Living/Working in NYC

[thatbritishlass 2]

Hey hey

Got a quick question for any New Yorkers out there

Although I'm still awaiting my EAD (it's getting excitingly close to the timeframe in which I might reasonably expect it to arrive!) I am following up on a lead on a job with the company I used to work for in the UK, which would be based in New York City. I met my contact last July (when I was still working for the company) and have been following up with him ever since.

It would be a Marketing/PR position at management level. All this is hypothetical, as it is not a formal job offer yet, but me and my husband currently live in Orlando so if I get offered something and decide to take it that is obviously going to mean a major move and lifestyle change.

On the one hand, it would be very exciting to live in New York City and, based on my research and the fact that I have limited experience in that arena, I think any job offer would be at a much higher level than anything I could reasonably expect to get elsewhere in this economy. I have 2 years' management grade experience - making me overqualified for entry-level and underqualified for management level for most jobs, it seems

On the other hand, to say it would be a big change in climate would be an understatement, and everyone I've spoken to down here just looks at me like I've lost my mind when I mentioned we're considering moving to NYC - "but it's so cold!" "it's so expensive!" etc, etc. But then, these are folks who have moved to Florida because they hate the cold

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone round here has experience of living and working in the New York City area who might be able to give me a reasonably unbiased view of the pros and cons. My hubby is less than keen but has said we'll do it if it proves to be the best opportunity - so it's only fair to him that I do my research so if a job offer does come my way, we're better prepared

TIA

Edited January 30, 2011 by Miss Jess

[monyfer 27]

While I do not personally live in NYC, I have a bunch of friends who do and I visit frequently. I love NYC, personally. There is so much to do there - restaurants, bars, shows, museums, shopping....you will experience so much and never be bored. Also, it is such a diverse city, and you will meet people from all over the world which I think is really cool.

The downside? It is SUPER expensive. A one bedroom apartment will easily set you back over $1500 a month. I had interviewed for a job in NYC years ago and the salary was just not sufficient enough I would be able to afford even a shoebox in a bad area of town.. You really need to look at the salary being offered and see if you and your hubs can comfortably live off of it. A lot of people who can't afford to live in the city live in Hoboken, New Jersey or elsewhere in NJ and commute. But, I personally don't see the fun of working in the city if you don't live there to enjoy all the great extracurriculars!

Good luck with your decision!

[JoyDee 21]

I grew up in NYC and lived there for about ten years in my adulthood. It depends on which borough you live in. I lived in Manhattan.

It's expensive. You may earn more money but it will get eaten up in groceries, rent, taxes, transportation. Don't let the thought of a doubling of your paycheck lure you because in the end you will have the exact same or worse quality of life than you enjoy in Florida. Apartments are SMALL.

It's not that cold.. It snows, yes, but it snows in much of the country during winter. If you like seasons you'll be fine.

Its a completely different culture than anywhere else in the US. If you enjoy diversity and independence you will like NYC. If you enjoy talking with and getting to know your neighbors, you'll probably have a harder time.

Its physical. If you enjoy climbing up and down eight to ten flights of stairs throughout the course of your day and dodging traffic, bikes, ppl on cell phones with huge umbrellas to get where you need to go, you'll be OK. That said, don't bother attempting to have a car and live in Manhattan. You will spend hundreds of dollars in parking tickets each year when you arrive five minutes too late to move the car. Also tons of money in tolls to get in and off the island.

Do you like people? Do you like being around people but feeling invisible? The sheer magnitude of the energy of millions of people surrounding you at all times sounds exhilarating at first, but it takes a very real toll on your body and your mind.

Do you want to have children? Children are expensive, and even more so in NYC. Schools are tremendously competitive.

All of that sounds like a negative. But if you enjoy culture over cash in the bank, independence over neighborly chats, physical activity over sedentary driving around, you'll have a great time in NYC.

[rob11715 6]

I live in the NY metro area (Nassau County, Long Island - 40 minutes by train to NYC). It is very expensive. I was considering buying an apartment here, but for now found a good place to rent, a one bedroom apartment for $1050 per month. Most go for more, ($1200 or higher), but this one has a very small living room. Apartments generally sell for as much as a nice house would in other parts of the country. Besides housing, everything seems to be more expensive here. Food, car insurance, taxes... I would move, but have a very secure job (local government) and have been there long enough that I make a very good salary now (starting salaries are very low).

If I made $60K somewhere else, I would only consider moving to the NYC area for $80K or more.

[Damian&Kelly 16]

I don't personally live in NYC, but as others said it's very expensive. My dad was actually offered a job not right in the city but a bit north. It was a promotion from the job he has here. After researching, the raise he'd receive from moving up to NY wouldn't cover the higher cost of living. All in all, he'd live better here in PA on the salary he gets at the minute.

The city itself isn't all that cold, as I've visited many times. But that's from someone who's used to the cold. It'd be a big change from FL.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

NY is a real place with pros and cons, just like every place. I don't think cold weather is a con at all. You get used to it so fast. My husband was a bit cold last year, and now this year he is talking about how winter is a million times better than summer because you can always wear more clothes and get warm, whereas in summer you are just sweaty all the time.

NY is more expensive than other places, but it is not the most expensive city in the US, contrary to popular belief (I think San Francisco may have that title, but not sure). There are plenty of places to live in various boroughs that are much cheaper (and quieter). It's still more expensive than say, South Dakota, for sure.

Con - it takes a while to get anywhere. Sure, you can get almost anywhere in the city in that 30-45 min timeframe (depending on where you live) but it always takes a while to go somewhere.

Pro - there are all kinds of people here. You can find your niche among all sorts of things. Organic farmers, ex-pats from all around the world, bocce ball enthusiasts, whatever.

Pro - There are things here to see and do that you can't see or do almost anywhere else in the world. Everyone knows museums, etc, but sometimes I am amazed at the movies shown here that are not screened anywhere else, the sample sales of designer clothes only popping up here, or the unique concerts/ parties/events only here.

Pro - The city is very safe and the people are friendly if you are in trouble (I've seen recent stats and was amazed that some smallish cities in Texas had triple the crime rate of NYC). No one bothers to chat about the local weather on the street, but if they see someone in trouble, even something like tripped and fell, lots of people go to help.

[thatbritishlass 2]

Thanks everyone for your opinions so far, it's really been helping!

I think the main issue is expense so we will have to wait and see what I get offered, if anything. I found quite a good website called bestplaces.net that lets you do a direct comparison between 2 places and estimate what you could expect to get paid - so if I was getting paid $50k in Orlando, for example, I could expect to be paid closer to $90k in New York. I doubt it's an exact science but it'll give me an idea of if it's a good deal or not.

I was really surprised at crime rates. Violent crime is 60% higher in Orlando than New York! But then, thinking about it, every time I turn on the local news I'm hearing about someone getting shot, so maybe I'm not that surprised

Anyway, thanks again, and keep them coming

[SapphireDreams 71]

I moved to NYC 18 months ago and actually work in PR, so I'm happy to give you my opinion. I have to agree with JoyDee on pretty much every point. NYC is not for everyone, its loud, bright, cold (literally and figuratively), there is a lot of walking and apartments are largely old and small.

There is a ton of opportunity here in PR/Marketing, especially if you have agency experience and are open to working at an agency. But, I will say that it really is a rat race. I work much harder and longer here than I did back in Canada. Pay is decent in NYC, but I will say that its not as great as people think it is. I could actually make more money and have a lower cost of living back in Canada. However, I will say that I am getting experience with brands and budgets that would never ever happen anywhere else in the world. The experience really has been priceless. Your income comparison doesn't seem realistic to me, but I could be wrong. You'll definitely make more in NYC, but how much more is questionable.

And, despite all of the things that don't make NYC an easy place to live, I will say that I LOVE it here so much and don't see myselft it leaving anytime soon. I am a city girl, I love the culture and the buzz. The eclectic mix of people, shopping, food, culture, neighborhoods, opportunity, there is just nothing like it anywhere else in the world. I personally love the weather here. We get all 4 seasons, fall and spring are quite lovely. Winter is bearable and it doesn't last too long and summer is ridiculously hot and central AC is not as common as you would think.

Consider all of the factors... including how your husband will adjust because living in NYC with someone who hates it would be absolutely miserable, what you can realistically afford to pay for rent/expenses (if you want to live in Manhattan you're looking at $2000+ for rent for a 1 bedroom in a decent neighborhood), is the job worth it? Will you be expected to work long hours? Typical work day here in PR is 9-6 with plenty of overtime. The pace is much faster than smaller cities.

I love it here, but I also married a New Yorker, am from a city and had visited 10+ times before I moved here. I still had an adjustment period and will say it wasn't easy, but it's definitely been worth it.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

[JoyDee 21]

And don't forget about the food. Best food on the planet! Now I'm getting all nostalgic. Good thing my fiance's POE is JFK so I can swing through for some dimsum and pizza. Can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees NYC coming from rural Haiti. Priceless!

[thatbritishlass 2]

Thank you both, I really appreciate your opinions and what you say makes a lot of sense.

What I thought was a really likely possibility of a job offer is seeming less likely now...I seem to be running round in circles to get hold of my contact's PA let alone him! But if it doesn't come to anything then it has at least open the discussions between me and my hubby on where we are and aren't willing to move to - I know I would love New York but my boy less so. He would do it for me - but it would have to be an amazing job for me to put him through that.

So as well as NYC, we have decided we are going to shortlist a 'Top 5' of cities we would be willing to move to - most if not all would be more expensive than here but less expensive than NYC We're looking at places like Atlanta and Washington DC, as well as New York and here in O-town. I think we've realised that we have to be willing to look outside of where we are now to have the quality of life we want.

Hate how tough the job market is right now

[Ricky+Vanessa 41]

Hey Miss Jess,

Can I suggest having a look at CITY DATA. Great site. It's a forum but for various cities. I'm in Atlanta and I go on there peridiocally just because it's interesting. It may be an idea when you have your top 5 to read up those forums and ask questions. The people in the Atlanta forum seem friendly and there's a thread in there where people say what they are looking for (cost, in town or out of town etc.) and they suggest places. Not sure how friendly the other city forums are as I haven't been in there but I hope you find it useful all the same......

ETA: correct typo

Edited February 2, 2011 by Ricky+Vanessa

[Ricky+Vanessa 41]

More direct link to the FORUM

[thatbritishlass 2]

Oooooh that's really helpful R&V, thanks a lot!