Thread regarding Nike Inc. layoffs

I was making 80k as a designer and had to rent a room to be able to afford. Underpaid and over stressed. By far the worst company to work for. Full of fakes and hypocrites. Leave!

I'm not in tech but also make under 70k. I was able to purchase a 1990s 3 bedroom home near WHQ last year where my mortgage is 1600/month. Same price as renting for similar size apartment. The benefits of the house are so much more than renting for me. It's definitely doable if you look and don't mind living in suburbs.

Portland metro area had the 3rd highest cost-of-living growth in the nation from 2010 through 2020. Salaries haven't kept up with that pace.

https://www.kgw.com/article/money/portland-high-cost-living-increase/283-a1797e6b-2938-4de4-b551-35cb8eff21a2

Not much you can do other than move to another job for the pay bump you will likely receive. The Portland Metro area is wildly over priced for what you get inside a relatively small city that isnt glamourous whatsoever.

However, its still way cheaper than our west coast neighbors in California or Seattle so the number of people moving here likely wont be going down anytime soon.

You can probably double your pay elsewhere assuming your not a complete id--t - Nike underpays, it’s a fact, they have little competition in the Portland area and think the brand is appealing enough for a pay cut (which I guess it is for a lot of people) and yes the sr leaders are out of touch with reality (doesn’t JD make 50mil or something crazy like that?) If your goal is to buy a house then start applying to actual tech companies that all offer permanent remote work now - I literally went from $120k to $290k

"Nike home affordability," stated OP! I did not know that Nike is a real-estate company! LOL. Useless discussion, this.

OP you referenced your “Nike wages”. Except you don’t have “Nike wages” because Nike is not your employer. The staffing agency you contract with is your employer.

I have no idea what you do in tech but if your job skills are even a little bit marketable then you are CHOOSING to remain underpaid by working for a staffing agency that farms your skills out. You should be able to find a good paying job somewhere else or possibly even remotely. Again, assuming your skills have more than minimal market value. The only way you’ll be able to afford a house in the PDX area is to make more money. Seems like you have a decision to make.

I'll be blunt, I am in a similar situation though... You cannot influence the housing prices on the macro level. They are what they are. The only lever you have is the amount of income you bring in. Try to make more, that's your only option. Be bold and go for things, apply, learn, move around etc.

If you're in tech odds are that you can find your same role at another company where it's 100% remote. Do your research and move to another part of the country where the real estate market hasn't taken off yet and buy your home there. You missed the boat for making that kind of investment in the Portland metro area. The gold rush was over a while ago.

The last good time to have bought a house in that area was after the mortgage bubble burst in the late 2000's. Since then, the prices of homes has far outpaced what people earn, especially for a cheap company like Nike.

I remember a few years ago people were having to look for homes out in Forest Grove to the west, and as far out as Gresham to the east. You wouldn't even have time to enjoy your home since you'd be sitting in traffic at least three hours a day if you were coming on to campus to work.

Your best bet is to rent if you want to be close to campus. Don't even think about trying to buy if you're making under 70k per year. That will barely cover a mortgage, which is beside the point if you don't already have a down payment saved. You will never get there on 70k in that market.

For what it's worth, that's insane that you are a tech contractor and making that little. I was a tech contractor at Nike and I was making 40k/year more than you for a regular old contributer role. You need to go on the internet and figure out what your role is commanding in the Portland job market. You might be surprised.

You don't work for Nike. You work for a staffing agency. Your comp issue is with your employer, no the assignment you are working at/on.

If you’re a long-term ETW and think you’re underpaid then why are you still here?

This board is full of people who complain, whine, throw pity-parties for themselves, and engage in all other manner of boorish behaviors. Yet they apparently don’t dislike Nike enough to go somewhere else.

If you don’t like your situation at Nike and you aren’t willing to go somewhere else, that’s on you. Working at Nike is what it is. Accept that or move on. Actions speak louder than words. But you already knew that, right?

^^^
Epitome of " okay boomer" lol. Why would someone " put more time in" in a company that doesn't value you, or compensate you actual market rate. Not even factoring in inflation ( worst in 40 years) you're stuck in the 80s. In typical fashion you defend the same type of practices you were subjected too and your only contribution is " grow a pair". You're absolutely tone death.

"Coincidentally get all the FTE positions"? I was an ETW for several years, got furloughed more times than you can count on 3 hands. You'll never get what you think you deserve in most places, only what you earn or negotiate. You want real misery? Try a contract at BPA or Pacificorp. How about growing a pair and putting in your time rather than come across as the self-entitled 30 something you likely are.