Deemed by Forbes to be ‘America’s Most Underrated City’, Indy recently landed on Livability’s list of ‘Top 100 Places to Live’ and earned a spot in Travel & Leisure’s roundup of ‘America’s Favorite Places’. Home to JD Power’s #1 Airport in North America (eight years in a row), the largest children’s museum in the world, an elite sports scene and top-notch restaurants and breweries, the Crossroads of America has a lot to be proud of.
You can rattle off accolades all day, but what is it that truly makes Indy a great place to kick start your career? I might be biased (hint: I am biased), but when it comes to getting connected to a city and launching your life, Indy stands in a league of its own.
Fully committed to developing talent, Indy offers a wide array of entry-level opportunities to get your foot in the door and help you get to where you want to go professionally. Indy is home to well-known and respected companies and organizations such as Anthem, the NCAA, Eli Lilly and Simon Property Group alongside a number of innovative tech stars in Lessonly, Sigstr and Salesforce. If smaller organizations or nonprofits are more your style, Indy has a laundry list of impactful organizations making a difference throughout the city.
With no shortage of opportunity, you still aren’t going to stick around for the long haul if you don’t feel connected to where you live. Luckily, that is far from an issue in Indy as this city is ready to get you plugged in to whatever interests or passions you’d like to ignite. Indy is a place where you can really make an impact. It’s a city full of doers, movers and shakers, but most importantly, it’s a city full of people who want to help others be the best versions of themselves. When I first graduated and decided to plant my roots here, I couldn’t believe how collaborative Indy’s community leaders were – but now it’s just become second nature. (If you’re looking to get plugged in, that’s what my friends at IndyHub are here for).
As we wrap up, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the cost of living topic. Don’t worry, Indy checks that box as well. Based solely on the rent vs income equation, LinkedIn recently put out their list of ‘The Top 15 U.S. Cities to Launch Your Career’ and Indy sits proudly at #5. Your dollar goes further here and we don’t compromise quality of life. From major sports teams, to hiking and biking trails, a unique and fertile dining scene, volunteer opportunities, arts and cultural initiatives, quirky neighborhoods and much, much more, you’re certain to find your niche, plant your roots and let them grow here in Indy.
And if you’re looking for recommendations or someone to chat with, give me a shout – always happy to share my love for the city.
Meet Nate: Nate Swick is the Communications Manager at Visit Indy, the city’s official destination marketing organization charged with enhancing the quality of life in Indianapolis by optimizing visitor-related economic impact. Nate has been at Visit Indy since 2016 when he started full-time as Communications Coordinator. Serving on several boards and committees across the city, Nate has enjoyed having a hand in the execution of Final Fours and Big Ten Basketball & Football Championships, among other city-wide events. Nate has been an Indy resident since attending Butler University, where he holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and currently serves on the university’s Young Alumni Board of Directors and Career Services Board of Advisors. Find him on Twitter @NateSwick.
