Usually, when people think of cities with huge tech/marketing companies, they think of New York City or Los Angeles. These two cities attract some of the best talents due to the benefits of NYC, or the city of Angels can offer. Some of these benefits include six-figure salaries, endless entertainment options, and being able to eat at a wide range of restaurants. While these cities do offer significant benefits to living there, I was offered a job at a digital that has won awards for their SEO services, so I did some research into living in the Chicago area.
1. Chicago is Close to Family
The main selling point of accepting my SEO specialist manager position in Chicago, IL, was that it is close to home. Being from Wisconsin, which is about two hours from home, I can still go home over the weekends to see my friends and family. If I were to move to NYC or LA, I would have a much harder time visiting home, due to the cost of flights and limited vacation time. Having such a close relationship with my family, being close was important to me. Now I can take the Amtrak or drive whenever I want to go home.
2. Chicago is Becoming a Tech Hub
I choose Chicago due to the potential this city has when it comes to tech. As of right now, the city of Chicago is ranked number 6th for an innovative hub in the world. I believe it will only keep growing, and I would rather have my foot in the door now compared to later when the competition will be fierce. There are a few heavy hitters that do digital marketing, SEO, and SEM in the Chicago area, but it is still relatively small compared to the bigger cities.
3. SEO Specialist are Paid Well
The last reason I choose Chicago is that I was offered an excellent salary to work at the SEO firm compared to the website design company. The cost of living in Chicago is also a lot lower, so my money goes a lot further than it would in NYC or LA. Having a lower cost of living allows me actually to enjoy what the city offers. I do not have to worry about that coffee I purchased because Chicago rent is not out of control like LA or NYC.
These are just a few reasons as to way I now call Chicago home. Please feel to share why you moved to Chicago, if you live here as well. I would love to hear your story.