Working in Miami

Newcomers working in Miami will find themselves in one of the most important economic centres in the southeastern portion of the United States. Its proximity to Latin America and large migrant population have fostered the city’s regional importance to extend beyond the borders of the USA.

Job market in Miami

The economy in Miami is largely driven by finance, commerce, construction and tourism. Several large corporations have headquarters in the city, while many others have their Latin American operations based here. It’s also the epicentre of Spanish-language entertainment in the USA, with numerous Spanish-language broadcasters based in the city, as well as the Latin divisions of various major music record labels.

Cementing the city’s regional importance, PortMiami and the Miami International Airport are among the busiest ports of entry into the United States, receiving cargo from South America and the Caribbean.

Most of the largest employers in Miami are government and educational organisations, such as the Miami-Dade Public Schools District and the University of Miami, although the airline and the cruise-liner industries attract many employees too.

Most foreigners in the city tend to work as managers, as well as in office and service industry jobs. The health, education and social services sectors also continue to employ a fairly large number of migrants.

Finding a job in Miami

Unfortunately, it’s still not as easy for newcomers to find jobs in Miami as it used to be. While the job market is not as competitive as some other large American cities, such as New York, it is a popular relocation destination and good jobs are therefore highly sought after. Salaries tend to be lower than in many other US cities as well.

Some of the most popular ways of looking for jobs in Miami include the employment sections of newspapers, local online classifieds, and employment agencies. Intercompany transfers through one of the several international companies based in the city will certainly be the easiest way to move to Miami with a good job in hand.

One of the best ways to gain an advantage when seeking employment in Miami is being able to speak Spanish, given its Latino population and the frequency with which companies interact with Central and South American associates.

Useful links

• The City of Miami offers employment and job resources to assist those looking for work in the city.
• Miami Herald Jobs is operated by the Miami Herald publication and hosts job listings across various industries.

Work culture in Miami

The working environment in Miami is as varied as the city itself. The Western corporate culture that dominates in large companies will be familiar to many newcomers, while other businesses may be more casual.

Generally speaking, business culture in the US is incredibly individualistic. The working world rewards’ go-getters’ while those who lack independence, initiative and self-reliance lag behind. Status and age are largely obsolete, and merit, experience and past achievement are the vehicles for advancement. Expats coming from societies where seniority is a consequence of social class, length of service or maturity may find acclimating to this idea especially challenging.