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Hello everyone, I have narrowed down my search to Phoenix. I have a few reservations I need to clear up first?
Will being "bilingual" be required for MOST jobs in Arizona?
Will a middle aged single 40 something woman feel out of place in Arizona? Since some communities/cities are totally geared towards families.
Will it be difficult for an out-of-stater to find work there? My skill set includes being a legal secretary for 8 years and legal receptionist/administrative assistant for two years. I have excellent references. I also have a college degree in political science and a certificate in medical transcription.
I called a few employment agencies and I didn't find them very friendly or helpful. Just blah. Normally when you're new to a city, they are pretty kind and give you lots of pointers, but that was not the case. Are you better off going through Craigslist or Indeed?
Is the heat any worse than South Florida? We have pretty bad humidity here.
Are you afraid of being bitten by a scorpion? That's a big fear of mine.
Is crime as big of a problem as it's made out to be? Are there some fairly safe neighborhoods you could recommend? Granted, no matter where you live you have to play it safe.
Will the rents be reasonable in relation to the salaries? Or will you have to get a roommate?
I'm very outgoing so as far as things to do, I'm pleased to see that Phoenix has quite a few hiking clubs, social clubs, Happy Hours, gaming groups, etc. so that really appeals to me.
I must admit I have a case of "cold feet" before taking this jump so I want to have a CLEAR picture as to what to expect.
My other option is Raleigh-Durham but I've been told that it's very family focused/college student/youth focused and a rather small city, but there are jobs there and a lot of people are moving there. If you could choose between the two at this point in time, which one sounds better?
I've seen prior threads on similar issues but they were older threads. Things change ALL THE TIME with respect to locations within a span of just a few years, so I think it's important to get the latest information. Thank you so much for your time.
Will being "bilingual" be required for MOST jobs in Arizona?
No, bilingual is only required for a small minority of the postings that I see. There are plenty of Spanish speakers in this area so I don't get the sense that being bilingual is some huge trump card to have on your side, either.
Will a middle aged single 40 something woman feel out of place in Arizona? Since some communities/cities are totally geared towards families.
I don't think so. I believe we have some posters on this board who meet this criteria and could speak more directly but there are a lot of single or childless people in Phoenix of your age and older, and it's a huge city so there's something for everyone.
Will it be difficult for an out-of-stater to find work there? My skill set includes being a legal secretary for 8 years and legal receptionist/administrative assistant for two years. I have excellent references. I also have a college degree in political science and a certificate in medical transcription.
I see a fair amount of listings in these areas and know a number of lawyers as well as people who work in law-related jobs. This is the state capital and there is a pretty decent legal community here at least from my perspective. BUT, I have no idea how many people may or may not be fighting for each position. I just know the people I know who work in this field seem to do well and are able to switch firms/jobs, etc., to advance their careers. As always though, it IS hard to hunt for a job remotely...having a local address helps, out of state resumes don't seem to get much consideration unless it's the type of position that normally draws nationwide applicants.
Is the heat any worse than South Florida? We have pretty bad humidity here.
Summers definitely get hotter, but are much less humid, so most ex-Floridians seem quite happy here from what I have read on this board. Weather is more seasonal due to higher latitude, so the winters are a lot colder here, e.g lows in the 40s and 30s.
Are you afraid of being bitten by a scorpion? That's a big fear of mine.
I've never even seen one, to be honest, it really depends by area. The most dangerous kind has been linked to 2 deaths since 1968 in Arizona, although non-fatal bites can and do occur much more frequently. My understanding is that there is an antivenom now as well if you do get stung by one of those bad boys. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_bark_scorpion
Is crime as big of a problem as it's made out to be? Are there some fairly safe neighborhoods you could recommend? Granted, no matter where you live you have to play it safe.
I don't know that anyone's making it out to be some huge problem...that's certainly not the sense I've gotten being on this forum the last few years. Most of the Valley is "okay" or better. I'd recommend looking at the crime maps on RAIDS online or Trulia (LINK to latter as it is more graphical).
Will the rents be reasonable in relation to the salaries? Or will you have to get a roommate?
Yes, data shows this to be a very affordable city in terms of housing. Depends where you want to live, though, and in what sort of dwelling. For neighborhood details, I would browse the various threads on the forum.
Last edited by ScottsdaleMark; 08-29-2016 at 12:00 PM..
I never had an issue with only speaking English in Arizona ever. I am not sure but a vast majority of people I knew in Arizona who relocated to Arizona or were born in Arizona only spoke English.
Phoenix is a very family-oriented place. It is a very large metropolitan area so there are single people in their 40s. Just not many as the metropolitan area is mainly families with children and married retirees.
Phoenix has so many people move in from out-of-state and then don't move that they might feel it is a wasted effort if the person is not in the state.
With your job history, I can't think of why you would have a problem. They might look at your resume and you might seem overqualified.
Have you looked at all the job search engines and typed in keywords for careers you want.
The winter average temperatures are high temperatures in the 60s with lows in the upper 30s to mid 40s depending on whether it is Phoenix or a suburb with less of a heat island.
Summer is hot, no doubt about it. The average summertime high temperature is around 105. It gets up to 115 but on those days the humidity is extremely low. They have more humidity later in the summer but alot more days where high temperatures are in the 90s.
I am from Colorado and the heat isn't that bad if one isn't working in it.
The night-time low temperatures in the summer range from the upper 70s in suburbs like Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale to mid 80s downtown with the heat island.
I don't know what your budget is. For $1000 a month, you could get a nice apartment in Gilbert or Chandler which are some of the lowest crime rate cities in the entire country.
Most people who move to Gilbert and Chandler really like them. I loved Gilbert myself and think it is a perfectly run city with close proximity to the entertaining areas like Tempe and Scottsdale.
On the other hand, Phoenix has some terrible neighborhoods that I can't see why any one would even visit them. Luckily, the nice areas of the east valley are seperated by 15-20 miles from the bad areas in South and West Phoenix.
South and West Phoenix, likely at the neighborhood level is some of the roughest areas in the Western United States. Compton is likely a walk in the park compared to Maryvale in West Phoenix.
Ahwatukee is very nice with lots of hiking in the area. They also have alot of apartment, retail and outdoors with the mountain right in back of the community. Apartment rents might be slightly lower in the areas of Ahwatukee that border Tempe.
Rents are much more reasonable to salaries in Phoenix then say cities like San Diego, Denver and San Francisco.
I have relatives who visited North Carolina the other option you said and they loved every minute of it. I have already had a relative move out there and more are thinking of it.
Have you thought of visiting North Carolina since it isn't far from Florida?
Phoenix is currently a cheap place to visit also as the hotels have not increased in price for the winter but it is the other side of the country.
Will being "bilingual" be required for MOST jobs in Arizona?
No, bilingual is only required for a small minority of the postings that I see. There are plenty of Spanish speakers in this area so I don't get the sense that being bilingual is some huge trump card to have on your side, either.
Will a middle aged single 40 something woman feel out of place in Arizona? Since some communities/cities are totally geared towards families.
I don't think so. I believe we have some posters on this board who meet this criteria and could speak more directly but there are a lot of single or childless people in Phoenix of your age and older, and it's a huge city so there's something for everyone.
Will it be difficult for an out-of-stater to find work there? My skill set includes being a legal secretary for 8 years and legal receptionist/administrative assistant for two years. I have excellent references. I also have a college degree in political science and a certificate in medical transcription.
I see a fair amount of listings in these areas and know a number of lawyers as well as people who work in law-related jobs. This is the state capital and there is a pretty decent legal community here at least from my perspective. BUT, I have no idea how many people may or may not be fighting for each position. I just know the people I know who work in this field seem to do well and are able to switch firms/jobs, etc., to advance their careers. As always though, it IS hard to hunt for a job remotely...having a local address helps, out of state resumes don't seem to get much consideration unless it's the type of position that normally draws nationwide applicants.
Is the heat any worse than South Florida? We have pretty bad humidity here.
Summers definitely get hotter, but are much less humid, so most ex-Floridians seem quite happy here from what I have read on this board. Weather is more seasonal due to higher latitude, so the winters are a lot colder here, e.g lows in the 40s and 30s.
Are you afraid of being bitten by a scorpion? That's a big fear of mine.
I've never even seen one, to be honest, it really depends by area. The most dangerous kind has been linked to 2 deaths since 1968 in Arizona, although non-fatal bites can and do occur much more frequently. My understanding is that there is an antivenom now as well if you do get stung by one of those bad boys. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_bark_scorpion
Is crime as big of a problem as it's made out to be? Are there some fairly safe neighborhoods you could recommend? Granted, no matter where you live you have to play it safe.
I don't know that anyone's making it out to be some huge problem...that's certainly not the sense I've gotten being on this forum the last few years. Most of the Valley is "okay" or better. I'd recommend looking at the crime maps on RAIDS online or Trulia (LINK to latter as it is more graphical).
Will the rents be reasonable in relation to the salaries? Or will you have to get a roommate?
Yes, data shows this to be a very affordable city in terms of housing. Depends where you want to live, though, and in what sort of dwelling. For neighborhood details, I would browse the various threads on the forum.
Wow! Thank you so much for your time. It is very much appreciated. I do have a plan B if I should fail. One must always have a plan B, right? I can stay with three different relatives but they are in NM, DC and CT. My desire is for Phoenix so I will try my best with the limited funds I have. It never hurts to try. I've heard so many good things about the area!
I never had an issue with only speaking English in Arizona ever. I am not sure but a vast majority of people I knew in Arizona who relocated to Arizona or were born in Arizona only spoke English.
Phoenix is a very family-oriented place. It is a very large metropolitan area so there are single people in their 40s. Just not many as the metropolitan area is mainly families with children and married retirees.
Phoenix has so many people move in from out-of-state and then don't move that they might feel it is a wasted effort if the person is not in the state.
With your job history, I can't think of why you would have a problem. They might look at your resume and you might seem overqualified.
Have you looked at all the job search engines and typed in keywords for careers you want.
The winter average temperatures are high temperatures in the 60s with lows in the upper 30s to mid 40s depending on whether it is Phoenix or a suburb with less of a heat island.
Summer is hot, no doubt about it. The average summertime high temperature is around 105. It gets up to 115 but on those days the humidity is extremely low. They have more humidity later in the summer but alot more days where high temperatures are in the 90s.
I am from Colorado and the heat isn't that bad if one isn't working in it.
The night-time low temperatures in the summer range from the upper 70s in suburbs like Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale to mid 80s downtown with the heat island.
I don't know what your budget is. For $1000 a month, you could get a nice apartment in Gilbert or Chandler which are some of the lowest crime rate cities in the entire country.
Most people who move to Gilbert and Chandler really like them. I loved Gilbert myself and think it is a perfectly run city with close proximity to the entertaining areas like Tempe and Scottsdale.
On the other hand, Phoenix has some terrible neighborhoods that I can't see why any one would even visit them. Luckily, the nice areas of the east valley are seperated by 15-20 miles from the bad areas in South and West Phoenix.
South and West Phoenix, likely at the neighborhood level is some of the roughest areas in the Western United States. Compton is likely a walk in the park compared to Maryvale in West Phoenix.
Ahwatukee is very nice with lots of hiking in the area. They also have alot of apartment, retail and outdoors with the mountain right in back of the community. Apartment rents might be slightly lower in the areas of Ahwatukee that border Tempe.
Rents are much more reasonable to salaries in Phoenix then say cities like San Diego, Denver and San Francisco.
I have relatives who visited North Carolina the other option you said and they loved every minute of it. I have already had a relative move out there and more are thinking of it.
Have you thought of visiting North Carolina since it isn't far from Florida?
Phoenix is currently a cheap place to visit also as the hotels have not increased in price for the winter but it is the other side of the country.
Thank you kindly for all the great information. I have checked Indeed. The salaries seem average. Not too high though for a metro area. North Carolina has winters and I hate winters and I think it gets a bit colder there. I don't mind the heat at all. This is an adventure for me to TRY SOMETHING NEW! If it works out, wonderful! If not, at least I tried! You can't lose with a good attitude!
On the other hand, Phoenix has some terrible neighborhoods that I can't see why any one would even visit them. Luckily, the nice areas of the east valley are seperated by 15-20 miles from the bad areas in South and West Phoenix.
South and West Phoenix, likely at the neighborhood level is some of the roughest areas in the Western United States. Compton is likely a walk in the park compared to Maryvale in West Phoenix.
This person is clueless.
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It is very much appreciated. I do have a plan B if I should fail. One must always have a plan B, right? I can stay with three different relatives but they are in NM, DC and CT. My desire is for Phoenix so I will try my best with the limited funds I have. 
