Working in New York City

Those new to working in New York City often arrive ready to run in the most daunting rat race of them all at full sprint. As the largest regional city economy in the country and one of the world's top financial centres, it's certainly easy to glamorise the opportunity to be part of Manhattan's wheels and cogs. Still, new arrivals should also be prepared to enter a business environment defined by cut-throat competition, high stress and long working hours.

Job market in New York City

The city is the headquarters of many large international companies and is home to major branches of foreign industries, many listed as top global Fortune 500 organisations. 

New York City's economy is built on the financial, healthcare, real estate and technology sectors, with secondary industries such as publishing, manufacturing, retail trade, educational services and media helping to drive the beast forward.

The Big Apple is also often pegged as a global creative hub, and many up-and-coming artists aspire to work in New York City one day.

Finding a job in New York City

New York City's cost of living is among the highest in the United States, so international employers may offer additional assistance to those recruited abroad. Those with sought-after skills and experience will find that employers in New York can provide lucrative packages. More recently, such positions aren't as readily available as they once were.

It follows that maintaining a low-paying job will make life difficult in the city and will be sure to cause unnecessary stress. If moving to New York City for a work opportunity, be sure to negotiate a sizeable salary package to offset the high cost of living.

Some of the most popular ways of looking for jobs in New York City include the employment sections of newspapers, online job portals such as LinkedIn and Indeed, and employment agencies.

Work culture in New York City

Understandably, with an economy as diverse as New York, the business culture varies according to the industry one is working in. Those working for a large corporation in New York should expect to toil long hours, take on a lot of responsibility, and prepare to meet hectic deadlines.

Depending on the particular industry, employees may compete directly with colleagues to work on the best and most lucrative accounts. So while teamwork is valued and necessary, those who want to succeed in the Big Apple will need the ability to shine independently.