Job search and Relocating

[zibazinski]

Tampa is nasty because they allow panhandling. Parts are okay. Clearwater is fine.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

I haven't been to Clearwater Beach proper in a few years.  Does the sand still light up when you step in it at night from the phosphorous?  That was way cool.  

[constanz22]

Feb 4, 2014 10:27:08 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

What about licensing issues -- will your LICSW transfer easily to Florida?

As for the Tampa/St. Pete area, I am also from the Northeast and I have several relatives in that area and visit regularly.  If I ever move to Florida, it will NOT be to Tampa/St. Pete.  Florida is struggling as a whole, and some areas ARE on their way back up, but Tampa/St. Pete for some reason seems to be stagnant.  The large numbers of homeless folks and ramshackle housing was really depressing -- I can only imagine that the state and local social service agencies and local charities struggle to support all of those folks given the sheer numbers I see/saw.  My extended family is doing just okay.  

I don't intend to sound coldhearted, because I am sincerely not.  While I thoughtfully consider the human condition and the reality just below the sunny, shiny surface of any geographic area, I also work in a more commercial type of setting so that economic factors would play a bigger role in any decision to relocate than it would for you.  That said, since you area LICSW, then maybe Florida is the land of job security for you.  

I'm not a licensed social worker, just caseworker/casemanager, so, no issue with that. 

I have visited the area regularly since I've been traveling to Fl to visit my mom for the last 13 or so years.  I will definitely take that into consideration...

[constanz22]

Feb 4, 2014 10:16:00 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

If you get it or an interview, pm me. I can help since I lived and worked there and will be buying a place again.

Thank you!  Will do!  I have a HS friend that lives in St. Pete and he has been guiding me also. 

[milee]

Feb 4, 2014 8:14:02 GMT -5 constanz22 said:

I applied for a job online last night.  It is in Clearwater area and is almost EXACTLY what I do now.  This agency actually had 5-6 jobs posted that I am more than qualified to do   Their site allows you to apply for two at a time.  So, go big or go home, one was a supervisory position.  Keeping my fingers crossed!  I am excited but also scared as hell!

Wow, that's exciting!  Good luck!

[constanz22]

Feb 4, 2014 10:27:08 GMT -5 GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl said:

What about licensing issues -- will your LICSW transfer easily to Florida?

As for the Tampa/St. Pete area, I am also from the Northeast and I have several relatives in that area and visit regularly.  If I ever move to Florida, it will NOT be to Tampa/St. Pete.  Florida is struggling as a whole, and some areas ARE on their way back up, but Tampa/St. Pete for some reason seems to be stagnant.  The large numbers of homeless folks and ramshackle housing was really depressing -- I can only imagine that the state and local social service agencies and local charities struggle to support all of those folks given the sheer numbers I see/saw.  My extended family is doing just okay.  

I don't intend to sound coldhearted, because I am sincerely not.  While I thoughtfully consider the human condition and the reality just below the sunny, shiny surface of any geographic area, I also work in a more commercial type of setting so that economic factors would play a bigger role in any decision to relocate than it would for you.  That said, since you area LICSW, then maybe Florida is the land of job security for you.  

You obviously have never heard of or been to Binghamton, NY  It is a pit of despair.  We have one of the highest percentage of children living in poverty and number of people on assistance in the entire state.

[Deleted]

Good for you Constanz! I'm really happy for you, I'm keeping my fingers crossed! 

Sometimes it's easier to "move up" into another job rather than to wait for a promotion. Kudos to you for being willing to relocate, and to "shake things up".

I hope that you get one of those jobs, and that plenty of other good things come out of it. 

[taz157]

When DH and I moved to FL from MD in 2006, we only knew my dad and we stayed with him while I had job interviews and house hunting.  Also, my dad was no help with "knowing anybody" for job leads.  I did the majority of my job search with the internet and recruiters.  (I'm a CPA.)  When I interviewed for jobs, I had phone interviews first then in-person interviews.  I made it known during the phone interviews that I was available to come down in-person and they were typically done during Fridays or Mondays for ease of travel.  I wasn't requesting relocation assistance, but I think I got a little bit, maybe $1K or so.  FWIW, we moved because we wanted a change and to "shake things up" as debt mentioned.

When DH and I moved south for DH's job, I did the majority of my job search with the internet and recruiters again.  Like before, I had phone interviews then in-person interviews.  The recruiter had gotten my in-person interviews grouped together for ease of travel.  I wasn't requesting relocation assistance either, but I did get $1K even though DH's work part for our move.

Good luck Constanz!

[tskeeter]

Feb 3, 2014 11:22:37 GMT -5 tloonya said:

I always wanted to know. When they 'relocating' you - do they guarantee you job for like at least 5 years contract or what?
I know people who interview well but not nessesarily best 'relocation worthy' specialists.
What happens if company goes 'shit! he is a dumbass! he wasn't worth all these money we paid for relocation etc.'

When I've relocated from one company location to another, there are usually no guarantees by employers.  You may have to commit that you will work for the company for a couple of years, but it's not a two way street.  (For a while, companies where fairly regularly getting taken advantage of by employees who pursued a relocation for the sole purpuse of getting to a particular city (or back home), and then quit a few months after moving, to take the job they'd had in the works when they relocated.)  And, if you can't cut it after a company has relocated you, they kick you to the curb.  Happened to the people who replaced me on a couple of jobs.  New person on the job 9 - 12 months and then out the door. 

[Bonny]

Feb 5, 2014 17:24:16 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

Feb 3, 2014 11:22:37 GMT -5 tloonya said:

I always wanted to know. When they 'relocating' you - do they guarantee you job for like at least 5 years contract or what?
I know people who interview well but not nessesarily best 'relocation worthy' specialists.
What happens if company goes 'shit! he is a dumbass! he wasn't worth all these money we paid for relocation etc.'

When I've relocated from one company location to another, there are usually no guarantees by employers.  You may have to commit that you will work for the company for a couple of years, but it's not a two way street.  (For a while, companies where fairly regularly getting taken advantage of by employees who pursued a relocation for the sole purpuse of getting to a particular city (or back home), and then quit a few months after moving, to take the job they'd had in the works when they relocated.)  And, if you can't cut it after a company has relocated you, they kick you to the curb.  Happened to the people who replaced me on a couple of jobs.  New person on the job 9 - 12 months and then out the door. 

Neither DH or I can remember if there was a requirement when relocated from the Washington DC area to the SF Bay Area back in 1990. But he says when we relocated from the SF Bay Area to AZ there was either 6-12 month requirement or he would have to pay back the relocation costs.

With the move to Germany he had to fulfill the 3 year "assignment". He had one friend who left to work for another company back in the States. Because he had already worked about 2 years the company didn't make him pay the move to Germany. The new company paid him 25k to relocate to the States. He sold most of his furniture and pocketed the rest.

ETA: And as Tskeeter said, there's no obligation on the part of the company to keep you. DH's employer was regularly laying folks off. Some only were in the country for a couple of months.  They did pay to move them back to the States though.

[Jaguar]

Good Luck Constanz.

[weecdngeer]

Feb 3, 2014 11:22:37 GMT -5 tloonya said:

I always wanted to know. When they 'relocating' you - do they guarantee you job for like at least 5 years contract or what?
I know people who interview well but not nessesarily best 'relocation worthy' specialists.
What happens if company goes 'shit! he is a dumbass! he wasn't worth all these money we paid for relocation etc.'

I had a colleague who negotiated that if he was laid off within 5 years of moving his family down to the states, the company would move them back to Canada in addition to his severance.  I know relocation is quite pricy for our company, so we think long and hard before moving someone... our policy is that if they own their own home, they are topped up to the value of an equivalent home in the new city if required. We are a higher COL than most of our other offices, so it makes for pricy moves.

[weecdngeer]

Feb 3, 2014 11:22:37 GMT -5 tloonya said:

I always wanted to know. When they 'relocating' you - do they guarantee you job for like at least 5 years contract or what?
I know people who interview well but not nessesarily best 'relocation worthy' specialists.
What happens if company goes 'shit! he is a dumbass! he wasn't worth all these money we paid for relocation etc.'

I had a colleague who negotiated that if he was laid off within 5 years of moving his family down to the states, the company would move them back to Canada in addition to his severance.  

I know relocation is quite pricy for our company, so we think long and hard before moving someone... our policy is that if they own their own home, they are topped up to the value of an equivalent home in the new city if required. We are a higher COL than most of our other offices, so it makes for pricy moves.