Ashley Sailer emailed recently looking for a way to return to her native Roanoke from DC. Below is her take on her dilemma, which many others need to read.

My family is still in Roanoke, and whenever I go home to visit, I realize that just because I’m in a big city doesn’t mean it is better. It’s impersonal, chaotic, and busy, and that is the exact opposite of myself. I’m so laid-back and friendly that I need to live in an area that matches my personality, which is when I started thinking about how much I liked the Roanoke area. It’s big enough to not be bored, but it’s small enough to run into familiar faces on occasion. And it’s beautiful, all comfy-cozy, nestled in the mountains. There’s a lot to do, there’s just no concise way to advertise it. And through my job search, I’ve realized that the area has a lot of vacancies, you just have to know where to look.

Thanks Ashley for your take on the region as a young adult native to the region. I hope we will have more young adults looking to return soon.

One program we have created is a Roanoke City Job Database. Over 450 young adults have completed a profile. Please share with others. More and more employers are beginning to use it.