New to Portland? Here are 4 Tips to Find a Job

Oregon has always attracted newcomers. We’re well past the era of the Oregon Trail, and the post-Portlandia boom affected Oregon’s population growth for many years. If you’re moving to Portland, you’ll need to land a job. And why not start off on the right foot by building a strong network and going after a job you can love?

Here are four quick suggestions to help new Oregonians with job-hunting and career growth:

1. Find your professional tribe

Whether you arrive with or without a job, you will want to become part of your professional community. This could mean joining an occupational association, attending networking events, or looking for local workshops and conferences.

2. Be a social butterfly

Don’t limit yourself to professional events and groups. Leverage your online networks – Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and Instagram – as much as possible to become involved in your interests outside of work.  Volunteer through Hands On Greater Portland, go to TEDx Portland or another lecture series, or take part in a Portland Meetup group.

3. Talk like a local

Every place has its own phrases and forms of pronunciation. Most of us quickly figure out it’s “OR’-y-gun, not or-uh-gone,” and “will-AM-mutt,” not “WILL-uh-MET.”

4. Be mindful of everybody you meet

It’s always a good practice to follow the Golden Rule and treat others the way you want to be treated. It can also be helpful to your local job search. You never know who you meet – someone in a coffee shop, a seat mate on a bus, or the person next to you in the line at the grocery store – might help you land your next job.