[ask14]

I'm currently finishing up my master's degree in accounting. I'm young and going to be out of college by March 2012. Only work experience i have is customer service. I currently live with my parents in NY but I would love to move to Florida. How are the jobs in Florida for a student with a masters degree in accounting? I know how to budget my money and only buy what i need. Is a move possible? How can i go about making this dream come true? Plz help.

[Sweetbottoms]

where? Fla is a big state.. Whats your budget?

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by ask14

How can i go about making this dream come true? Plz help.

Paint this dream for us and maybe we can tell you where the nightmare will begin
I'd stay where you are familiar and send out cv's (including Florida)then go to wherever you get a job.
Jobs are tough to come by in Florida these days as it seems most of the USA citizens have come down with an aversion to winter and they are all moving to Florida to escape.

[allenk893]

You will regret coming down here. The job market is a mess. Regular locals are barely getting by. If you want a good chance at finding a job, go to Texas. I just moved from there and coming to FL was the worst mistake job and weather-wise.

[Soup Not See]

Originally Posted by allenk893

You will regret coming down here. The job market is a mess. Regular locals are barely getting by. If you want a good chance at finding a job, go to Texas. I just moved from there and coming to FL was the worst mistake job and weather-wise.

Allen - I'm no fan of the Florida weather either for most of the year, but isn't the weather in Texas pretty bad as well ?

[allenk893]

Originally Posted by leftee

Allen - I'm no fan of the Florida weather either for most of the year, but isn't the weather in Texas pretty bad as well ?

Not really. I moved from San Antonio where it is mild winters (with rare frost some winters) and hot dry summers. It gets very windy as well. The weather is extremely tolerable compared to FL.

[Spring Hillian]

First, I'd spend a few years in accounting there for the experience. Then I would want to figure out why you want to be in Florida as opposed to somewhere else. Next thing on the list would be to save a lot of money while you are working and getting experience in your field of expertise. At one time $10,000.00 was a good number to come to Florida with, for a couple, no kids. These days I wouldnt want to relocate any where without $25, 30k in hand and NO DEBT. That way you can live a while on your savings as it could take a while to find work as the economy here, as is everywhere, in the toilet and jobs in a lot of fields aren't there right now. You may also want to think big city once you have gained your experience in accounting. Miami, Jacksonville, Tallahassee come to mind.

Originally Posted by ask14

I'm currently finishing up my master's degree in accounting. I'm young and going to be out of college by March 2012. Only work experience i have is customer service. I currently live with my parents in NY but I would love to move to Florida. How are the jobs in Florida for a student with a masters degree in accounting? I know how to budget my money and only buy what i need. Is a move possible? How can i go about making this dream come true? Plz help.

[sware2cod]

Look for work in Miami/Ft Lauderdale area, Orlando, Jacksonville and possibly Tallahassee(state capital). Get a job before you move. Most number of opportunities are in Miami/Ft Lauderdale area...which as a region is called South Florida. Palm Beach and many suburbs are included. Might as well get in at the ground floor at a major corporation, then work your way up or change jobs once experienced. also check federal gov jobs and possibly you can find one in FL. They pay more and start you at a higher level with a 4 year degree and even higher with a Masters. You can really work your way up there and get a long term career. If I was in your shoes, this would be my target. You can even start in another state and make an internal transfer to get to FL.

Don't listen to all the doom and gloom. You have 2 things going for you...1) Masters degree 2) just starting out and willing to take entry level job. S FL has a higher cost of living versus some of the other cities, but it has the most job opportunies as well(check which companies have HQ there).

There are many nice suburbs in S FL and you would love it. Also check out city and state govt. They usually pay low, but often require a degree for quite a few jobs. Because the pay is so low, they often get new college grads to fill the jobs (nobody wants to work for peanuts if they have a degree and experience.) This way you gain experience and then get another job in a few years with better pay.

[ncstate09]

I'd go the opposite way and pick your first job based on wherever the first decent opportunity is and not the location.
Then, after a few years experience, you will be much more marketable and can be more choosey in your next job in terms of location/salary/benefits.

[sware2cod]

The problem with working elsewhere first...you might start settling down, meet a significant other, and then moving to another state might be out of the picture(possibly significant other has a child in NY, or doesn't want to leave NY, etc).

Take the opportunity(to move to FL) while it is available and while you have the strong desire. If you know how to budget money, and are sensible, you will do fine. Life will be an adventure moving to a new state. It's fun when you are young and single. Just make sure you have a job and research rents to make sure you can afford it. The sky is the limit. Go for it.