Tampa Bay Job Market - Commute (St. Petersburg, St. Pete Beach: sales, rent, home)

[DeadRoach]

Hi,

I am seriously considering relocating to the Tampa area, but all of the posts regarding the terrible job market have me panicked!

Is the job market really that bad?

I am an Account Executive at a men's sportswear company now in NYC, but I have done helpdesk / desktop support & I used to bartend when younger . . .

I would look primarily for a sales job, maybe tech. . . . maybe apparel, no MLM, or 100% commish deals . . . How are my options?

I am mid 30's, single male - looking to be as close to the beach as possible while being centrally located so I can commute (drive) to work in around an hour or an hour and a half . . . . What town is best?

Thanks - I have already resigned! I am going down on Wednesday to scope out opps! - Please Please Reply!

THANK YOU!

[DeadRoach]

Can I live in St. Pete Beach or St. Petersburg and comfortably commute to say. . . . Downtown Tampa?

Thanks

[Keeper]

The commute to Tampa from St. Pete can be bad if you have to travel during rush hour, but then traffic is bad everywhere during rush hour.
Jobs are available but it is the pay that can be a problem. There are helpdesk jobs but many start at $10.00 an hour to start, if you have technical experience you might get more. There is no state income tax so that helps a little
The biggest issue in Tampa is pay vs cost of living. Apt prices vary depending on size and location. The closer you are to the beach the more expensive the apt.
You can find a job doing something with your experience, just don't expect NE pay in Tampa.

[Occifer]

When you say apparel sales do you mean as a buyer or more like a retail salesperson? I can't speak for the higher level positions, but I know that there are plenty jobs available in the retail and service industries down here. The pay won't be that great and that's pretty much the reason that the jobs are there.

[loves2read]

job market for higher paid salaried positions in Tampa are are pretty thin--there are some companies in financial services that have pretty large offices--hospital groups--some medical mfg companies--Pepsi and Coke have big plants and some of the other food origination people in the area around Tampa---
Chico's has big operations -- see their name of Monster pretty frequently lately---

but jobs are hard to get and salaries are low compared to other urban centers like Dallas or the coasts...

[stpeteguy]

Your sales options are big box stores, (walmart, best buy, circuit city, etc.) or you can wait tables at any of the 9,000,000 bar&grill restaurants we have.That's about it unless you wanna get dirty or do hard manual work.

I hate to sound pessimistic about it, but so many people move here with starry eyed dreams of waves crashing on the beach and sunshine and bikini's, etc.
Then the cold hard slap of reality hits you in the mouth. Your rent is a grand a month and your bringing home $350/week. You gotta eat, pay for transportation, utilities, clothes, phone, etc.

You honestly need to get some sort of education/training in something that pays a bare minimum of $50,000 year. And, that's just in order to get by.
Florida is expensive. If your married, it helps because you can combine incomes, if your single it's a lot tougher.
Sales are great if you know you can transfer that experience into a sales field in this area that pays enough.

[tampaguy03]

Account Executive and Sales positions are all over the place for all types of industries in the Tampa Bay area. You mention you were an Account Executive for a clothing company, but you are willing to take a job at a Help Desk?? There are a few sportwear company headquaters in the area I know of (Tropical, Sky, and Sunstate).

[Country_Girl 69]

Coke is experiencing lay-offs due to a re-structure right now.

Originally Posted by loves2read

job market for higher paid salaried positions in Tampa are are pretty thin--there are some companies in financial services that have pretty large offices--hospital groups--some medical mfg companies--Pepsi and Coke have big plants and some of the other food origination people in the area around Tampa---
Chico's has big operations -- see their name of Monster pretty frequently lately---

but jobs are hard to get and salaries are low compared to other urban centers like Dallas or the coasts...

[Kwanger]

Not much to add, can only echo it is the pay vs cost of living equation that squeezes the area.

You'll be able to find some sort of work, but you'll be lucky if you hit on exactly what you had in mind, at least first time.

[JSnFla]

job market is really bad down here especially if u r coming from nyc. it will be complete economic culture shock to u. stay in NY, u dont need to move to florida anymore with the weather staying so warm up there and winters not being so bad anymore. its still so hot down here its absurd.