Hey Portland GAF -
I have one year left in college and then I plan on moving somewhere completely new and exciting. Portland is one of the options I have my eye on. Others include: Austin, TX , Colorodo or Southern california. Portland has two companies I am trying to get a job at (Reebok and Nike) so there is that...
Can you guys sell me on Portland? (Coming from the hustle-bustle East coast for reference)
Are you able to visit before making a decision?
Southern california is nothing like portland. Tons of driving, hot, expensive, but with access to any kind of media or entertainment job you can imagine and great beaches/cuisine. I can't speak for austin or colorado (I'm assuming you'd want to live in a place like boulder?) other than to say that they are in some ways culturally similar to portland.
If hustle is your thing there's a little of that in downtown portland, but it's a very laid back city for the most part. Tons of music, art, weirdos, beer, etc. The premises you see on portlandia are actually real, and they're no big deal here. The suburbs and rural areas have a lot of conservative and upper middle class kind of white people, so it's not just hippie fun and games. There is a big outdoor enthusiast subculture here because of the proximity to mount hood, the sisters, and huge swaths of northwest wilderness areas. It's a short trip to the coast, which is a dreary place most of the year but absolutely beautiful if you happen to get there on a sunny day.
We have two professional sports teams in the blazers (best home crowd in the NBA) and the timbers if you're into that, but there's no chance in hell that the MLB or NFL comes here anytime soon. Also, it rarely snows, but it rains for 8-9 months of the year.
I think portland is a great city for a young professional or a young drifter to be in. You should use the guide in the OP and come for a visit.