Why is Orlando job market so terrible? (Tampa: apartment complex, to rent)

[INeedAChange]

I've read here that a lot of people are transients in Orlando there for a corporate relo--wouldn't this mean that the job market is good?? (I know that it isn't, I just don't understand why).

[LABlue]

Is the job market really that bad? I posted my resume online for Restaurant Manager jobs and I have already gotten a lot of calls and currently looking into setting up interviews. The same stiff happend to me in LA as well and resulted in 3 offers at the same time.

[INeedAChange]

From what I understand, it's good for service industry jobs but really bad for office work, and they don't pay well. I did receive one callback from a job I applied to in the Orlando burbs but I think they probably decided to go with a local person. It's a shame because I would consider Orlando (despite traffic etc.) because it has a good central location, but there don't seem to be a lot of jobs there.

Originally Posted by LABlue

Is the job market really that bad? I posted my resume online for Restaurant Manager jobs and I have already gotten a lot of calls and currently looking into setting up interviews. The same stiff happend to me in LA as well and resulted in 3 offers at the same time.

[bdpop]

If you are in the service industry, then the job market isn't that bad at all. If you are a corporate type, then it is a different story. My field is Human Resources. I have been here for three years and have yet to get a job in my field in the Orlando area. I do not have a degree and that is a big problem down here, even though I have experience. BTW, I went back to college two years ago to get a degree; but by reading posts here, I wonder if that is really going to help.

[INeedAChange]

That's the impression I got as well...very discouraging, I hope things work out for you soon!

Personally I'm leaning toward moving to either Tampa or South Florida, but I can't seem to decide. I would rather go Tampa but I'm worried that the market is better in So. Fla so I should go there.

Originally Posted by bdpop

If you are in the service industry, then the job market isn't that bad at all. If you are a corporate type, then it is a different story. My field is Human Resources. I have been here for three years and have yet to get a job in my field in the Orlando area. I do not have a degree and that is a big problem down here, even though I have experience. BTW, I went back to college two years ago to get a degree; but by reading posts here, I wonder if that is really going to help.

[Marbinx]

Ive been off the couch and live in ****ty Orlando Florida, the issue is everyone wants to move to SUNNY FLORIDA and now there are too many people and too little jobs. I have lived here all my life, and you have to get a bachelors for a $9.25 per hour customer service position in downtown, with 5 years experience. RIDICULOUS! Rent for a decent apartment 1 bedroom 1 bath 950-1200 a month. And there are waiting lists for most apartments, NOT GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIZED. And you better hope that you have that special thing that will cast you from the hundreds of other employees wanting that same position. This area is a joke, i mean my home was bought for 150,000 and now its worth 350,000 yet employers don't want to fork out the necessary pay so homeowners can keep their home, for positions. Traffic is a mess also, and the worst in the country. It rains everyday,always around 5pm, how convenient and that means traffic is twice as worse. Also Florida is the only state where convicted felons and runaway criminals can flock to WITHOUT being extradited. LUCK US! I actually had someone race me to a temp agency and try to cut in line in front of me, pathetic. All the agencies promise to get you a job and tell you they will contact you all the time, but it takes 3-4 emails to get a response from them, I actually had someone from Spherion tell me that she gets 400 emails a day!!! Thats how bad it is here!!
I'm moving where there is a real job market and away from this sorry excuse for a state and job market. Word to the wise DON'T MOVE TO ORLANDO FLORIDA!!!! You will thank me and your unborn kids will too. Its not a nice place to live. What really gets me is that some people say, "its great and competitive" Competitive actually gives everyone a chance, this area isnt competitive its unfair and rude, people in general are rude here, try asking someone, a stranger for help, you will get a mean look and try asking someone if you can switch lanes while driving, you will get the finger!. Orlando is the biggest joke, i've met and said goodbye to 5 friends and families this year alone, they moved back to where they came from, because its not a good place for anyone to grow up in, especially children. and the job market is swamped, not the mention that Florida is the only state where your employer can fire you for no reason at all, just because, have you ever heard of such a horrendous thing?? This area is great for scammers and company's who make their money ripping people off.

[khm]

You make it sound terrible better off going to Disneyland Paris this year then...

[bdpop]

Like I said before, unless you are in the service industry, there is not much in the way of good jobs in Orlando. Also, jobs (especially office and professional positions) that may not require a college degree in other parts of the country do require a degree here. Why? Supply and demand; the supply of candidates is larger than the supply of jobs, especially with more people moving here for the sunshine and warm weather.

[Magnulus]

Well, there are alot of service jobs, but they don't pay well at all. Not enough to live in a decent neighborhood or apartment complex. Not without alot of experience. Also, the service industry workers in my experience tend to be shifty types. Alot of them get ahead and stay ahead by being less-than-honest. Since the area is so transient, nobody gets a bad reputation here, because nobody has a reputation.

Office jobs are too few and far between. There are always way more applicants than jobs, and usually they require an excessive amount of experience or education. It is tough being a young person with little or no experience in this job market here.

Ironicly, some of the best work is probably working with your hands, like gardening and lawn care, if you live in an area where the illegal aliens have been deported or scared away, which is happening more and more. You can make more money in an hour than some guy sitting in an office with a bachelor's degree. The only problem I see is we can't all cut down palm trees for a living.

People come to the Orlando area thinking it will be great and all Disney, Mickey Mouse, and Sunshine but the reality is this area is very harsh and cruel. The sky might as well be grey through all that sunshine, because that's how it eventually feels to live here.

[Wilshire81182]

I don't agree at all with some of the posts on this forum. I am a student without a degree currently with a pretty well paying job by UCF in the Research Park. Before this, I had a pretty good job as at a career college in town also without a degree. I make enough to live comfortably and don't feel Orlando is doom and gloom by any means. Negativity breeds discontent and poor interviewing skills could not land you a job you are otherwise perfectly capable of performing. No one wants to hire a negative nancy, but the job outlook and pay is not quite as bad as indicated. It is to your advantage to start the interviewing process prior to moving here and try to secure something first, for sure, so you can hit the ground running. I would also recommend trying to rent a room in a house over an Apartment. Apartments here seem to mainly be poor quality and a magnet for questionable types. You can usually rent a room in a house and pay part of the utilities and it will cost you less than an apt. These are best found from Craigslist or Orlando Weekly, but you can also see signs on some houses around town.