I moved from DC a year ago to check Tampa out. The talent is strong here. You'll see buttloads of hot white women here. But like you said, there are few jobs here and they are low-paying ones. You'll shake your head when recruiters are calling you to offer you $12-14/hour jobs with no benefits. Unless you have a particular skill that is not related to the work that goes down in DC, you will need to get creative if you want to make it work down here.
I had been trying to secure work before getting down here for a couple of years. I finally quit stalling waiting for the perfect opportunity and just did it. Well, this place has been said to be the hardest hit area as far as jobs and the economy. I knew it might be difficult before moving, but I went ahead with it. The weather is pretty nice down here year-round. But the Sun isn't paying your bills. You gotta get creative with stacking chips down here (hint: IM).
I would say go to Atlanta, but I've never been there. So I can't offer any advice on that city. I've honestly looked at jobs that interest me in Atlanta and haven't seen much difference there in the volume of new opportunities that pop up like they do in Tampa (not very much). You just won't see the frequency of new job opportunities popping up down here like they do in DC every week. And for some obvious reasons. But they're completely different animals. You may want to stick it out in DC and just travel a lot on the weekends to other cities until you find work before moving. Save your money during the week so you're not out blowing it on trolling the bars for MPP fatties with attitude.
With all that said from a personal perspective--and on the verge of moving back to that shithole because of jobs alone, here is a little breakdown on the nightlife that I have experienced in Tampa:
Hyde Park/SoHo
This is a strip of bars and clubs on Howard Avenue that are easily within walking distance if you live in this part of South Tampa. Drynk is like any shitty nightclub in DC with 30K millionaires and lots of dicks. Pass on this one. SoHo Tavern is semi ok, but not that great. Yard of Ale is decent, but I think you gotta get there earlier. Cheap is doable. Its layout is pleasing for trolling. MacDinton's I sort of liked when I first moved here, but that place is full of people you'd rather not be around. People seem to go there after all the other bars shut down. They have karaoke on Wednesday's I think, and the earlier you go the better. The other Wednesday spot is The Dubliner. Loads of young, white women in here with a band. The main dish, I think, is the outside bar at World of Beer. I have had women approach me here a few times. Crazy to think women doing the approaching after DC. There are a few others I haven't mentioned, but I think those have been the most pleasant for me in this area.
Ybor City
Think Adams Morgan shitholism but with a little edge. I guess that's an accurate description. You can find white girls here before midnight. The later you go past midnight is when you start seeing what you see in Adams Morgan after the bars let out. If you're past the point of liking Adams Morgan, you'll probably want to avoid this place and stay in South Tampa. There was this one bar where you drink a boot of beer and scream DAS BOOT before the bartenders would allow you to take a gulp. The name escapes me, but you might like it. I think Gaspar's Grotto is ok too.
Channelside
Think NoVa mall bars. You can make it work, but I think the talent whisks away from here earlier and back to Hyde Park/SoHo.
And of course there is the Hard Rock. I am a bad blackjack player, but you can have a lot of fun here after the bars have closed. I actually passed up a free lay from the blackjack table because I felt like losing more money at the tables than paying for a room.