Houston is dead now

I have been hearing that Houston was the number 2 city for economic growth over the past year. I have seen Out of state plates daily. I was laid off from the oil exploration industry like many others recently. I am a very experienced Electronics Technician and never before have I ever had difficulty finding a job. Now there are very few jobs available. Even the temporary staffing agencies have nothing. If Houston is number 2 in the country then the rest of it must really be down the tubes. It seems that if a person dose get re-employed they will have to take a 30-50% pay cut. I have a friend in the rent house business and 2 of his tenants have been laid off and can't seem to find another job. He will probably lower the rent to get others in. Everyone that I know has friends that have been laid off. In Houston I believe that the worse is yet to come. All I can do is keep trying one day at a time. For the first time in my life I do not want to think what the future may bring for me. If this goes on how do I pay the mortgage, support my family and pay child support on an unemployment check and still survive until I find something. Is this the change Americans wanted?

Real Tech in Willis, Texas said: I have been hearing that Houston was the number 2 city for economic growth over the past year. I have seen Out of state plates daily. I was laid off from the oil exploration industry like many others recently. I am a very experienced Electronics Technician and never before have I ever had difficulty finding a job. Now there are very few jobs available. Even the temporary staffing agencies have nothing. If Houston is number 2 in the country then the rest of it must really be down the tubes. It seems that if a person dose get re-employed they will have to take a 30-50% pay cut. I have a friend in the rent house business and 2 of his tenants have been laid off and can't seem to find another job. He will probably lower the rent to get others in. Everyone that I know has friends that have been laid off. In Houston I believe that the worse is yet to come. All I can do is keep trying one day at a time. For the first time in my life I do not want to think what the future may bring for me. If this goes on how do I pay the mortgage, support my family and pay child support on an unemployment check and still survive until I find something. Is this the change Americans wanted?

Thanks to Bush, with 8 years of doing absolutly nothing but letting big business take advantage of us, Obama now has to make a change and clean up this crap. put the blame where it should be.

Obviously there has been greed and corruption around for quite some time. We need to watch what is happening now very closely and handle the situation with experience. The wrong decisions will only prolong things. We must not repeat the actions that have failed in the past. Then again there could be a much deeper truth behind all of whats been happening and who is really in control.

none of the unemployment in this country is an accident . . educate yourselves by googling zeitgeist the movie --- TZM

moved here from chicago last sept. from mid sept till dec 31, sent 47 resume cover ltrs out here in houston, combination internet and direct mail. results = 3 in person interviews none of which I chose to pursue. unless you are in the medical or oil/ nat gas biz, this market is tough. most sales jobs that formerly paid salary comm expenses now offer "unlimited earnings" by offering straight commission and no expenses...rediculous market conditions. my 20 yrs sales background has been in the flexible packaging industry selling printed plastics (barrier materials) to the food beverage chemical industry. very technical business. I am not encouraged by the six months I've been here. also thought the 8.8% rate would work to my advantage hasn't happened. I moved here being encouraged by a good friend who has lived here 20 yrs. Why move here ? Job in Illinois went south, just three weeks ago the bank foreclosed.