Can anyone suggest a good recruiter? or Company? (Jacksonville, Tampa: HOA fees, homeowners insurance)

[GreggL]

My wife and I are planning on moving to Orlando (or somewhere around there) next spring. The first step is to find a new job. I'm in california and not supprisingly I'm finding it difficult to job search from 3000 miles away. But there are still opportunities out there...just need to find one.

I've got 20+ years experience in software development and IT management. Can anyone suggest a good recruiter in the orlando area that handles technology positions? Also, if anyone can suggest a company or two that might have appropriate positions it would be helpful. I know the job market stinks....heck it does everywhere. But I'm not ready to give up quite yet!

Thanks!

[amax41]

Originally Posted by GreggL

My wife and I are planning on moving to Orlando (or somewhere around there) next spring. The first step is to find a new job. I'm in california and not supprisingly I'm finding it difficult to job search from 3000 miles away. But there are still opportunities out there...just need to find one.

I've got 20+ years experience in software development and IT management. Can anyone suggest a good recruiter in the orlando area that handles technology positions? Also, if anyone can suggest a company or two that might have appropriate positions it would be helpful. I know the job market stinks....heck it does everywhere. But I'm not ready to give up quite yet!

Thanks!

it's at it's worst here. I'm in IT, luckily I'm national otherwise I'd be having problems with this market. They don't pay, the recruiters stink, it's pretty bad. Tampa or Jacksonville is better than Orlando.

[mrFlaBound]

Originally Posted by amax41

it's at it's worst here. I'm in IT, luckily I'm national otherwise I'd be having problems with this market. They don't pay, the recruiters stink, it's pretty bad. Tampa or Jacksonville is better than Orlando.

Eh...
I don't totally agree from what I've found... The Pay could be good or bad, obviously depends.. recruiters, i've found a few good ones..

I dunno...i've got some good leads... obviously no market is great where you can just get a job in a second, but there are much worse

[DailyJournalist]

Originally Posted by amax41

it's at it's worst here. I'm in IT, luckily I'm national otherwise I'd be having problems with this market. They don't pay, the recruiters stink, it's pretty bad. Tampa or Jacksonville is better than Orlando.

I agree:

The Best And Worst Cities To Look For A Job

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by GreggL

My wife and I are planning on moving to Orlando (or somewhere around there) next spring. The first step is to find a new job. I'm in california and not supprisingly I'm finding it difficult to job search from 3000 miles away. But there are still opportunities out there...just need to find one.

I've got 20+ years experience in software development and IT management. Can anyone suggest a good recruiter in the orlando area that handles technology positions? Also, if anyone can suggest a company or two that might have appropriate positions it would be helpful. I know the job market stinks....heck it does everywhere. But I'm not ready to give up quite yet!

Thanks!

What about Orlando interests you? Just curious. There are differences between Jax, Orlando, and Tampa. I prefer Orlando out of those, but I have specific reasons...prettier, walkable downtown, nightlife, theme parks, and more of a south florida mentality to the more "southern" mentality of Jax. Jax has no downtown life at all, but it does have a beach. Tampa has the best beaches, but hideous job market (like Orlando) and uncentralized nightlife...no walkable city core, and older. None are urban, but they each have a different feel to their main areas. All are going to feel hot to you compared to Cali, but Jax can get pretty cold in the winter.

[amax41]

Originally Posted by mrFlaBound

Eh...
I don't totally agree from what I've found... The Pay could be good or bad, obviously depends.. recruiters, i've found a few good ones..

I dunno...i've got some good leads... obviously no market is great where you can just get a job in a second, but there are much worse

and for you I can tell that we are not on the same level. Also the West Coast market will demand more dollars than Orlando can provide. Seriously I haven't seen IT mgmt get ofered $80k per year in a very very long time.... WAY low, their pay levels are for rookies.

[GreggL]

Originally Posted by Pete C

What about Orlando interests you? Just curious. There are differences between Jax, Orlando, and Tampa. I prefer Orlando out of those, but I have specific reasons...prettier, walkable downtown, nightlife, theme parks, and more of a south florida mentality to the more "southern" mentality of Jax. Jax has no downtown life at all, but it does have a beach. Tampa has the best beaches, but hideous job market (like Orlando) and uncentralized nightlife...no walkable city core, and older. None are urban, but they each have a different feel to their main areas. All are going to feel hot to you compared to Cali, but Jax can get pretty cold in the winter.

Good question. Where I'm currently at, Redding CA, there just isn't much here. We have been here about 20 years. A good dinner out is Olive Garden (I like it, just very few choices) and don't even get me started about the tech job opportunities (virtually none). My wife and I want to relocated where there is something to do; pretty much the same reasons you mentioned for liking Orlando. We have vacationed down there multiple times and really enjoy the area. Housing appears to be much cheaper and now that my kids are in college, we intend to downsize anyway. I guess the main reason is an area with something to do and see...something different.

I do have a question maybe you can shed some light on. I've heard conflicting stories about homeowners taxes. Some say it is extreamly expensive, other say not really that bad. What is your opinion. And thanks to all for the info and insight. Its a real help.

[amax41]

Originally Posted by GreggL

We have vacationed down there multiple times and really enjoy the area. Housing appears to be much cheaper and now that my kids are in college, we intend to downsize anyway. I guess the main reason is an area with something to do and see...something different.

I do have a question maybe you can shed some light on. I've heard conflicting stories about homeowners taxes. Some say it is extreamly expensive, other say not really that bad. What is your opinion. And thanks to all for the info and insight. Its a real help.

Vacationing here is way different than living here. Housing is cheaper but even cheaper north of Tampa so are taxes. Here the Taxes and HOA fees will eat you up. Remember Orlando was small town, then the boom forced it to 'grow up' it is still not mature yet.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by GreggL

Good question. Where I'm currently at, Redding CA, there just isn't much here. We have been here about 20 years. A good dinner out is Olive Garden (I like it, just very few choices) and don't even get me started about the tech job opportunities (virtually none). My wife and I want to relocated where there is something to do; pretty much the same reasons you mentioned for liking Orlando. We have vacationed down there multiple times and really enjoy the area. Housing appears to be much cheaper and now that my kids are in college, we intend to downsize anyway. I guess the main reason is an area with something to do and see...something different.

I do have a question maybe you can shed some light on. I've heard conflicting stories about homeowners taxes. Some say it is extreamly expensive, other say not really that bad. What is your opinion. And thanks to all for the info and insight. Its a real help.

Going on vacation and living somewhere are two different things. We to are from CA( Southern CA). Moved here to be closer to elderly family members. JMO, I don't like the humidity at all, I am not overweight and in fairly decent shape for my age. But I find the humidity very draining.

Also never had allergies until coming here.

I find myself more indoors here than ever before because it gets so hot and humid. Completely different from the dry heat your used to.

I miss not opening windows(LOL) to get some fresh air,especially at night, you end up becoming a prisoner of A/C most of the year. The winters are nice and similar to CA( but that is about it).

We did early retirment so looking for work isn't an issue. But you're going to be looking at much lower salaries here.

Even an RN coming from CA takes a huge pay cut. I can tell you this going to the supermarket here is much more expensive than in CA.

That was something that was shocking, people assume everything here is more cost effective. That is not true.

Our electric bill is around $250 a month due to having the A/C on and we keep it set at 79 during the day. But you have to run it most of the year, not just to keep the house comfortable but to prevent mold.

In CA we ran it on and off in the summer , just like the heat. But most of the year used neither.

Yes the homeowners insurance is pricey. We actually dropped ours for awhile. Sounds crazy, but we paid cash for house and the policy had a 10K deductible.

That is the cost of a new roof anyway if you have a hurricane.The policy was $3,500. I was like why am I paying $3,500 and a 10K deductible when a new roof will cost me 10K anyway.

You can only due this of course if you own the home outright.

Since then Citzens Insurance has lowered their rates due to people like us cancelling, we did get insurance again, but now they're dropping sinkhole coverage( a problem in FL).

[mrFlaBound]

Originally Posted by amax41

and for you I can tell that we are not on the same level. Also the West Coast market will demand more dollars than Orlando can provide. Seriously I haven't seen IT mgmt get ofered $80k per year in a very very long time.... WAY low, their pay levels are for rookies.

i'm not sure how anything I said says were on a different level, but I have seen quite a few management positions offer 80k in Orlando, unfortunately since I'm not a local candidate for them, I couldn't do them, but i've seen upwards of 100k for engineering positions as well...