[mazenblue]

I'm in the fitness industry and live an hour east of Orlando. Moved here 9 months ago. I don't know what the pay for personal trainers in Atlanta is, but I it is very low here. There are many wellness/ health facilities associated with hospitals here and they pay $15 - $18 per hour. Private clubs may pay a bit more. I make a third to a half less per hour than I did working up north. Really check out the job market. You may consider working in a more affulent area that would need and be willing to pay for your service.
There is always a need for people in the medical field, you wife should have no problem getting a job.

[Sweating in Florida]

Needed for Florida:
Bottled water
Good and fast air conditioner for your cars
Strong vaccum for getting up the sand from the beach
Leave your makeup behind...way to hot and humid
plenty of hair bands
Plenty to drink on the go
(Avoiding constipation from heat and dehydration)
Covered Pool at home unless you live on the beach
Lots of showers if you can't stand sweating
Lots of sun block and ant-ageing and sun damage cream
Mosquito dope a lot of the year or stay inside
Spray for red ants and bugs in yard
Hurricane, tornado, water and flood, and wind damage for home and car insurance
Pay more for car insurance here

You will probably do ok here as a ultrasound tech. or just as good as in Atlanta.
Your husband is a personal trainer. Stay away from S.W. Florida as there are not many gyms and a lot of people who chain smoke and don't care to take care of themselves. He should consider geriactric fitness for Florida. He should open his own gym as we need them for us few fitness freaks down here.
If you get pregnant avoid getting dehydrated and make sure you are not pregnant during hurricane season without a generator.
If you have children make sure to apply that sun block all the time and make sure they stay hydrated and avoid chronic constipation. They will probably need a big house because it will be too hot to play outside a lot of the time along with all the red ants and the sun block gets annoying after awhile.

[beckycat]

Originally Posted by AshantaeG

Heyy Florida friends -

My fiancee and I are looking into moving to Orlando from ATL, or mostly likely a nice outskirt of Orlando.

We are both in love with Florida ... but all I hear is negativity coming from everyone who has something to say to our choice to move there. Everyone thinks that Atlanta, GA is where it's at! BUT - I'm not impressed. I had fun here for the time that I was here - but it's time to move on. I would love to live where there are lots of palm trees and beaches nearby

I hear that the job market sucks there. He is a Personal Trainer and I am in school to become an Ultrasound Tech. I feel that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, because I think the job market sucks here! So who's to say what is real and what is not. Everywhere that I have lived, most jobs were based on who you knew and what you knew. As bad as that sounds, its my experience.

What do you all think?

Is there a truth to the bad job market rumors in Orlando, FL?

Depends who you talk to. We live in Lake Mary and like it. We've been here nine years and have had no problems!

[sunbelt]

I had to leave because of the job market. I could recommend Lakeland, which is just between Tampa & Orlando on I-4, if you want a smaller town with less traffic and freindlier people than Tampa/Orlando. Florida does have its -'s. (see list above) I especially hated the knats that flew around my eyes and ears. They seemed to always pick on me and not others around me. Must have been the soap I used or my body chemistry.

[smoothwaitress]

moving out of tampa next week bye

[**NoodLes**]

FL doesn't suck, but the employers and jobs here are garbage, worst state IMO for how business is run here.

[annerk]

There ARE good paying jobs here, IF you've got a skill set that's in demand. There are a lot of opportunities in the medical field for example.

Don't come here saying "oh, I can type and file and answer the phone" and expect $15 an hour. You'll be lucky to get a job at McDonalds. Or "I worked as a roofer for three years." Yeah, you and the other 30,000 unemployed roofers.

[Wilshire81182]

That is what I always say too. Everyone and their mom has a Business Management degree, but there is not a lot of need for this in the area or those positions are already filled, but if your degree is more specialized or in the IT, Engineering, or Medical fields you may have a better chance.

[seeriously]

Originally Posted by AshantaeG

Is there a truth to the bad job market rumors in Orlando, FL?

Is there a truth to the bad job market nationally?

[Wilshire81182]

Orlando's market is in a lot better shape than many parts of country like the NW, Midwest, etc. but it is worse than areas like Texas. I read the paper from Portland OR yesterday and they have unemployment percentages in the 13-14 percent range and I know Orlando is in the 10-11 range right now, so it is bad off but better than some other areas. However, I would still not move here without a job or expect it to be easy to find or attain a job!