Venice, Sarasota County, Area Careers and Employers

White-Collar & Professional Careers in Sarasota County

One misconception about Southwest Florida is that most employment revolves around tourism, restaurants, construction and retirement services.

Those industries are important, but Sarasota County also has a substantial professional and white-collar economy. Professional opportunities can be found in finance, banking, insurance, law, technology, healthcare administration, engineering, architecture, corporate management, human resources, marketing, government and many other fields.

• Accounting & Finance
• Banking & Wealth Management
• Insurance
• Law & Legal Services
• Information Technology
• Cybersecurity & Software
• Engineering & Architecture
• Healthcare Administration
• Corporate Management
• Human Resources
• Marketing & Advertising
• Sales & Business Development
• Real Estate & Mortgage Banking
• Government Administration
• Education
• Communications & Media

Major Employers to Investigate

Job openings change constantly, but these organizations and employment sectors provide excellent starting points when researching careers in Venice and Sarasota County.

Finance, Banking, Accounting & Wealth Management Careers

Sarasota County’s population, businesses and established households support a substantial financial-services industry.

Opportunities may include financial advisors, wealth managers, investment professionals, commercial bankers, mortgage professionals, accountants, CPAs, tax professionals, insurance professionals, underwriters, financial analysts, compliance specialists, controllers and management positions.

Attorneys & Legal Careers

Sarasota supports an established legal community serving individuals, businesses, real estate transactions and estates.

• Attorneys
• Paralegals
• Legal Assistants
• Real Estate Law
• Estate Planning
• Probate
• Corporate Law
• Title & Closing Services

Sarasota’s active real estate market and substantial retiree population can also create demand for professionals working in real estate law, title services, trusts, estate planning and probate.

Healthcare Careers: Much More Than Doctors and Nurses

Healthcare is one of the most important employment sectors in Sarasota County.

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System has major operations in both Sarasota and Venice, making healthcare especially relevant to someone considering living in Venice.

• Physicians
• Registered Nurses
• Therapists
• Medical Technicians
• Hospital Administration
• Finance & Accounting
• Human Resources
• Information Technology
• Healthcare Analytics
• Compliance
• Marketing
• Practice Management

Manufacturing, Engineering & Technical Careers

Here is something many people researching a move to Venice do not expect: the Venice area has a meaningful manufacturing and engineering employment base.

Architecture, Engineering, Development & Construction Management

Continued residential and commercial development throughout Venice, Wellen Park, Sarasota and North Port creates employment well beyond the construction trades themselves.

• Civil Engineering
• Structural Engineering
• Architecture
• Land Planning
• Surveying
• Environmental Consulting
• Construction Management
• Project Management
• Estimating
• Purchasing
• Development Management
• New Home Sales

Potential employers include homebuilders, commercial contractors, architectural firms, engineering companies, land developers and local governments.

Technology & IT Careers

Technology careers are not limited to Tampa, Orlando or Miami. Information technology is now an essential part of virtually every large organization.

• Software Development
• IT Management
• Cybersecurity
• Network Administration
• Systems Administration
• Technical Support
• Database Management
• Web Development
• Data Analysis
• Project Management

Hospitals, governments, school systems, manufacturers, banks, insurance companies and professional businesses all need technology professionals.

Education & Academic Careers

Sarasota County Schools is one of the area’s major employers, and its career opportunities extend well beyond teaching.

• Teachers
• School Administrators
• Guidance Counselors
• Psychologists
• Information Technology
• Finance
• Human Resources
• Transportation
• Facilities Management
• District Administration

Higher-education and creative professionals can also investigate colleges and educational institutions throughout Sarasota.

Marketing, Advertising, Arts & Creative Careers

Sarasota has an unusually strong arts, cultural and creative community for a metropolitan area of its size.

• Marketing
• Advertising
• Graphic Design
• Digital Media
• Social Media
• Public Relations
• Photography
• Video Production
• Web Design
• Content Creation
• Arts Administration
• Event Management

Employers can include Ringling College of Art and Design, cultural organizations, nonprofit organizations, marketing agencies, healthcare companies and larger businesses with in-house marketing departments.

Government & Public-Sector Careers

Government is another significant source of professional employment.

• Administration
• Finance & Accounting
• Information Technology
• Engineering
• Urban Planning
• Human Resources
• Procurement
• Communications
• Legal Services
• Environmental Management
• Utilities
• Public Works

Real Estate, Mortgage, Insurance & Property Careers

Real estate is an important part of Southwest Florida’s economy, but the industry supports far more careers than real estate sales.

• Residential Real Estate
• Commercial Real Estate
• Property Management
• Community Association Management
• Mortgage Lending
• Mortgage Underwriting
• Title & Closing Services
• Homeowners Insurance
• Appraisal
• Home Inspection
• New Construction Sales
• Real Estate Marketing

Potential employers include RE/MAX and other real estate brokerages, mortgage companies, title companies, insurance agencies, property-management companies, developers and homebuilders.

Retail, Hospitality, Restaurants & Tourism

Tourism, restaurants and retail remain important components of the local economy because millions of residents and visitors enjoy Southwest Florida’s beaches, restaurants, shopping, golf and recreational opportunities.

Publix Super Markets is a major regional employer. Other opportunities exist with retailers, hotels, restaurants, golf facilities, marinas and tourism-related businesses.

These industries also employ professional managers, accountants, human-resource specialists, marketing professionals, information technology employees, purchasing managers and executives.

Remote & Hybrid Careers

The definition of a local job has changed.

A Venice resident working from a home office may have an employer headquartered in Tampa, Atlanta, New York, Chicago or across the country.

Remote and hybrid work can make Venice especially attractive to established professionals who want to maintain their careers while enjoying the Southwest Florida lifestyle.

• High-Speed Internet
• Dedicated Home Office
• Convenient I-75 Access
• Airport Accessibility
• Quiet Work Environment
• Space for Business Equipment

Small Business & Entrepreneurship

You don’t necessarily need an employer to build a career in Sarasota County.

Southwest Florida’s population supports thousands of locally owned companies and professional service businesses.

Opportunities exist in consulting, accounting, insurance, real estate, marketing, technology, construction, property management, health and wellness, restaurants, retail and home services.

Experienced professionals relocating to Venice may be able to bring an existing business with them, work remotely, purchase a local business or start something entirely new.

Can You Live in Venice and Work in Sarasota?

Absolutely.

This may be one of the most important things for a prospective Venice homebuyer to understand.

You do not have to find both your dream home and your dream job inside the Venice city limits.

Someone living in North Venice may have a very different commute to Sarasota than someone living farther south. A home convenient to I-75 may make sense for a Sarasota commuter, while someone working at Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice, North Venice or Wellen Park may have entirely different priorities.

Consider Your Career Before Choosing Your Neighborhood

For a working professional, choosing the right community means considering much more than bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage.

• Where will I work?
• How long will my commute be?
• Do I need easy access to I-75?
• Will I work from home?
• Do I travel frequently?
• How important is proximity to Sarasota?
• Could my employment location change?
• How important are beaches and downtown Venice?

A beautiful house can be the wrong home if you spend two miserable hours every day getting to and from work.

The right location can provide convenient access to Sarasota County’s employment market while still allowing you to enjoy Venice beaches, downtown Venice, boating, golf, restaurants and the Southwest Florida lifestyle.

Work Here. Live Here. Enjoy Venice.

People move to Venice for many different reasons.

Some are retired. Some are preparing for retirement.

Others are executives, healthcare professionals, teachers, attorneys, accountants, engineers, business owners, technology professionals, salespeople, skilled tradespeople and remote workers who simply decided they would rather build their careers while living near the Gulf of Mexico.

Don’t just shop for a house. Shop for the community and lifestyle that fit your career, family, budget and the way you want to live.