The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey found 3.5 percent of young adults between the ages of 22 and 34 with college degrees fled Michigan in 2013. Why do millennials, including aspiring public relations (PR) professionals, leave Michigan? Is it the glitz and glam of New York City or a desire to live in Washington, D.C., where public and private sectors intersect?

Here is what my millennial colleagues and I are looking for from companies:

• Flexibility – we excel at technology which means we can still participate in meetings and meet our deadlines while working flexible hours or remotely.
• Work-Life balance – spending time with family is important, and productivity is a result of happy employees.
• Opportunities for growth/advancement – collaborate with us to develop a plan to move up through the ranks.

Beyond the professional aspects, there are quality of life issues that can’t be beat. Michigan offers spectacular natural resources and outdoor activities, affordable housing and cities such as Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing that are reinventing what they have to offer. This means we can like where we live and work at the same time.

A quick look at PR jobs on the Central Michigan Public Relations Society of America’s (CMPRSA) website shows Michigan jobs ready for the taking. Whether as a Public Information Officer, Account Executive or an Outreach & Engagement Coordinator, opportunities to transcend into the realm of Public Relations do exist.

ValuePenguin, a personal finance website, released the “Top 30 Cities for PR Specialists” with Lansing ranked number nine and Ann Arbor, 15. The site based its rankings on affordability of living, earnings and location quotients.

As a millennial interning with Truscott Rossman, Michigan’s leading strategic communications firm, I look forward to staying in Michigan as I transition into a career within the PR industry.