Is it easy to find a Job in Miami Beach?

What are the pros and cons of living in Miami Beach??

• I am a 22 year old College Student finishing his Finance Degree in April. I have lived in Dearborn, neigboring Detroit, for the last 17 years of my life. I want to move there next summer. I have heard two things constantly about that place. First that crime is high. Now I don't know how bad that is, but it can't be as bad as Detroit. Second, is that Miami Beach is expensive. I have checked out the prices for the Alamac Apartments and it's about 1250 a month for a two bed/two bath apt. Split in half, it's not too shabby. I'm worried about the food and regular stuff. Are those expensive? How's the job market? I will have a BBA with four years of Accounting and Sales Experience. Will it be tough for me to find a job? Is Spanish really that necessary? I'm tolerant with people that can't speak English, since I'm an Arab-American and am a very open-minded individual. THANK YOU SO MUCH IF ANYBODY ANSWERS THIS FOR ME!!!

• Answer:

  I'm 23, and I recently moved from Michigan (I lived in Sterling Heights) to the Miami area. I originally lived in Miami Beach and disliked it. Since then, I have moved to a nearby city (Sunny Isles Beach) and love it there. Believe me, Miami Beach could not be more different than Dearborn! It will take a lot of getting used to for you. First of all, in Miami Beach, there is a lot of traffic. That gets old really fast! Also, you are near restaurants, bars, the beach, and many little shops. But the only grocery stores nearby are really small. You will have a long drive if you want to go to any larger stores, such as Wal-Mart or even the mall. It is always loud as people are partying until 5 in the morning (That's when the bars close). I know where the Alamac is, and that is right in the center of everything. This is great if you want to party and have fun, but if you want to sleep or relax, it will get annoying. Furthermore, Miami Beach is overpriced. In other areas, you can get better rentals for the same price. For example, I looked for one bedroom apartments/condos in Miami Beach for about $1300 a month. The units were all small with bad views. But in Sunny Isles Beach, for the same price you could get a much, much larger condo with ocean view. Crime is not so bad. People say that about Miami Beach, but I have always felt safe there. I think it is only dangerous if you get yourself involved with drugs. Food at restaurants is expensive and bars are expensive, much more than the Detroit area. However, things at grocery stores seem about the same. As far as the positives about Miami Beach. Lots of bars and clubs, a beautiful beach, and a lot of fun. You will never be bored and you can always walk back to your apartment when you get trashed at the club. However, everyone I know who moved to Miami Beach from another state, moved to another nearby city within a year. Believe me, living in Miami Beach gets old. I would recommend living on the beach, but somewhere else, more North, like Surfside, Sunny Isles Beach, Hallandale Beach, Hollywood Beach, etc... It's much more calm and quiet up there. You might want to see where you can find a job before deciding where you want to live. Traffic in the whole area is terrible and during rush hour it can take a long time to get to work if you live far from it. Mapquest the directions and then double or triple the time it says it will take you to get there. The job market is good. It is much easier to find a job than in Michigan. Spanish is certainly a plus, but I don't think it's necessary. I can't speak Spanish and I have been able to find jobs. Some jobs require you to be bi-lingual, especially those where you will be working with the public. But if you are working in a company, not dealing with local customers, usually English is enough. The area is majority Hispanic, but most everyone can speak English to at least some extent. Lastly, let me just say I love Miami and you will too. The beaches are beautiful, the clubs are amazing, the weather is gorgeous! Whatever you decide, I can bet you will love it much more than Michigan. Good luck!