Forbes: OKC #12 for "Business and Careers"

[BDP]

Best Places For Business And Careers - Forbes.com

[circuitboard]

Glad to see Dallas is not on the list. =)

[MadMonk]

Glad to see Dallas is not on the list. =)

Oh they're on there...at #32. Tulsa is 47th.

[BDP]

It seems the obvious area we need to improve is in the education of our work force. While we still compare well in that respect to many metro areas of our size, having a more educated work force, combined with our low cost of doing business, would really improve our ability to attract more businesses. In the end, it doesn't really matter how much it it costs to do business if we don't have the workforce they need.

[progressiveboy]

If you look at some of the comments on today's TW edition regarding the same article they are really bashing OKC. Do you think Tulsa is really jealous of OKC success and ranking ,or do you think that maybe OKC is jealous because Tulsa is "considered" more of a cosmoplitan, refined city. One post on the TW stated that OKC was a dry, dusty, "red dirt" cowtown. Wow, that is really harsh. Do you think maybe because OKC has a stockyards and Tulsa does'nt?

[soonerguru]

It seems the obvious area we need to improve is in the education of our work force.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Oh, and also continue to improve quality of life. The odd thing is many business groups in OK, like State Chamber, GOP legislators, etc., are always talking about lowering costs for doing business here.

But our costs are already low! We need a more educated work force to continue to compete for high-skilled, high-paying jobs.

Is there any question why Raleigh is so high on the list? Austin? That's right: smart people and great quality of life.

We need to get out of the mentality that says attracting business is a race to the bottom. Low wages, low costs, low taxes, etc. Granted, we don't want to go to far in the other direction, either.

But we clearly need to continue to invest in our infrastructure, keep improving the livability of our city, and find ways to improve the education of our citizens.

[soonerguru]

And progressiveboy, Tulsa was often "considered" more cosmopolitan because it was. It is no longer so, not even close.

Did anyone else notice that OKC ranks higher than Tulsa on education?

[sroberts24]

this is funny, cuz my girlfriend who just graduated can't get a public relations job anywhere, and she has pretty much applied everywhere!!!

[metro]

There are PR jobs out there, I work in Marketing/PR. By chance is she involved in PRSA, YPRSA or any of the public relations organizations? They are great networking tools.

[sroberts24]

yeah she is... nothing so far, she graduated in december and hasn't even been given an interview, just typical e-mails saying sorry but no thanks

[metro]

Not many new jobs open up for recent grads after December, most companies make plans for May graduates. Hopefully she will find something or should get a temp job/internship in hopes of landing something for May.

[sroberts24]

yeah, its frustrating right now, but guess it goes with the times

[warreng88]

yeah, its frustrating right now, but guess it goes with the times

My wife was a Mass Communications major with a minor in PR. She got an internship at Midfirst the summer after she graduated until October, then didn't get her next job until May while getting frustrated because she was interviewing everywhere and getting passed over. Finally she spoke with a placement agency that got her a job in Marketing and Event Planning (with a side of HR) at a law firm. She might want to check that avenue.

[jbrown84]

If you look at some of the comments on today's TW edition regarding the same article they are really bashing OKC. Do you think Tulsa is really jealous of OKC success and ranking ,or do you think that maybe OKC is jealous because Tulsa is "considered" more of a cosmoplitan, refined city. One post on the TW stated that OKC was a dry, dusty, "red dirt" cowtown. Wow, that is really harsh. Do you think maybe because OKC has a stockyards and Tulsa does'nt?

Many Tulsans are very bitter about our success.