portland with about 4,000 employees. Subsidiary of ChryslerDaimler.
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Hewlett Packard One of high tech employer in Oregon. Most of the jobs are in Corvallis which is 75 miles southwest of Portland and Vancouver. HP is reducing the number of Oregon employees as jobs are being outsourced and shifted overseas.
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Intel Oregon's largest private employer with about 15,000 employees in the Portland area. Chip fab plus R&D center.
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Legacy Health Systems Legacy employees 8,500 people in Oregon working in their hospitals and clinics.
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Macy's The Meier and Frank department stores have a long history in Oregon. The Meier and Frank name disappeared in 2007 as the popular Pacific Northwest chain was purchased by Macy's.
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Nike The whoosh! One of two Fortune 500 companies in Oregon − they employ about 3,500 at their corporate headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. Their career site: http://jobs.nike.com
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Oregon Health Science University Depending upon how you count, it is one of Portland top employers (over 11,000 employees). You will want to consider OHSU for a job as its reputation is increasing daily as a top health research and health care facility.
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Providence Health System A not-for-profit health care company (hospitals and clinics) with facilities in Alaska, California, Oregon, and Washington. Providence is the 2nd largest employer in Oregon with 13,700 jobs.
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Tektronix Corporate headquarters is located in Beaverton (first suburb west of Portland) and the first high tech company in Oregon. Tektronix is focused on five key product areas: 1) Oscilloscopes, 2) communications (lead-generation RF and broadcast test solutions), 3) networked video, 4) television (Tektronix is the world's leading supplier of television test solutions), 5) and Digital, Optical and Accessories. The printer division was sold off in 1999.
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Wal-Mart Stores The "Always Low Prices" company has 11,000 employees in Oregon.
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Top 100 Companies in Oregon The region's Top 100 companies to work for.
Government/Public Employers in Portland and Oregon
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City of Portland They always have a large number of vacancies. Online applications can be submitted.
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Metro Jobs The regional governing body for the area. They offer jobs at the following: Regional parks and Oregon Zoo — Metro also oversees operation of the Oregon Convention Center, the Portland Center for the Performing Arts and the Expo Center.
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State of Oregon State of Oregon job listing — most of the state jobs are in Salem (50 miles south of Portland) the State Capitol.
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State of Oregon JobNET allows you to search your local area for 10,834 jobs listed with the Oregon Employment Department and for jobs that are posted elsewhere on the internet. JobNET searches not only for your desired occupation, but also related occupations that may be a good match for your skills.
Education Employers in The Portland Area
Staffing/Employment Agencies
With numerous staffing/employment agencies located in the Portland Metro area, it is impossible to list them all. We suggest the following:
- Search the Dexknows online telephone directory for Portland and use the category "Employment Services: Employment Agencies".
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American Staffing Association The American Staffing Association (ASA) and its affiliated chapters advance the interests of staffing and recruiting firms of all sizes and across all sectors through legal and legislative advocacy, public relations, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices. ASA members provide the full range of employment and work force services and solutions, including temporary and contract staffing, recruiting and permanent placement, outplacement and outsourcing, training, and human resource consulting.A member association for staffing companies. This is a membership organization.
Oregon Labor Market Information
Networking .
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Mindshare pdxMindShare was founded in 1999 by Anvil Media, Inc., as a means for exploring the future of the Internet through some of the top thinkers in Portland, Oregon. Post dot-com crash, the mission evolved into helping technology and marketing professionals of all types connect and find work.
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Oregon Entrepreneurs Network OEN is a hub for entrepreneurs, startups, investors, and service providers. OEN can help you connect with just about anyone you need to meet.
Network for Women
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Femfessional Femfessional is a savvy business woman characterized as positive, open-minded, driven, professional, ambitious and desirous of forming strong strategic connections with similar minded professional women to benefit each other personally and professionally and to benefit their community.
- The Link for Women 150 members; networking dinners, education and workshops, leadership development programs for executives.
- WeLuncheon 150 members; networking lunches every six weeks.
- Women Entrepreneurs of Oregon 70 members; monthly networking dinner and marketing opportunities.
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