The last few days I've thought long and hard about my future career goals and where I see myself in the next 10 years. Professors and peers ask me about my job plan, and I always find myself answering "I want to be a PR professional in Nashville." "Why Nashville?" one might say. This growing city offers numerous opportunities for young professionals to be involved and seek for development in whatever industry they choose. Every time I visit Music City I feel a sense of home and belonging. Not only are the people welcoming with a sense of southern hospitality, but they also understand the balance between a healthy balance between work and home life. Here are five reasons Nashville's on my mind:
Accessibility
Nashville is one of the most centralized locations of the Southeast. Coming from a small town in Alabama, this big city is only a four hour drive away. I've been lucky to visit a few times this year and have constantly found myself loving the city more and more. One of the things that drives me towards Nashville is the downtown scene of Broadway and Music Row. It's interesting to see people of all ages and backgrounds touristing the city and learning more about Southern culture.
Growing industry
Business start-ups in Nashville are one of the main reasons the city is growing so quickly. Companies are finding success in Music City because of the lower cost-of-living. A growing population is helping these businesses grow. The biggest growing industry is healthcare, among music and tourism. This city has a lot to offer to new residents and is constantly growing to keep up.
Entertainment
This one is pretty obvious but entertainment in Nashville draws in large crowds. Whether it be music, events, festivals, art, food and drink or sports, Nashville has something to offer for everyone. You can find live music anywhere at anytime. My personal favorite is going down Broadway on Friday and Saturday nights and listening to young musicians in the local bars. Downtown street festivals and art murals are drawing in tourists near the Gulch.
Family-friendly atmosphere
One of the main reasons I would love to move to Nashville is because of the family-friendly atmosphere. Graduating from college I would love to rent a studio apartment for a while and work for a PR agency doing social media marketing or company branding . As I learn and grow, I could see myself building a family in Nashville and showing them around the city. I love that Nashville doesn't just draw people of one age group or specific background. This city offers something for everyone, and strangers can become friends in the blink of an eye.
Affordability
Living in a small town of 15,000 people, I knew coming out of high school I wanted to move to a bigger city. Tuscaloosa has been a great fit for me learning how to navigate in a college town with other city residents. Though I love UA and Tuscaloosa, moving to Nashville would provide me more opportunities to grow personally and professionally. While living in New York or San Francisco would be a lot of fun for my career, Nashville is a more affordable community and still offers what I want in a career. According to Forbes, the median income is $53,463 and home price is$172,000. That isn't bad compared to other large American cities. Because of its centralized location, Nashville is also close to Atlanta, St. Louis, Asheville, Louisville, among others. Weekend road trips are definitely doable.
I recently applied to attend an Industry Immersion trip through my college to visit Nashville over fall break. If accepted to this program I would be given an opportunity to meet with potential employers in my favorite city. I am looking forward to hearing back about this program and will continue to do research on Nashville's growing industry. There's no doubt in my mind Music City has a special place in my heart, and I can see myself moving there post-graduation.
The minimum wage is not a living wage.
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