# Employment question



## obxchap (Dec 21, 2014)

Im looking for some employment advice for my son who will be moving to the Kitty Hawk area in May. His girlfriend has been offered a decent job in the area and will most likely be taking it. He has applied with several jobs and is receiving return phone calls, but me as a concerned parent is just wondering if anyone has any advice where you should be looking. Thanks for any leads you can help with.


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## Benji (Nov 19, 2014)

What does he do? Or looking to do? Does he have a trade or something?


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## obxchap (Dec 21, 2014)

His degree is in sports adminstration and marketing but has been helping me in the construction field since he was able to mix mortar and carry boards. He has a very good work ethic and picks up on almost anything pretty quick. He is currently substute teaching and coaching during the week and helping me on weekends.


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## obxchap (Dec 21, 2014)

Can also pass any piss test, has a drivers licenses and will show up everyday for work. Which I know first hand is kinda of a bonus now days.


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## Eltonjohn (Aug 1, 2018)

Not much going on here now, but tons of work here starting around May. He will not have a problem. Perfect time to move here.


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## Eltonjohn (Aug 1, 2018)

Maybe check out the Dare County Parks and Recreation website


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## Jollymon (May 21, 2015)

He should look at US Park services, yes it maybe seasonal but its a foot in the door and keep looking,


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## Gorge (Jun 13, 2017)

There is the big water park up in Grandy area.


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## obxchap (Dec 21, 2014)

Thanks for the ideas, We are going down this friday for a couple interviews and a couple " stop by when your here we would like to sit down and talk". I guess I might as well take my tackle along


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## savfish (Mar 10, 2005)

There are thousands of rental homes that need to be maintained, cleaned etc during the rental season. Check out all of the big property managers, they have numerous maintenance workers. Twiddy, Carolina Designs, Southern Shores Realty are a few. Also try KICZ maintenance. Pool cleaning companies are always looking for reliable help. HVAC/pest control/cleaning are other options. As stated, Dare County parks and Rec and obviously the schools with his teaching/coaching background.


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## savfish (Mar 10, 2005)

If they move here and he loves the area, he should look into running his own business asap. Drug-free reliable people with a license is close to a myth here. If he chooses work over surfing/fishing he will have no trouble. I have 2 employees who have been with me for 3 and 6 yrs, I treat them like gold.


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## DaBig2na (Aug 7, 2011)

Trades such as Bricklaying, welding, electrician, Plumber and Auto Techs is the future... Most Millenials are lazy and have degrees that do nothing in the real world. When tourist season gets here jobs will be plentiful.. 7/11 at whalebone always needs employees... Also check at Jennette's Pier .. always needs Part time help there too. See Christy Ann.


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

Employment down there is highly seasonal. Plenty of jobs in the service industry, but housing is seriously overpriced for year-round people. The dirty little secret is that lots of local workers go on unemployment in the winter. If he works hard in the summer and saves well he'll be in good shape. So long as he understands that it's not like a bigger city where you can take a marketing degree and get a 9-5 desk job. There's a lot of hustle and you have to be cut out for it.


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

sand flea said:


> Employment down there is highly seasonal. Plenty of jobs in the service industry, but housing is seriously overpriced for year-round people. The dirty little secret is that lots of local workers go on unemployment in the winter. If he works hard in the summer and saves well he'll be in good shape. So long as he understands that it's not like a bigger city where you can take a marketing degree and get a 9-5 desk job. There's a lot of hustle and you have to be cut out for it.



Year round positions are limited to being a police officer and bartender/service employee, both employment sectors deal with the folks that came to the OBX seeking another lifestyle. 

If you get on a construction crew you can make wages, but when the next recession comes and it will surely come, the first construction jobs lost are in the second home/vacation segment.

Realtors are over saturated, they come from other areas to retire and make for less than perfect situations. Most of the available land except for the Northern OBX is 100% built out so builders are doing teardowns and renovations. Unless you are a major Grocery Store Chain, the Grocers learned that Food Lion was making Bank on the OBX so they all came in recent years.

Carpenters make basically the same wages as 20 years ago. An influx of hard working fellas from the South contributed to this, along with other factors. 

I know some Police Officers who have been working steadily for decades, it is a relatively safe place to be a Cop and you get a Hemi Charger and you get to pull over a lot of people in the Winter after Dark, especially in Nags Head where the Mantra it seems is if it is dark and it is moving......pull it over....

On the other hand you get to have your coffee and see the Sun rise before the rest of America.

If you move to Hatteras, make sure to bring your waders and prepare for flood delays and damage.

There are not a lot of bricklaying/masonry positions available, however many openings in the Surfer/Fisherman/Party Man employment field are always available.


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## VA-Apraisr (Jul 31, 2001)

Garbo.......always get a smile and chuckle reading your "insights" into whatever the subject might be.....you have a gift, my friend. Always welcome in my 5-bedroom motorhome (not 3-bedroom as you mentioned) for a good meal come spring/fall fishing. On this particular subject, I entertained buying a vacation home down there 25 years ago (before the big 2008 recession) and so glad I never took the plunge. After a divorce, I spent almost every weekend down there for 6-months and grew very tired and frankly, bored out of my skull. Too much A.D.D. in my DNA......I'm always doing something and just ain't enough down there for my liking full-time. And couldn't even think about trying to make a decent living (not used to scrapping by). After a week down there, I realized it was 3-days longer than I really wanted to stay. For those happy souls that found utopia, God Bless'em and to each their own. But......I've seen many a good young man wither away on those sandy beaches trying to find a perfect mix of work/play and that just always seems out of reach for most of us. The OBX will always be VACATION for me and never my place of employment or home. Hope to see you on the beach in April.


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## obxchap (Dec 21, 2014)

He has 4 interviews today 2 will be good year around employment, 2 I think will be more seasonal. His girlfriend has 3, all good jobs with year around employment . I'm pretty sure if they do get and accept the jobs all my surf fishing gear will be gone!


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## DaBig2na (Aug 7, 2011)

obxchap said:


> He has 4 interviews today 2 will be good year around employment, 2 I think will be more seasonal. His girlfriend has 3, all good jobs with year around employment . I'm pretty sure if they do get and accept the jobs all my surf fishing gear will be gone!


Saw this on FB .. unable to send pics through IMs


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## obxchap (Dec 21, 2014)

Thanks DaBig2na and everyone else with all the great ideas, the way it looks right now he will be taking a job offer in Powells Point. It will be guaranteed at least 40 hrs a week year around and in his field of study. The next step is to find an apartment.


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## DaBig2na (Aug 7, 2011)

Somewhere off the beach in Currituck county..would be smart ...


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