It's graduation season meaning thousands of recent college grads are embarking on their journey into "the real world," full of interviews, relocation, first jobs, and the transition into true adulthood. Exams have been scored, dorm rooms are cleared out, and the empty red Solo cups are left to dry out on frat house floors. Career time is here and college graduates are revved up and rearing to start their work lives with the same excitement and spirit they had as college freshmen.
Orlando
Unlike colleges and universities, when it comes to where to start a career, the evidence isn't as cut and dry as a glossy brochure and a guided tour. That's why WalletHub, the personal finance website has released a report on 2017's best and worst places to start a career in the U.S.
WalletHub analyzed the 150 largest markets in the country and used 23 metrics to indicate which areas were the most career-friendly and which places flunked. These findings will be helpful for recent grads considering their current residence as a place to seek work or if relocation is a smarter move for their journey into the workforce.
Austin
Factors including highest monthly average starting salary, availability of entry-level jobs, job growth progression, affordable housing, workplace diversity, and more were weighed and measured, creating a formula for WalletHub to assess the best and worst areas of the country for newbies, maybe you, seeking a successful start to a brand new career.
The best places may surprise you, but for those living in or near these top cities, the news is surely welcome.
The top 5, according to WalletHub are Salt Lake City, UT; Orlando, FL; Austin, TX; Grand Rapids, MI; and Tempe, AZ. And for the bottom 5, Newark, NJ; Cleveland, OH; Augusta, GA; Montgomery, AL; and Toledo, OH, let's hope for the sake of the local economy and those who reside there that things turn around soon.
Grand Rapids
While Durham, NC didn't make the cut for the top 10 due to the overall findings, this city boasts the highest monthly average starting salary - $3,909 - based on the cost of living. And diversity in the workforce made Oxnard, CA a standout.
For the full list of rankings and more specific findings from the WalletHub study, see the entire report.
There's more than location that makes for a foot in the door, but knowing these facts can help young adults make wise career choices. But it takes personal responsibility and professionalism in order to make your way into the workforce no matter where your path takes you. Make a lasting and positive impression at your first interviews with these 4 tips for a better shot for hiring managers and business owners asking you back for a second meeting and the opportunity for work.
Graduation may be the end of an era, but as you embark on a career, new beginnings are right around the corner… just be sure it's in a city that welcomes you with open arms and plentiful opportunity.
