How to Find the Best Jobs in Phoenix

When people think about jobs in Phoenix, one of the first things that comes to mind is the heat! That's unfortunate, because Phoenix has a lot going for it. True, it's the hottest major city in the U.S., but it's also a great place to live and work. The greater metro area has over four million residents. Many companies call Phoenix home, or have major presences in the valley, including Honeywell, American Express, Best Western Hotels, and Petsmart. There are major cultural attractions such as the Heard Museum, Phoenix Symphony, Arizona Theater Company; and the city hosts professional teams in baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and lacrosse. The arid climate and mild winters (it rarely drops below freezing) make Phoenix a very attractive place to live. So what are you waiting for? Chances are, there's a job for you in Phoenix!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Identify the big employers in Phoenix. It makes sense to look at the big ones first, right? You can branch out in later steps. Take a look at the Republic 100 at azcentral.com/business/datacenter/republic100_data.html . This is compiled by the state's biggest newspaper, the Arizona Republic. You'll see that Phoenix has two employers with over 20,000 employees, and eight with over 10,000.

2. Get the lists. The Phoenix Business Journal puts out the Phoenix "Book of Lists". There are similar books for several cities in the U.S. Major public and college libraries subscribe to these. The Book of Lists is a compilation of the biggest and best firms across all industries in the Phoenix area. Find the biggest women-owned companies, the biggest graphic design firms, etc. A very nice feature is the "Best Places to Work" section, which is based on employee surveys.

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   Make your own list of companies that interest you.

4. Narrow down your target list. See who's naughty and nice. Check out the Fortune magazine "Best Companies to Work For" website at money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies. Click on "Near You" and choose Arizona. Next, go to GlassDoor.com and get actual reports from people working in Phoenix firms. (GlassDoor is free, but you'll have to give up a little information about yourself in return for full access.)

5. Find the job. Go to phoenix.jobing.com/ and search for your dream position. Jobing is another Phoenix company, by the way!

6. Compare the salary to where you are now. If you're moving to Phoenix, you can adjust your salary expectations, based upon cost of living. Salary.com has a wizard to help you. I like the version hosted by the New York Times at salary.nytimes.com.

7. Apply. And good luck!

Tips & Warnings

• Arizona doesn't observe daylight savings time, so keep that in mind when setting appointments or phone interviews.
• Phoenix Sky Harbor is a major airport, so there are often cheap flights. Southwest Airlines serves the area and has great fares.
• If you're coming in the summer, be prepared for the heat with lightweight, breathable business attire and sunscreen. Everyone carries around bottled water, so you might as well, too.

Resources

• Phoenix JobBank