Moving from Chicago to Tampa...good idea? (apartment, lease)

[ahsan1984]

Hello guys...

I will moving to Tampa, FL end of this year because of several reasons. My girlfriend is moving there this summer to help out her sick parents...so I feel a little obligated to move there as well. Besides, I'm not going anywhere in chicago either...

I've been wanting to move to a different city anyway. I wanted to know how is the job market in tampa-bay area? I'm a 25 year old college graduate (criminal justice) and haven't been able to find a career in chicago yet...that's why I'm fed up and want to relocate and start fresh, but is Tampa a good choice for someone like me? I guess I'm nervous because I've never relocated anywhere before....If you guys can give me some advice, I would appreciate it. (my big concern is employment; I don't care about crime, races, schools, etc).

Thanks

[rich67]

If you have a criminal justice degree, you can find some counties hiring law enforcement in Pasco and some surrounding counties. Pinellas isn't hiring right now. As you know, the budget crunch is really killing county jobs here. You'd be best looking into police departments instead. But you will need to attend an academy out here and depending on your financial situation, you'll need to work too. Jobs here are pretty low in pay, and are tough to find these days.
I sure wouldn't move down here without lining up a job first. Don't just blindly follow your GF down here and then end up miserable because you can only find a job at McDonald's. Trust me, I made that mistake 17 years ago. If I had to do it all over, I'd have the job set up beforehand...no doubt. I ended up delivering newspapers before getting my job...almost lost my home and had to file bankruptcy. Not fun.

[Pragmaticus]

Given the recent year-over-year (YOY) decline in crimes around here, not sure if we need more criminal justice "experts." I would think Chicago would offer more of that. Half kidding, of course.

Like Rich above said following GF just like that would have you taking tremendous risk. Having said that things appear to be turning overall and you may have a chance to get the job you are looking for. I would be extra cautious given the fact that both you and GF don't have job lined up.

Think this way, could both of you survive a few month until you guys find a job? Can her family provide you place to stay until you find something? Or you would have to shell that from your saving? If yes, come on down. Otherwise, be careful.

What specific advices you are looking beside we are telling you jobs are hard to come by but is getting better kind of answer?

Good luck

[TampafromPhilly]

In reality, if you're very serious with your girlfriend, she would understand if you waited a few months maybe before you made the move so you could find a job first. Also, would staying with her parents be an option for some time while you find something? I'm on my way to Tampa (in August) with my current employer, and although I definitely think it's a good idea to have a job before you move, maybe your girl can understand if you don't want to move and pay for an apartment right away. Good luck sir!

[sunnyandcloudydays]

say good bye to the seasons.
if your from this area you will probably miss

you may like the warm weather at first
then you will start to dislike the hum drum all the time.

lived in fla that was my perspective

great at first then you actually miss the changes , i know it sounds crazy as hell but people generally miss the seasons.

then you have the snowbirds to contend with on the highways . yeah chicago may be gridlocked but try following a eldery person who can not see that good or hear for that matter going 15mph on a large expressway with the hazard lights flashing..

i dont know - maybe you should wait until your in that age group before joining the blue heads.

[floridalooking]

I've relocated a few times for my husband's job before he went out on early retirement. It is very hard to leave your friends behind. You'll have to find new doctors you're comfortable with and a new set of friends. You learn new streets and the best ways to get around...which to avoid, which neighborhoods to stay out of, etc. Moving is not cheap either.
I saw a post that said we don't have seasons here and since I'm from a more humid and tropical climate believe me, we DID have seasons this past year that we've been here.
There's a lake in our backyard with an island packed with trees on it. The leaves were beautiful in their color change. Bright orange and red. Then we slammed into winter and some days were 30 plus degrees. I had to go out and buy sweats and the stores don't seem to think they should carry much of them for some reason. It took several stores to find decent sweats so don't throw your warm clothing away. Except for July, August, and Sept, be ready for cool mornings and evenings and warm afternoons. Those three months it's hot during the day (and the sun is strong here) and warm evenings.
Winter can be pretty cold. You'll be told how humid Florida is but to us it's like a desert since we came from a very humid place. My skin got so dry I could write my name on my legs when we moved here. Spring has some warm days, some cold days. When the sun starts to go low in the sky around 3-4, it get chilly, ditto with Fall and Winter. Summer is our rainy season with beautiful storms that crop up. When they do, they also take the temperature straight down.
If you're concerned about jobs, network, network, network. Talk to everyone and go out of your way to meet people. Jobs are found through word of mouth, not the newspaper as a general rule. If you're going to hustle, you're going to find a job. If your personality is to sit back or send a resume in without a ton of follow up, it's going to be a lot more difficult to find a job. Think about who you are and then make the best decision you can. Best of luck to you

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by floridalooking

I've relocated a few times for my husband's job before he went out on early retirement. It is very hard to leave your friends behind. You'll have to find new doctors you're comfortable with and a new set of friends. You learn new streets and the best ways to get around...which to avoid, which neighborhoods to stay out of, etc. Moving is not cheap either.
I saw a post that said we don't have seasons here and since I'm from a more humid and tropical climate believe me, we DID have seasons this past year that we've been here.
There's a lake in our backyard with an island packed with trees on it. The leaves were beautiful in their color change. Bright orange and red. Then we slammed into winter and some days were 30 plus degrees. I had to go out and buy sweats and the stores don't seem to think they should carry much of them for some reason. It took several stores to find decent sweats so don't throw your warm clothing away. Except for July, August, and Sept, be ready for cool mornings and evenings and warm afternoons. Those three months it's hot during the day (and the sun is strong here) and warm evenings.
Winter can be pretty cold. You'll be told how humid Florida is but to us it's like a desert since we came from a very humid place. My skin got so dry I could write my name on my legs when we moved here. Spring has some warm days, some cold days. When the sun starts to go low in the sky around 3-4, it get chilly, ditto with Fall and Winter. Summer is our rainy season with beautiful storms that crop up. When they do, they also take the temperature straight down.
If you're concerned about jobs, network, network, network. Talk to everyone and go out of your way to meet people. Jobs are found through word of mouth, not the newspaper as a general rule. If you're going to hustle, you're going to find a job. If your personality is to sit back or send a resume in without a ton of follow up, it's going to be a lot more difficult to find a job. Think about who you are and then make the best decision you can. Best of luck to you

Yeah that was me who said the comment about the seasons = the post was directly above yours

Technically speaking everyplace has seasons . they just are drastically different in Illinois than in Florida

Lived there and I am well aware of the difference.

[Obamanation]

Originally Posted by ahsan1984

Hello guys...

I will moving to Tampa, FL end of this year because of several reasons. My girlfriend is moving there this summer to help out her sick parents...so I feel a little obligated to move there as well. Besides, I'm not going anywhere in chicago either...

I've been wanting to move to a different city anyway. I wanted to know how is the job market in tampa-bay area? I'm a 25 year old college graduate (criminal justice) and haven't been able to find a career in chicago yet...that's why I'm fed up and want to relocate and start fresh, but is Tampa a good choice for someone like me? I guess I'm nervous because I've never relocated anywhere before....If you guys can give me some advice, I would appreciate it. (my big concern is employment; I don't care about crime, races, schools, etc).

Thanks

Not to hijack the thread, but I am a 25 year old guy from here looking to move to Chicago (North Side or North Shore).

[Bgotti]

If you "don't care about crime, races, schools, etc" then you should move to South St. Pete. Lol I'm only half kidding. Anyhow, there is no perfect place to live b/c believe me I was born and raised in the Detroit, Mi. area and moved down to Florida 8 yrs. ao. There's no looking back for me personally b/c as you know big cities like Chicago and Detroit have their good areas, but mostly bad as far as I'm concerned. For example, I would never step foot into South Chicago as I was almost killed there 10 yrs. ago. I've had some similar run-ins in Detroit as well. Will you like the Tampa area better than Chicago? You really won't know unless you take the risk of moving down here. My recommendation is to rent no more than a 1 yr. lease and take any decent paying job until you either find a career and/or decide if you like the area or not. That is exactly what I did 8 yrs ago and I found my calling. Best of luck!

[yamahastar]

Its nice that "you feel obligated" to move with your G/F, but do her sick relatives really want some unemployed guy showing up?