The college graduates of today leave school only to find themselves faced with an uphill battle to try to find gainful employment, with a 2012 study showing that just 51% of those graduating from a four-year college program ended up in full-time work. The good news is that a United States Bureau of Labor Statistics report, also from last year, showed that despite high unemployment rates across the country, the unemployment rates were less than 5% in as many as 20 metropolitan areas, making many college graduates feel that their best chance of kick-starting their career is to move to such an area.
The prospect of relocation to a totally new city is daunting for anyone, and young women are certainly no exception to this rule. Young women who do not even have a job awaiting them will be likely to be even more intimidated by the idea, which makes it all the more important to have a few handy tips that they can work with once they arrive.
One good tip is to not to start packing for any move until you have done plenty of research. While there are low unemployment rates in many metropolitan areas, this does not mean that this is the case for all big cities. Places such as Chicago, Los Angeles and New York, which many young college graduates may fantasize about moving to, do not in reality score as well when it comes to job growth as cities such as Austin, Texas and San Jose, California. Make sure that you have done enough research to really determine which city would be the right fit for you and your qualifications before you start packing your bags to move somewhere new.
Another important tip is to work out the real cost of living. A lot of young people have a tendency to view the big city in a rather romantic light, but large cities – even those where the unemployment rate is appealingly low – still come with plenty of issues. Young women should at least take a couple of trips there before deciding upon relocation. If you have any family members or friends who do or have had experience of living in a big city, talk to them about what can be expected in everyday life and maybe even spend a weekend with them to try to get a feel for what it is really like.
You also need to work out how you can get around a large city. Most people who reside in big metropolitan areas do not drive to work but tend to rely on other forms of transportation such as the subway, and many people do not even own a motor vehicle. Using public transport can be costly, which needs to be taken into account if your new job is in the city but you were intending to live in an adjoining suburb for the sake of having cheaper rent.
Jon Huser
