I’m completely demoralized. After the last round of layoffs, I realized they’re likely to become more frequent and will be less about performance and skills, and more about cost-cutting. I wanted to be prepared. Six months later, and I have nothing to show for all the effort I put into searching. The few offers I received weren’t even worth considering. I really don’t know what to do anymore. I’m not sure if it’s me, the job market, or some set of circumstances I can’t quite grasp.
14 replies (most recent on top)
Having Nike on your resume is employment kryptonite. Every competitor and frankly every Fortune 500 company knows what a dysfunctional toxic cesspool NKE is, and they don’t want you to spend that toxic rot to their ranks. You are better off doing something totally different and learning a skilled trade instead.
"Best of all, government is a true 9-5 with never any expected overtime."
the government is flat broke
(for something that can print its own money)
that is why you are hearing about DOGE
we have a serious debt problem
CEOs, Fraud Street, and the government
have been taking and spending like there is no tomorrow
"because most other companies have real performance standards"
no not really
they cheapen their labor force
and play stock games like stock buybacks
a lot of companies are rotting from within
it's like we are playing the game survivor for real now
Someday you’ll find something JD.
The first thing to realize is, Nike salaries and titles are over inflated. Adjust your expectations in what you’ll be making somewhere else, unless you’re moving up and not laterally, and especially if you are planning to remain in the PDX area. Also, regardless of where you end up or how much you get paid, expect to work harder for that money, because most other companies have real performance standards.
Can concur that with PDX Metro employers that Nike isn't seen as a huge positive on your resume anymore.
Check out government jobs OP. It's not glamorous and the pay can be meh, but there is job security and great benefits.
State of OR has lots of remote opportunities. Mult Co, Wash Co, City of PDX etc are flexible hybrid.
Best of all, government is a true 9-5 with never any expected overtime.
If its like this over here, imagine the mental state of people on Visas and family here, with all the H1B hate going around
I'm former Nike. Based in PDX. 20+ yrs in PDX and career in my field prior to taking a job at Nike. Found a new, better, non-Nike job recently. The Swoosh is viewed as a joke in Portland, everyone knows it's a mess, pays below market and there is nothing special about people who work there.
When interviewing play up your full career skills & experience. Say you went to Nike because you wanted to peek behind the curtain, not because you thought it was your end game employer.
If you are good at what you do, have realistic comp expectations for Oregon and are willing to show up in an office a couple days a week...you will have no problem finding a new job.
For those of you who are looking for a job, keep your head up and keep applying. You will find a great opportunity but, unfortunately, it might take much longer than expected.
And I agree with those who say that the Portland white collar job market is bad. Most of those impacted by the layoffs have found jobs outside of the state.
- Be thankful you do have a job. Those laid off a year ago are still searching.
- Nothing to do with “regional economy” this is a global situation and economic contraction. East coast is in the exact same boat, Reebok and Saucony just laid off most staff in Boston, for example. Tech has been hemorrhaging for ages. Estée Lauder amidst the largest layoffs in history. The list goes on.
As someone who’s applied for jobs all over the country (and world) and in different industries, it’s the toughest job market in decades
Are you in the Beaverton/Portland area? If so, it's not you, it's this regional economy. There are no jobs here, save nursing or food service, or maybe skilled trades. You'll spend another six months grasping at jobs that don't exist. Remote jobs? A pipe dream. Remote just means that anyone on earth with an internet connection can apply for it. The chances of a human even seeing your application buried in a sea of thousands are near zero.
If you are young and fit enough for retraining and really want to stay in the area, go into a skilled trade educational program and apprenticeship. If you really want to keep the dream of a professional white-collar job alive, though, you need to relocate someone else where those jobs exist, and you need to make it clear you're willing to work from an office five days a week.
Sorry to hear that OP. It’s not you, it’s the economy.
Would you be open to working a blue collar trade job in Pacific Palisades? There will be years of work rebuilding and it pays well.
It's the market. It is brutal out there.