Day 85 - The Top 10 Cities for Recent Grads

While we may soon experience the sweet relief that our classes are over, exams have been taken and all the term papers have been turned in, what lies ahead for the Class of 2009 is an extremely challenging and competitive job market.

For traditional and non-traditional new grads, if you plan to expand the job search beyond your college or hometown, you'll be interested in Apartments.com/CBcampus.com latest release of the “Top 10 Best Cities for Recent College Graduates.” The list is based on the ranking of the top U.S. cities with the highest concentration of young adults (age 20 – 24) from the U.S. Census Bureau (2006), an inventory of jobs requiring less than one year of experience from CBcampus.com (2009) and the average cost of rent for a one-bedroom apartment (from Apartments.com-2009).

According to Apartments.com/CBcampus.com, the top 10 cities for recent grads are:

1. Indianapolis
Average rent:* $625
Popular entry-level categories:** sales, customer service, health care
--> To find jobs in Indianapolis click here!

2. Philadelphia
Average rent: $1,034
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, management
--> To find jobs in Philadelphia click here

3. Baltimore
Average rent: $1,130
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, health care
--> To find jobs in Baltimore click here

4. Cincinnati
Average rent: $691
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, health care
--> To find jobs in Cincinnati click here

5. Cleveland
Average rent: $686
Popular entry-level categories: sales, marketing, customer service
--> To find jobs in Cleveland click here

6. New York
Average rent: $1,548
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, admin-clerical
--> To find jobs in New York click here

7. Phoenix
Average rent: $747
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, marketing
--> To find jobs in Phoenix click here

8. Denver
Average rent: $877
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, health care
--> To find jobs in Denver click here

9. Chicago
Average rent: $1,133
Popular entry-level categories: sales, marketing, customer service
--> To find jobs in Chicago click here

10. San Antonio
Average rent: $696
Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, management
--> To find jobs in San Antonio click here

If you are considering expanding your career search to include another city, here are a few tips:

• Contact alumni from your university who live in that city; join the alumni chapter if there is one.
• Get an insider’s perspective by familiarizing yourself with local media and resources. Read up on the city’s business and community news.
• Develop a list of companies within the area and learn about their businesses and company cultures.
• Register with national recruitment agencies and search engines; interview with recruiters in your local office and put the word out to offices in your target cities.
• Consider spending a few days in the desired city to learn more, network and set up informational interviews. In applications and cover letters, simply tell hiring managers the dates that you’ll there and available to interview.

Although this is an incredibly challenging market for new grads, keep in mind that attitude is the key to your success. The reality is that your job search may take longer as you are thrust back into the “real world,” but the right mind-set will make you resilient. Stay positive! You've got a lot to offer the right company.