Making the Move: A Look at Hot Cities and Relocation
Post by
Mark Kaefer | September 17th, 2008
The lure of “being someplace else” gets very strong in college. After several years toiling through school, the idea of finding someplace new, different, fresh and exciting can be very appealing. As an undergrad at Ithaca College in Central New York, I knew I needed a change of pace after graduation. I never wanted to see snow in May again! And eventually I got what I wanted – I moved to Boston in the late ‘90s and have been here ever since. I’ve even endured a few April blizzards, but that’s another story.
Last month, Experience launched its 2008 Hot Cities Survey and polled students and young grads on the topic of what makes a city desirable. But we also dug a little deeper and asked about factors on relocating both domestically and internationally. Gen Y told us some interesting things – things that should affect how employers are luring entry-level talent to not just their companies, but their cities.
New York City led the pack of most desirable cities, at 12 percent ranking it number one, followed by Washington, D.C., Chicago and San Francisco respectively. Seattle/Tacoma, Atlanta, Boston and Charlotte tied the fifth place slot at a 5 percent response rate each. Other cities in the top 10 included Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Los Angeles and San Diego.
Interestingly, a whopping 85 percent of Gen Y indicated they were interested in relocating inside the country, and 70 percent even said they’d consider moving abroad if presented with the right opportunity. By far the most popular reason for relocating was chasing career opportunities, but survey respondents also reported that the social/cultural scene, proximity to family, weather conditions and availability of public transportation were important considerations as well for a big move.
Given this information, it’s pretty clear that employers have the opportunity to attract a larger entry-level talent base by sourcing beyond their geographical boundaries. Candidates will make a significant move for a job, provided the “extracurricular” considerations add up. Recruiters must know what drives Gen Y as young grads make big moving decisions – and then they should use this knowledge to optimize their workforce development efforts. By promoting the aspects of living in a specific region in their outreach, employers can not only ensure they’re dipping into a larger candidate pool – they can positively affect their local, regional and even state economies.
Tags: college recruiting, Gen Y, moving, relocation
September 18th, 2008 at 1:49 am
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October 3rd, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Valuable information in the war for talent. Companies must keep in mind that 0% may want to move to their particular location and have a multi-faceted effort that includes educating about their particular area (as you describe) AND developing local / regional connections with educational institutions (of any kind) that offer degree programs related to their most difficult to find needs. The entry-levels that benefit from that then need to embrace and continue the effort so they can advance by having successors in the pipeline.
November 10th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
My name is Bridget Reno and I live in Orlando Florida. I recently had to pack up my belongings and transfer to a new office building. I searched for days struggling to find the best company to help me with this move. In this case of moving to a new office, a moving and storage company may be the way to go. I talked to a bunch of moving companies in the area and most of them made me really nervous. The first one that even talked to me and was willing to patiently answer all the questions that I had was this place called JJ Metro.com . If you chose to use any kind of moving company, please take the time to research the company first before trusting them with all your personal belongings. Even if you are looking to move a small amount of stuff, to a new office for example, it might be a good idea to find a good moving company to help you safely transport your personal belongings.
November 15th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
excellent tips on choosing a moving company. o matter how hot the job is take your time and be selective. always verify license and valid insurance
December 15th, 2008 at 3:20 am
Very informative blog! Lots of people are moving in my area. Raleigh-Durham-Chapel-Hill is booming. Our site has tons of information as well and we are looking to grow.
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February 1st, 2009 at 7:51 pm
I know exactly how you feel. Once you’ve made it through college and you finally get that degree that you’ve worked so hard for, you are able to finally feel this sense of relief. I’ve been in the same situation recently seeing how I just got my Bachelor’s degree 4 months ago. Once you are finally done with school it feels like a great accomplishment. Many people than decide to buy a home and prepare to really start their life. During this time period there are just so many things going through your mind and it will seem like there just isn’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. Make sure that the company you decide to hire to help you with this move is a qualified and credible company. The last thing you need is something to go wrong with the move and God forbid something bad happen with all your belongings. Research the company first, college students know all about research, so it should be easy.