As I have mentioned before I live in a small resort/college town in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. I understand the economy is pretty bad everywhere in the country, but in small resort towns it is even worse. Because the economy is based upon tourism (mind you the town likes to forget that the college is what keeps it in business) and there has been little snow in the past few years there are not a lot of jobs to go around. Most people I know who are not college students have to maintain more than one job to pay the bills (usually a full-time and a part-time job). Anyway, after I quit my previous job in December, I looked for work all through the month of January and into February. After submitting many applications and only having one interview I decided that a Staffing Agency would be my best bet. Oddly enough in a town of 20,000 and a county of 40,000 there are at least 2 staffing agencies. Anyway, luckily they had a full time position for me. But, my girlfriend on the other hand is a full-time college student who also has to volunteer at an elementary school (for her major) has been unable to find a job until very recently. She is a very bright and motivated person with a charm to match. However, this has not helped her find a job (although there are hundreds of positions occupied by mindless trust-fund babies who use work as an excuse to smoke weed). In this town the employers have the ability to pick and choose that they want. Which is typically not the case in non-tourist areas.

So, to make a long story short, if you are going to live in a tourism based economy be prepared to suffer underemployment, under payment, and way under appreciation (although in my position now I am finally being appreciated and I am a "TEMP").

"It is a great place to visit and go to college, but I would not want to live here"

Wait! But, I do live here. DOH!