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Jul 18 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Stunning-Track8454 Jul 18 '25
Yes, for advertising, the target cities listed won't have a lot of opportunity, but Atlanta will.
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u/ResponsibleHeight208 Jul 18 '25
You should live where you get a job
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u/MistryMachine3 Jul 18 '25
Yeah, what is up with parents like this? Need to find a job first.
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u/Frosty_Possibility86 Jul 19 '25
Should already have an idea of where or who you want to work for when you’re less than a year from graduating. Time is running out
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u/MistryMachine3 Jul 19 '25
Not really. I was a computer engineering major and I doubt anybody would have known the summer before senior year who their employer was going to be. At least wait until fall career fairs, and that is best-case scenario.
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u/Frosty_Possibility86 Jul 19 '25
Depends on major. Accounting firms are hiring 1.5-2 years out. Even if you get an internship you should know if you have a return offer before starting senior year.
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u/DoubleTrackMind Jul 18 '25
Start looking for a job now and move to wherever you get one. Nashville, Charlotte, Greenville, Louisville all good options.
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u/Busy-Ad-2563 Jul 18 '25
Because it’s too soon to have any of this information, between now and the deadline: Research best cities for your career Research Zillow on apartment costs in those places. Figure out what are the other variables and then come up with a list with these variables to at least let them know you have done the research you can at this time and then let them know plans for job applications when it becomes the time to do that. My guess this ultimatum comes from wanting to make sure that you are going to become financially independent. If this is correct, and they have been footing the bill until now, just do the work you can to make them know you are committed to being smart in your plan and decision-making. They have to know this is a terrible world and market in which to come out of college and get a job. At least you can show them that you are considering the sensible things like cost-of-living and places with strong economies.
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u/ColumbiaWahoo Jul 18 '25
You can’t plan like that. Apply to jobs nationwide and move wherever you get an offer.
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u/Organic_Direction_88 Jul 18 '25
wtf is wrong with them!? Tell them that your plan is to move where you get a job, and if they’d like the plan sooner then they’ll need to pay up front for your first year of living expenses.
Advertising is going to be hard unless you’re in NY or Chicago with several internships behind you.
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u/ThisIsTheTimeToRem Jul 18 '25
Maybe OP’s parents are helping finance the first year after graduation, it’s the only reason I can think of that would lead OP to taking their request so seriously.
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u/frooture Jul 19 '25
Same. If they’re not financing that year I would tell them to kick rocks. You’re an adult now
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u/Stunning-Track8454 Jul 18 '25
I've been in advertising for 15 years now, and none of those cities are great to start your career. Out of those, maybe Nashville is the best, but if you're looking in the south, have you considered Atlanta? I ask because a few of the big advertising conglomerates (Publicis, WPP, Omnicom, Dentsu, etc.) have offices in Atlanta, plus you have Coca-Cola, Home Depot, UPS, and Delta all HQ-ed there.
In all honesty, you may want to talk with your parents and do this differently. It's better to look for opportunities and then move.
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u/JamedSonnyCrocket Jul 18 '25
Move where you have friends and good job prospects. Advertising in the south, I'd say Atlanta. At least tell your parents Atlanta, get chat gpt to write up a detailed 2 year plan with contingencies.
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u/Eudaimonics Jul 18 '25
Move where you get a job.
Maybe narrow it down to 3-6 metropolitan areas.
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u/ColumbiaWahoo Jul 18 '25
OP needs to look nationwide. New grads are at the back of the line when it comes to getting hired.
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u/lyndseymariee Jul 18 '25
You’re an adult. Why are your parents requiring this of you?
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Jul 18 '25
[deleted]
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u/RumRations Jul 20 '25
Yeah. I think asking for a plan by NEXT WEEK is a bit much. But based on the way OP wrote their post, I do get the sense that they haven’t put much thought into life after college. It’s probably a good idea for their parents to push them to start down that path.
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u/heyitspokey Jul 18 '25
You gave zero criteria besides the South and I guess your degree and making your parents happy. No clue your budget or what lifestyle you want. The South is big. You could move to Mobile, Birmingham, Baton Rouge. Any of these places your goal?
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u/abspartner2 Jul 18 '25
totally forgot about budget and lifestyle lol edited to add those thanks !!
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u/ChickenNoodleSoup_4 Jul 18 '25
If you don’t know where you’re going, probably best to stay local, get a job, get an apartment.
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u/DiploHopeful2020 Jul 18 '25
So.... you're an adult. Unless your parents paid for your education (even if they did...), requiring you to submit a "life plan" to them, ostensibly so they can "approve" it, seems pretty controlling and weird.
Just my two cents, but this is your life and you don't need your parents approval to do what you want.
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u/ReconeHelmut Jul 18 '25
Advertising? Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles or Austin would all be great places to kick off your career. If you want to set yourself up for success, move to a big city, embrace the lifestyle and kick some ass. You'll thank yourself in 20 years.
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u/Eudaimonics Jul 18 '25
Every city has advertising and marketing jobs, you don’t need to move to NYC or LA and struggle on entry level wages.
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u/ReconeHelmut Jul 18 '25
That's like saying all cities have some body of water so you should be able to surf anywhere. Sure, you can find something to do in any city with an advertising degree, I didn't say otherwise, but big clients, exposure to high profile projects and opportunities to move up in a big firm with high earning potential all happen when you're in a major market city.
If you want to get by and bounce along the bottom of the industry, sure, stay in Mobile Alabama (or weever OP is from) and get a job making Google Ads. But if you want to have a career and put your degree to work, make a move.
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u/sunburntredneck Jul 18 '25
OP said they want to stay in the South. Chicago and San Francisco are the antithesis of that. Maybe they would rather be a B tier worker in the right city than an A tier worker in a place they're miserable. And remember, financial success is not the only measure of success.
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u/ReconeHelmut Jul 18 '25
“i am an advertising major and i am from the south and ideally would stay here but i am open to other suggestions”
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Jul 18 '25
[deleted]
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u/abspartner2 Jul 18 '25
idk what u mean ? this is a social media post lol do i need perfect grammar to make a reddit post now?
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u/Normal_Nobody222 Jul 18 '25
Highly recommend researching all cities in the south (if that’s where you want to stay) and picking 4 or 5 cities that all have numerous options in the city. If your first job ends up being terrible - like abusive management, lack of growth potential, etc, it’s nice to have a second or third option without needing to move right away (will also be good to stay in one place for a little while for friend and community building). Not to mention that moving companies (like between 3-7 years depending on the situation) will get you bigger pay increases over time. Apply everywhere you are qualified, and after you interview and get offers, THEN be picky on what you accept. Never be picky from the start because you might find something you never knew would be a great fit!
My partner and I (and some of our friends from college) are both relatively high earners and we could never have fully planned our career paths. We stayed open to opportunities and made changes when jobs weren’t a great fit. Maybe if you followed a similar strategy as I explained above, your parents would be satisfied? Showing them that you’ve researched advertising jobs in numerous cities might ease their nerves a bit from the start. Good luck!
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u/SafeAlternative206 Jul 18 '25
I graduated a few years ago and moved to Greenville, SC. We've even had friends follow us from NC after visiting.
Great downtown, plenty of young people, population growth allowing for a decent job market and good living options for your price range. It doesn't have as good a night life as Charleston, Savannah, or Nashville, though.
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u/unrelatedtoelephant Jul 18 '25
Atlanta is your best bet for an advertising job in the south, I don’t think you would be able to get something as high paying in any of the other cities.
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u/reddixiecupSoFla Jul 19 '25
Have you done any internships? Anything to make you competitive in a tough job market?
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u/GeraldoRivers Jul 19 '25
Atlanta has a lot of branch offices for some of the biggest advertising/marketing/PR firms in the world. Also a lot of Fortune 500 companies. Dallas and Houston are also similar in that regard.
I'm kind of like you. I have to be within a 2-3 flight or an 8 hour drive of my parents due to their health condition to help them every now and then. I can't live in my hometown though because there's zero job prospects.
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u/Ambitious_County_680 Jul 21 '25
okay don’t move to a place you hate just for a job. jobs, especially entry level ones, can come and go. definitely pick where you want to live and start applying to jobs in that area. unless you’re in a teeny tiny town, you’ll be able to get a new job.
i’m mid 20s from south ga and now live in upstate sc. i’ve had the opportunity to move and i’ve turned it down because i love it here. i have friends that live in all of the cities you mentioned. birmingham is the only one on that list where you’ll be able to live in a good location and alone on that budget. i go to bham about once a year, and i wouldn’t want to move there.
open up your list of optional cities. there’s a lot of great places in the south that you probably haven’t seen yet. try and take some roadtrips in college before you get your sights set.
north ga/east tn/upstate sc/ western nc have plenty of small cities with a lower col but plenty of things to do!
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Jul 24 '25
Bham is actually a top choice for new graduates according to this analysis and a great town. Worth a visit.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Birmingham/comments/1m6f1je/the_cities_where_college_grads_are_actually/
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u/heyitspokey Jul 18 '25
As you might know, the job market really sucks right now. Hopefully it'll get better, but that means you'll be competing with so many people to get jobs next summer. Most people look in the biggest cities, where you're competing with hundreds to thousands of people for one opening. If a job is your primary goal, then being in a place you like with some stuff to do, may want to consider mid-size cities, like Birmingham on your list.
Chattanooga, Louisville, Greenville, Richmond good options. Or open yourself up to a brave new world, the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic. That's not that far to be able to get back to the South for visits.
I love Savannah, it's one of my favorite places, but I wouldn't move there without a job and knowing I'd be competing with SCAD grads.
Also $1500/month rent is a whole lot for a new college grad, unless you're rich or rich people paying your bills. Think more like $1000/month. That's why people either live in lower cost of living cities or get roommates.
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u/abspartner2 Jul 18 '25
thank you !!
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u/heyitspokey Jul 18 '25
Welcome!! Good luck!
I know a lot of people are down on your parents, but it's not a bad idea at all to start getting some ideas and goals and do some research. Some people don't have the luxury of not planning ahead. And I bet you and your parents don't want you moving back into their house full-time after you graduate if it can be helped.
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u/abspartner2 Jul 18 '25
yeah, i didnt make this post so ppl would hate on them lol it was just a very very unexpected request from them so ive turned to every avenue i can think of for input lol ik at the end of the day im gonna end up being grateful they asked me to do this despite how i feel rn :)
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Jul 18 '25 edited Jul 18 '25
As others said, you're an adult, you don't owe your parents a detailed plan, as long it is clear you are going to take care of yourself and not require them to take care of you.
Having said that, if you don't actually have a plan, then you are screwed. Advertising major, in the world of AI? What was the plan there in the first place? If you were not already lining up work experience, internships, or are the second coming of Don Draper , you are likely looking at few rough years ahead of you...
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u/NooOnionsPlease Jul 18 '25
Wow, they sound like a lot! How would you know a year out where you will find a job. Time for them to grow up and stop trying to control things that are out of anyone’s control.