Moving to Cape Coral, FL (Fort Myers: lease, job market, construction)

[chels40896]

Hi. Just wondering if anyone has any insight on what jobs are like down in Cape Coral, FL. I will be moving from Minnesota with a Bachelors Degree in Business. I currently make $20/hr and I have a feeling its going to be hard to make anywhere near that when I make the move.

Also, is there any places to meet other people my age? I am in my early twenties and am worried I won't be able to meet any fun people to hang out with!

Thanks everyone!

[Roadrunner69]

You should post this on the Fort Myers Cape Coral forum you may get more feedback. Now for the million dollar question, what kind of job will you have before you come down. The job market is not very good down here and I would not commit to an area that has been hit very hard by the current economy. Somebody at your age should be looking for a place that has a lot of options, right now this is not the place. Good Luck but please have a good job lined up before you get here or you will be depressed in a very short time.

[Tungsten_Udder]

Originally Posted by Roadrunner69

You should post this on the Fort Myers Cape Coral forum you may get more feedback. Now for the million dollar question, what kind of job will you have before you come down. The job market is not very good down here and I would not commit to an area that has been hit very hard by the current economy. Somebody at your age should be looking for a place that has a lot of options, right now this is not the place. Good Luck but please have a good job lined up before you get here or you will be depressed in a very short time.

I agree with that advice. At the very least, you should have enough money saved up before you move that you know you can survive for x amount of months without an income (say at least 2 or 3 months--and you would have to rent someplace without a long term lease), AND so that you still will have plenty of money left over that if you do not find anything that you consider suitable employment in that length of time, you can afford to move somewhere else (usually back to your previous area) where you're fairly certain you can obtain employment (and can live again for a few months just in case the other employment prospects fall through). As long as you've got a good relationship with your present boss, you may even be able to go back to your old job if you need to.

So if you're moving without employment, I'd try not to do it unless you've got enough money to live without working for at LEAST six months, and do not forget to factor in things like the extra month's rent and security deposit that you'll probably need (and may have some difficulty getting back right away), the expense of gas and maybe a truck to make the move, utilities deposits, etc.

Also remember that in Florida, at least, there are daily work/daily pay places where you can earn a couple extra bucks if you're in a bind. It's not easy work--I've done it before and had to do construction clean-up, dig ditches, etc., and you've got to show up at least by 6:00 a.m., but it should pay you over $50 per day (that's the average it used to pay when I did it years ago) . . . and it's kinda like a free gym workout at the same time.

[ChrisA70]

Daily work places.... You better get there and wait in line at 3AM. I saw the lines outside Manpower and it was about 60-70 people from the door around the corner. Adecco, Kelly Services, Snelling, all were completely out of open positions for a long time while I was there.

[Tungsten_Udder]

Originally Posted by ChrisA70

Daily work places.... You better get there and wait in line at 3AM. I saw the lines outside Manpower and it was about 60-70 people from the door around the corner. Adecco, Kelly Services, Snelling, all were completely out of open positions for a long time while I was there.

I've never been to Manpower when there wasn't a line outside prior to opening, but I've also never been there when someone in line didn't get work. That probably can happen, and no one's experience there is likely to be universal--and also one location or two won't tell us about every location.

Also, it's not abnormal for temp agencies like Kelly to not have jobs for someone immediately. It helps to register with quite a few different agencies. Of course, it also depends on one's resume, skill set, personality, etc.

[ChrisA70]

All of the temp or direct hire agencies here have open positions. I am going for a job Monday, it's a direct placement on top of that. Also making $4 an hour more than the job I have right now. Sounds good to me.

[Tungsten_Udder]

Originally Posted by ChrisA70

All of the temp or direct hire agencies here have open positions. I am going for a job Monday, it's a direct placement on top of that. Also making $4 an hour more than the job I have right now. Sounds good to me.

The job you just got a couple weeks ago was temporary? Just curious why you were looking again right away.

[ChrisA70]

It was a temp to hire/direct placement position at Kelly Srevices, why would I not go to a job full time, directly hired position for $4 an hour more? After 90 days it goes to $15.50 an hour. Of course I was looking, money talks. $9 an hour was not going to cut it, but better than nothing, right?

Originally Posted by Tungsten_Udder

The job you just got a couple weeks ago was temporary? Just curious why you were looking again right away.

[FLGUY]

My sons been looking for work for over 4 months

Just fast food and car washes are available NO MATTER WHAT anyone says