The Pros and Cons of Having a Job in Chicago

The nation’s third-largest city is a thrilling place to live, but Chicago is also an exciting place to launch a career. Workers here enjoy immediate access to a diverse range of cultures, arts, and sports. While the pros are clear, working in the Windy City also has a few drawbacks.

Since its humble beginnings in the early nineteenth century, the city of Chicago has drawn businesses of all varieties. Traders, frontier farmers, and government contractors characterized the area’s first economy. Economics and business have shaped the city for nearly two hundred years.

By the 1840s, Chicago laid a strong foundation as a leading trading center. Chicago’s gradual development was spearheaded by the fur trade, military installations, the marketing of farm products, and private real estate. As capitalism expanded, the city transformed economically.

Chicago was also poised for development, with its flat prairies suitable for railroads, fertile soil in the Great Lakes region, and abundant water. The large deposits of iron ore and coal in the area paved the way as the nation increasingly turned to steam and steel.

The city’s population grew by 1930, approaching 3.4 million. As more people flocked to Chicago, more workers became available to work in construction, entertainment, and services. The economic development led to a further influx of people, making Chicago a city of opportunity.

What are the pros of having a job in Chicago?

1. Abundant professional opportunities

Today, Chicago offers its workers countless professional opportunities with 200,000 jobs created since 2010. Individuals find work in diverse sectors, such as manufacturing, IT, publishing, health services, and technology. As the second-largest business sector, Chicago is home to nine Fortune 1000 companies.

2. Concentration of female entrepreneurs

Chicago is known for its high concentration of women entrepreneurs and startups founded by women. In this bustling city, 25 percent of founders are women, which is significantly higher than the global average of 14.1 percent. Chicago is home to organizations that support women in business.

Among the many organizations are those that help women in the technology field gain access to professional networks and give them opportunities to share knowledge. Other organizations assist women in their endeavors to fund their ventures, teaching them how to pitch and talk to investors.

3. Flexible work weeks

Like other major US cities, Chicago has a five-day, 40-hour workweek. However, many employers are flexible, offering their employees summer Fridays, generous vacation days, and the choice to set their own hours. Post-pandemic, work culture now includes the option to work from home.

4. Proximity to the suburbs

Downtown, with its vibrant arts and culture scenes, has a diverse job sector. Individuals spend after-work hours in the museums, jazz clubs, and theaters. If they live in the nearby suburbs, they return to a quieter and calmer home. Commuting to the city from the suburbs offers this desirable mix.

What are the cons of having a job in Chicago?

1. Winter weather

All the frills and thrills of working in the city come with disadvantages. One of the most obvious cons is the subfreezing Chicago winters, where temperatures drop to 30 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Winters are snowy, making walking to the office from the train station cold and physically demanding.

2. High crime rate

Chicago is a premiere city to shop for expensive jewelry and high-end clothing—these attractions also make it a hotspot for crime. The murder rate in the city is four times higher than New York City. People who work in Chicago must remain continuously vigilant of their surroundings.

3. Infamous traffic

Traffic in Chicago is the third worst in the nation. Traffic jams are notoriously high during peak commuting times. Pedestrians are not entirely safe either, as drivers speed, ignore traffic laws, and have a worrisome disregard for people walking on sidewalks or crossing the streets.

The Windy City may be an ideal place to work for people who enjoy the friendly Midwestern charm, the endless opportunities to explore every nook and cranny of this major metropolis and the fact that a sports, music, arts, or other exciting cultural event is always happening.

Working in the Windy City exposes people to not only diverse employment opportunities, but cultures, languages, and food. Workers who are concerned about crime take safety measures to ease their worries. Using affordable public transportation is an alternative to driving in the heavy traffic.

Chicago is a major player in many thriving industries in the US, including finance and business. People working in engineering, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, government, and transportation find plenty of employment opportunities. Airline titans, like United Airlines, are also headquartered in the city.

Companies, like Tyson Foods, Boeing, and Caterpillar, moved out of Chicago due to crime or taxes. For them, the cons were too high. But others, like Kellogg’s, Mars Wrigley, and Google, have recently made the move into Chicago. If your company chooses to relocate here, rely on Chicago Office Movers.

We are among Chicagoland’s leading commercial movers, prepared to help you relocate successfully with our years of industry experience, a wide range of comprehensive office moving services, and the dedicated crews who handle your valuable office goods with exceptional care.

Chicago Office Movers’ comprehensive services include short- and long-term storage, quality support with relocation planning, packing and unpacking, and paperwork storage. Our office movers are licensed, trained, and security-conscious—ensuring your most sensitive documents and equipment are in good hands.

Our efforts have won us the trust of prestigious universities and major companies. Chicago Office Movers is the recipient of industry awards as well as numerous five-star ratings from satisfied customers. We extend our high-quality relocation services to all businesses large and small.

Whether your company plans to move locally, long-distance, or internationally, choose Chicago Office Movers for a seamless relocation. As a reliable office mover, we offer efficient services, helpful advice, and competitive rates.

Call our Chicago, Illinois, location at 312-244-2246 (CHI-CAGO) or fill out a form for a free estimate.