It's tough breaking into a new field, some how I managed to get hired on to a small fire protection company even though my background was in manufacturing.
There are some head hunters in the oil and gas industry, but typically they are looking for people with extensive experience in the industry. You might want to contact some of the firms that provide contractors such as Taylor Technical. I think in the next year or two there is going to be an upswing in engineering and when their is a boom cycle it's much easier to get hired when you don't have years of experience in the oil industry.
The housing market is pretty strong right now, the biggest problem is lack of inventory but at least in Anchorage that is paired with the problem of very little land left to build on.
I think the teaching market has gotten more competitive, but not to say there aren't some jobs out there if you're willing to live in the bush for a few years. On the flip side with Anchorage laying off teachers due to budget cuts it'll probably be a challenge getting a position on the road system.
