Is the job market really that bad??? (Key West, Lee: purchasing, tax)

[tracydawn]

Why aren't the people with education and in such desperate need of a job applying to hotels and resorts? You need to be looking at the hospitality insdustry in places like Naples, Sanibel, Captiva, Ft. Myers Beach. I also know plenty of restaurant servers in these areas are making very good livings. Look for more upscale places. SWFL is a tourist location.

[doggiebus]

Originally Posted by nbres

NYC teachers can opt for medical plans where they pay ZERO for family coverage. The Dental, Eye and RX's are at minimal cost. Also, teachers can get a nice pension once they are 55 years old after 25-30 years and then move down to Florida. But you have to remember, New York is a pro-Labor state with a strong history of Unionism. Whereas Florida is a Right-To-Work state. Unionism is frowned upon there.

Why do you think Walt Disney located his Disney World there.

BTW Where do folks from Florida go to retire?

Florida isn't the same place to retire like it was in the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s for that matter. More and more friends of my parents are leaving Florida to retire in Tennessee or the Carolinas.

[ChrisA70]

Or some of us are going back home to our states we left. I know I will be cold up in Massachusetts, but I am ready to deal with it better this time.

It's nothing like it was in the 90's when I came here...

[ChrisA70]

Not all of us want to be in food service jobs. The funny thing is, I am in food service right now, after 14 years of building maintenance, HVAC repair and replacement. I have applied all over, with hardly any response in those jobs due to the death of most construction around here. I took a job at my familys restaurant to get by with. And actually I have learned it's not bad, BUT not for everyone. I am not a server though, not my style. I am a chefs assistant to my stepfather at his place. I like it.

Also, even hotel positions in maintenance have dropped off completely, trust me I look!!!

Originally Posted by tracydawn

Why aren't the people with education and in such desperate need of a job applying to hotels and resorts? You need to be looking at the hospitality insdustry in places like Naples, Sanibel, Captiva, Ft. Myers Beach. I also know plenty of restaurant servers in these areas are making very good livings. Look for more upscale places. SWFL is a tourist location.

[Augie]

that in many jobs the SW Floridians are afraid of northern talent, for obvious reasons. They love you to volunteer, for free, that's for sure. Also, despite the "hard times" it can be a challenge finding people here willing to do work for you in a timely and responsible fashion. They call it being "laid back" (cute), but they wouldn't last a week in business up north. When you do find someone good, you hold on to them like a rare jewel.
The trick is to come to Florida with a good northern pension and savings. If you have to work, look elsewhere in the country. That "sun and great weather" crap gets old fast when you're struggling. Also, to make up for no income tax, the State of Florida nickels and dimes you to death with fees and a myriad of other petty tricks. For example, buy a house in Florida, move into it, register to vote, start paying your bills and taxes. Then plan to enjoy being a Floridian and go for a fishing license and find out you have to pay for a non-resident license (much higher) if you've been in Florida for less than 6 months, even with a FL drivers license, voter registration, tax bill, etc. Nickel and dime, nickel and dime...Sales tax on toilet paper and condoms-they get you going and coming! The only thing relatively cheap in Florida are cigarettes!

[MrTudo]

More socialism = less prosperity for the middle classes. Less socialism = m ore prosperity for the middle classes and also opportunities for lower classes to become middle class and above.

We're heading in the wrong direction and that's about to accelerate.

The greatest place in world history and the easiest place in the world to do well financially, raise a family and be happy and without ever being invaded, this place has surrendered. Congratulations, what an accomplishment.

Far as work. I hired a new part time person, in California to do basic web work for us. Part time, I'm paying $12 bucks an hour. This fellow has been with wachovia for more than 10 years and is happy to be hired. Should he work out, I've got some other opportunities for him that should catapult him to 50-75K a year pretty easily. More if he's a real go getter.

Round here? Work ethic? LOL. I have tried finding a handyman who can do a variety of things around the house and property. Some of these people will actually quote $25-35/hr with a straight face. So I hired one at $25/hr and he doesn't know what he's doing. His services are in reality worth 10 bucks an hour. I asked him about doing a 80 sq ft walkway in cement and he stood in my driveway and said " I won't do that" as though it's demeaning. Demeaning? This is another foreclosure waiting to happen by the way. Another fellow quoted me 6 grand on a screened in porch. 6 Grand? Seems like a lot of people don't want to work and if they do they think they are worth a lot more than what reality is.

There's work but you can't expect 100K a year unless you produce more than 100K a year. It has to come from somewhere.

[angelbaby1182]

My family lived in Fort Myers for 23 years. We left the state in Oct 2007 due to the job market. Then in Aug 2007 my husband was laid off. He worked in the tile industry. He was told the work wouldn't pick up for 2 yrs. That's when we decided to move. We were barely getting by in paying our bills with 2 incomes so with 1 income, 2 kids, and 1 on the way there was no way we could do it. So we packed up and moved to Ky. He didn't get back into the tile industry instead he works in a wharehouse with less pay. However, the cost of living is so cheap up here that I don't have to work. There's jobs up here I could get but with 2 lil' ones running around and us living comfortably, there is no need for me to work. This is the smartest move I made in my 26 years of life.

[LovingCapeCoral]

Augie - by the pages of responses you have seen you can tell you hit a nerve. Yes it is bad - especially for some. Folks with huge disadvantages include non-college degree holders, inexperienced, people with non-stable careers. I found a job within three weeks, but I have my Masters, a ten-year career in human resources, great experience for my field, and a good attitiude. My husband had some college, good experience, some career changes, and a good attitude, and it took him three months. If he had finished college and stayed in one field he would have gotten a job much faster. Some fields are dead - like real estate and construction - while others are good - like healthcare and some service industries. The big problem is that for years the economy depended on tourism and real estate/construction. There is virtually no manufacturing or other industries to balance is out, which is why the displaced contruction workers and associated tradespeople have no work.

Originally Posted by Augie

I am retired and financially comfortable. Because working is irrelevant to me, I have not experienced the tough times some people are facing. I am shocked and saddened by some of the things I've read here.

[hatemichigan]

How about jobs in assisted living or nursing homes?? I have been looking for a new job here in Michigan for almost two months and NOTHING!!! Everyone I know here is struggling now.

[Mrs. P]

Originally Posted by Augie

that in many jobs the SW Floridians are afraid of northern talent, for obvious reasons. They love you to volunteer, for free, that's for sure. Also, despite the "hard times" it can be a challenge finding people here willing to do work for you in a timely and responsible fashion. They call it being "laid back" (cute), but they wouldn't last a week in business up north. When you do find someone good, you hold on to them like a rare jewel.
The trick is to come to Florida with a good northern pension and savings. If you have to work, look elsewhere in the country. That "sun and great weather" crap gets old fast when you're struggling. Also, to make up for no income tax, the State of Florida nickels and dimes you to death with fees and a myriad of other petty tricks. For example, buy a house in Florida, move into it, register to vote, start paying your bills and taxes. Then plan to enjoy being a Floridian and go for a fishing license and find out you have to pay for a non-resident license (much higher) if you've been in Florida for less than 6 months, even with a FL drivers license, voter registration, tax bill, etc. Nickel and dime, nickel and dime...Sales tax on toilet paper and condoms-they get you going and coming! The only thing relatively cheap in Florida are cigarettes!

I'm not sure I'm understanding your quote. Are you saying if you are from the North/Midwest, that it is harder to find a job, because of the better work ethics Northerners normally have?

I thought that was only prevelant in NC and SC...I thought I may get away from that type of thinking if I moved to Florida, where there seems (at least to me) to have a different culture.

EX: Job interview Concord NC at a transportation logistics company

And I quote " Ya'll don't talk like no yankee" great use of the English language not to mention it was against the law to talk to the job applicant that way. THis was from their purchasing manager.