Quote:
Originally posted by USFstudent
Advice:
1. Don't do it.
(I went to school in Fla, I speak from experience that Mid-Atlantic/ Northerners were not meant to live in Florida pre-retirement.)
2. Save money to move back home.
That is all.
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Screw that. Florida is THE place to be. It's not just for old people, that's B.S. Miles of beautiful beaches, great weather, growing cities, etc. While all of you Northerners are scraping ice off your car, I'm wearing jeans and a t-shirt. It was sunny, high 70s and lightly breezy last week. All the sunshine = less seasonal depression.
We do have a lot of people who come from other places. (My brother and I joke that we are the only 2 born-and-raised Orlando natives in the whole city!) But from a job perspective, that's a bonus because it's easier to make a name for yourself - your success is less dependent on your being from that town, having a prominent family and social network. If you've got your stuff together and you work hard, you can make a name for yourself very quickly. Much harder to do in other areas of the South (social standing and family connections plays bigger role) or big cities (i.e., in NYC, you're a teeny little fish in a darn big pond, don't you forget it).
South Florida, especially Miami, has long been a center for international trade, business, and law. Plus a kick-butt nightlife - why else do you hear about the celebrities partying down there?
About finding a job, most local newspapers are online, including their classified ads. Getting in contact with some employers will give you some idea about potential salaries, job requirements, etc. Here are two links:
Miami Herald
Orlando Sentinel
About an apartment, I would STRONGLY recommend avoiding signing a lease until you 1. see the exact apt. unit you'd be renting, 2. see the complex at night. While you will generally be ok if you are in a "nice area," there are sketchy landlords everywhere. One disadvantage of Florida's highly mobile population is that it's easier for a bad landlord to get away with it (the abused tenant just moves away). Also, even in nice areas, sometimes a particular neighborhood or complex can end up having problems with crime, noise, etc.
Best of luck to you and Welcome to the Sunshine State!
