Thoughts On Getting A Job in Florida/Palm Harbor Region (Tampa: home, job market) - Tampa Bay - (FL) -Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater - City-Data Forum

NHtoFL · 07-15-2009, 08:39 AM

After discussions with my wonderful wife, we have decided to take the plung and move to Palm Harbor. The only thing holding us back right now is a job for her.

Yes, we know it is tough down there. It is even tougher to get a potential employer to even consider your resume from 1500 miles away, even though your cover letter says you are moving.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to stick out? Tough market... tough to consider someone 1500 miles away. Should we just move and them she can apply with better chances... as she will be in town?

Also, she is currently making $20/hour as an exec assistant with 10+ years experience with "New England" experience and strong work ethics. Is her earning $ 13-15/hour to start a reasonable assumption?

Ken E · 07-15-2009, 01:53 PM

My advice would be to do a lot of "homework" before taking that plunge.It's very easy to get "stuck" down here.I'm real familer with the area that your moving from and the area that you are moving to. That could be a good move for a elderly couple. The days of thinking that a good New England work ethic will help you out down here are a thing of the past. Do your homework . Good Luck

NHtoFL · 07-15-2009, 02:00 PM

Good point... hence the post!

WinterK · 07-15-2009, 08:04 PM

I don't think I'd make the move, because even with her experience, there are not many administrative assistant/clerical jobs. I've lived here my whole life and have over 25 years experience in administrative assistant jobs, and the salaries here are nowhere near that. Check out craigslist/admin office jobs in Tampa Bay. Our classifieds section of the St. Pete Times used to be 4-6 pages of all jobs - now it's down to about 1 1/2. She's giving up her seniority and starting all over - and I don't know how old she is, but she'll be competing with younger people for the same few jobs - quite a risk, in my book.

NHtoFL · 07-15-2009, 08:17 PM

All the stuff we found on CL that she qualifies for are in the $ 12-14/hour range. Yea, not much at this point that I can see.

glastron_79 · 07-15-2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NHtoFL

After discussions with my wonderful wife, we have decided to take the plung and move to Palm Harbor. The only thing holding us back right now is a job for her.

Yes, we know it is tough down there. It is even tougher to get a potential employer to even consider your resume from 1500 miles away, even though your cover letter says you are moving.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to stick out? Tough market... tough to consider someone 1500 miles away. Should we just move and them she can apply with better chances... as she will be in town?

Also, she is currently making $20/hour as an exec assistant with 10+ years experience with "New England" experience and strong work ethics. Is her earning $ 13-15/hour to start a reasonable assumption?

The higher paying AA/EA jobs aren't always advertised. Again, I cannot stress enough that people need to tap the hidden job market. For example, my company is currently hiring for an accounting position. It's not advertised and won't be advertised. I've been told the position is paying a little over $40k; not a high level accounting position, but a decent job with a good company. Like I said, it won't be advertised. HR will use a recruiter to fill the vacancy.

So...even though many folks feel recruiters are a waste, not all of them are. Stay away from the chain name temp-y type agencies and zone in on the permanent placement firms. My company tends to use small, locally owned recruiters, BTW. Many of the owners are natives or have been in the TB area long enough to have great networking power and their knowledge of local companies is better than the chain recruiters who come and go like the wind.

seain dublin · 07-16-2009, 12:24 AM

The bottom line the OP's wife isn't going to see the same salary. FL is known for being one of the lowest paying states in the nation.

For example a RN a job that should have a similar rate of pay is much lower here than in many states. A RN moving from NY or CA is looking at close to a 50% pay cut.

Have talked to so many people who move here to get away from the big bad cold winter and what they think is a more cost effective way of living. But they don't figure in the decrease in salary.

Then they find out too late in the game they would have been better off staying where they were. Yes certain things are cheaper here, but when you cut your income in half you could end up with a less comfortable life style then if you had just stayed put.

NHtoFL · 07-16-2009, 07:43 AM

Well it isnt a matter of saving money... it is a matter of climate. I use to live in boca up to about 17 years ago. I am familair with the climate down there. Wife & kids as well as myself love traveling to the keys and even the beaches there.

I work from home so my income doesnt change. We are taking into account less expenses, but matchng that with her salary so it works out to about the same in the end. Hence my post.

The bottom line it isnt about money, it is about feeling the cold hit my bones, causing pain, and shoveling out 24" of snow that even my snowblower cannot handle. I use to love it. We all skied and snowboarded. I even traveled to the Rockies every year in the winter. Not any more.

Keeper · 07-16-2009, 08:05 AM

Well.. if you can make it off of your salary until she can find something why not go for it? She won't find an admin asst job in Tampa unless she is living in the area. There are just too many ppl looking for jobs in Tampa that can be hired on the spot.

It looks like the salary is fairly close if you consider you don't have a state/city income tax if the difference is only off a dollar..

gypsychic · 07-16-2009, 08:06 AM

I think Glastron gave you some good advice about checking the hidden job market. Lots of good jobs are never advertised on those websites. And I don't know if you could afford to do this, but it actually might be easier for her to job hunt once you are already down here. Good luck to you - it might be tough but it's not impossible! There are many posts on this Florida forum where people found jobs relatively quickly through their determination despite the odds. Also, if your wife is able to land one of those $10 an hour jobs, after awhile she would be in a position to move up into something better here when it becomes available.