Tough place to start...
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10/10/2006
After reading many of these comments I have to say I agree with the majority of them. I come from upstate NY and moved here in August 05 after receiving my Bachelors degree. I figured that since I was moving to a large metropolitan area and have a degree in the tourism/travel industry I would have no trouble finding work, housing, etc. Boy was I wrong. I settled for a job in sales to get on my feet which I came to hate and quit after 7 months only to take another dead-end sales related job just to pay the bills. I have found in my new job search that unless you have 5-10 years of experience or are involved in business management, sales/marketing, or healthcare it is very difficult to find any employment worthwhile-that is to say a salary that does more than just get you by. At first I loved the city. I mean, coming from upstate NY to sunshine, palm trees and beaches was fantastic and like a perma-vacation, but it wasn't long before I got sick of the flat lack of scenery and the hot/humid summer. I have also found that housing here is ridiculous. Who wants to pay $150k for a lousy one bedroom condo with paper thin walls (that was formerly an apartment)??? For a single male just starting out with average income it is very difficult to even afford the low-end homes which are NOT in the best neighborhoods. When weighing the pros and cons of owning a home as opposed to renting it is very difficult to choose. Since housing costs are rapidly rising, apartment complexes are all turning condo, the existing apartment complexes are hiking their rents, and the insurance costs are insanely high, there seems to be no right way to turn. I find that I could be doing something in my field back up north, even making the same amount of money, and I would easily get more for my money than anything here. The obscene cost of living and low wages have really hindered my decision to live in FL and am considering moving north again where I can easily find a better job and live in better conditions. I have found myself digging my own hole here due to this lack of job opportunities and am having a hard time finding any reasons at all to stay. If you come to Tampa highly qualified, with many years of work experience (in specific fields), or involved in the industries I already mentioned, Tampa might be the right place for you. But word to the wise...recent college grads beware. Those "sales ploys" (majority of jobs targeting our demographic)will get you in the end and you will not be
Adam | Town n Country, FL